Picking up French cooking habits

The sojourn in France turned me into a foodie, before I left cheese was cheddar and sweet milk. I came back having experienced the full range of glorious French cheeses; hard, firm, soft, runny, pungent, mild, marbled, matured, fresh soft, some with washed or bloomy rind, some without, with mold or without, made from sheeps milk, cows milk or goats milk.

And of course, with cheese was baguette. Bliss.

Once we had set up home at 2 ave Corneille my letters start to free up, I seem to be in a rhythm, managing the children and the home, starting my French lessons and getting about on my own.

Sally Denison played a key role during this time. They lived in Le Pecq not far from us and I was absorbing so much from her about how things were done in Paris in those years. I also noticed how she shopped for fresh food and how she put her meals together. Always fresh, always simple, always delicious, I was always a little in awe of her.

I mention in an earlier letter that that she cooks very well. I had cooked a chicken while we were unpacking and was going to have it cold, 'she decided that wasn't good enough so made a baby marrow soufflé to go with it. Even over the weekend she would pop in to help and kept on bringing food, a lovely turkey and veggie broth.' Thank you Sally.

My cooking years were starting.

My letter, in green ink, to the family on the 28 September, shares my first attempt at a dinner party in our new place. There were 6 of us, John and Sally and John's son Mark out from the UK with his girlfriend.

'I worked all day on the menu.'

• Salade de Chèvre: baguette with melted goats cheese on a bed of leaves and radish flowers
• Paella
• Crepe suzettes, flambéed at the table with Cointreau ..... 

Fred stole the evening, his crepes were delicious as always!