Felicity Kendall eat your heart out

Now this next tale may well sound just a tad mundane.

But it has to be read in context. Before moving to France my weekday lunches consisted of a couple of sandwiches from pret-a-manger wolfed down at my desk.

I had never grown anything in my life and had always gently mocked my parents for carefully tending their fruit and vegetable patches.

Earlier this year we decided to make the most of our big garden behind the church and we spent many back-breaking hours digging two distinct growing areas.

Well, our hard labours have finally borne fruit - literally.

Yesterday we picked a load of carrots, onions and broccoli as well as a couple of luscious, ripe charentaise melons to go along with some of our strawberries and raspberries.

Within a matter of minutes J-A had turned the veggies into a glorious, creamy soup accompanied by a crusty baguette supplied by Madam Whiplash, the local baker.

For dessert the melons & red fruits tasted simply divine. From mother natures belly to mine without preservatives, packaging or queuing at a checkout.

Now, I know that this is a scene replicated (and bettered) in most households across the world....but for our family it was a first and something that made us laugh out loud.

We had created an entire meal by ourselves (yes, I know we cheated with the bread and yes, I also know it was only a simple soup but that's why I put the caveat at the start).

There's a way to go before we trade in our E Le Clerc loyalty card but it's true that the simple things in life are often the most pleasurable.

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