My discovery of Gastronomy.

After I left school I commuted by train to The City for 6 months from the south coast. It took its toll, and I seemed to be permanently travelling. Getting up at all hours, and returning home not long before catching the train back to London again. It really was a nightmare.

So, I then took a bed-sit in Bayswater. I never bothered with breakfast, I ate lunch thanks to a 4/6d daily Luncheon Voucher, and in the evenings I would regularly visit a 'restaurant' in Queensway called 'The Golden Egg'; egg-n-chips cost almost nothing. I NEVER cooked at home.

When I later became the manager of a West End gallery, I took a flat just north of Marble Arch, and again never cooked at home. I had my breakfast at Selfridge's, my lunch often at Odin's in Devonshire St (next door to the gallery), and an evening snack was usually supplied by a Pub' somewhere.

Then I moved to Lillie Rd Fulham, and on to Bramerton St Chelsea. Never did I cook, or even make coffee, at home. My flats were simply a place to sleep and store clothes. I moved around a lot in those days so ate wherever I found myself; although the restaurant 235 on the King's Rd was always a favourite.

During my college years we had a decent Cafeteria for lunch, and in the evenings I mostly ate greasy Chicken and Chips from a newspaper package. 

Once graduated I bought an ancient granite house on the Shropshire/Wales border, and it was here where I first started to take an interest in cooking. We would visit the nearby town once a week on Market Day, and buy vast amounts of vegetables for £1. They lasted us a week. We'd already had our oldest son by this time and we tried to follow Dr Bircher-Benner's 'Children's Diet' book, which was mostly veggie.

Then, when I bought our first big farmhouse in France I became totally fascinated by 'food'. Everything was so different to back home, and I found it all totally delicious. I was suddenly eating things I'd never eaten before, and I was hooked. I grew as much as possible, I had hens, ducks, and guinea fowl, and we suddenly became 'foodies'. I grew a field of Wheat, and another of Maize; I became a mini-farmer.

Since then I have preserved large amounts of my own vegetables, paté, and jams. I made hams, bacon, and various forms of charcuterie. I never looked back; until Brexit came, and now no longer have the luxury of a full growing season in S France.

During my 50 year absence, the gastronomy of the UK has changed hugely, and there is no question that we have overtaken most of mainland Europe. I am now very happy to have the huge choice of wonderful foods on offer here. France now seems very 'stuck in its ways'.