Food, glorious food

Yesterday I spent a few idle minutes scanning other people's blogs while waiting for the rain to clear up. Some people might call it nosiness; I call it intelligent curiosity. Anyway, I came across a blog where the author described what she called a terrific meal. It involved tenderloin of pork, a couple of vegetables of some kind (I can't remember what) - and English muffins. Muffins - with pork? I was aghast. Muffins, like crumpets, are supposed to be toasted before an open fire, and eaten only with butter, at tea-time during the winter. But then I thought, if you like your pork with muffins, why not eat it that way?

It was about then that my son arrived with granddaughter. He told the OB and I about a visit to one of Brighton's swishest restaurants the previous evening. Coincidentally, the OB and I had been talking earlier in the day about our favourite restaurants. There are four that I would put above all others.

Il Stroncapane in Figline, Italy. We discovered this delightful restaurant in Chianti during a holiday last year and were so taken with the friendly and efficient service of the husband and wife front of house team and the quality of the food that we ate there three times during the week. It would have been four times, but they were closed on one day and we had to eat elsewhere. A pity it's not in a place I visit as I would love to have the opportunity to eat there more often.

Le Detroit, Calais, France. This is a regular lunch venue when I spend a day ‘booze croozing' with the Lions Club International Relations committee. There is a good selection of both fish and meat dishes, proper linen napkins and tablecloths, and we are always greeted as old friends. Usually there is an ‘amuse bouche' and the prices are not excessive.

Au Vieux Castel, Chateaubriant, France. If Le Detroit greets us as old friends, that is nothing to the greeting we receive from the two ‘very nice boys' who run this bar and restaurant. (Fortunately, it is only the OB who gets the kisses, but the first time this happened I backed up against a handy pillar!) The meat and fish are cooked over a charcoal grill to one side of the dining room, and the beef is probably the best I have ever eaten in France.

Ravello, London. I have not eaten here since my retirement, the restaurant being situated just round the corner from my one-time office (to which I have no desire to return). This is an Italian restaurant run by Italians who certainly know how to cook and how to present the food. Not overly expensive, given its location in central London.

I could go on, but I really need to sort out my bank account.