Fresh produce in France is amazing!

I wrote this a few days ago, but couldn't post it!

I have been staying in a gated community (I'm dead posh, me) at Roquebrune-sur-Argens in Provence with my friend Carol and we have had no internet (so not that posh), hence my recent lack of communication.

Roquebrune is a couple of miles from the coast but that's not far so we have visited a few villages and the Cote d'Azur and eaten and quaffed, as is only right in these situations.

Sometimes, however, we lunch or dine on the shady deck of our little house but still in the French fashion, of course.

There are so many fabulous cheeses to choose from; so far we have tried Tomme (yum), Comte (yum), various Chevres (all yum) Morbier (yum) and Chaumes (yuk - but then I never did like a washed rind cheese).

The saucissons here are resplendent and we have tested a variety of rock hard, dry, salty and strangely moreish versions. With good bread, extra virgin olive oil, fleur du sel, salad and, of course, the old vin rouge and sunshine this makes an excellent meal.

For dessert we have fruit or, a couple of times, a kind of cream cake called Galette Tropezienne (which is a very good light fatless, I think, sponge filled with crème patisserie and a lovely crunchy sugar topping) from St. Tropez.  I have been told that this is well kept secret recipe and shall be investigating on my return to the UK.  I'd like to make it as my real man would love it.

The produce here is amazing, for instance just look at this lettuce which, oddly enough, I have put my foot beside to give some perspective; it's all I had available at the time. If you buy a lettuce in France you'd better really be in the mood for lettuce!

And this bloody enormous tomato! This time I used my hand as we were in the supermarket.

In other news ...

The BT fiasco continues - see here - it is 7 weeks last Friday since they disconnected our line for some minor work then found we had one of Britain's rare slightly busy roads outside our house.  They had only switched the connection off at the exchange a few minutes before this discovery but for some inexplicable reason were unable to switch it on again. They did call me yesterday in France, despite my having given them an alternative number to call in my absence, to tell me that they will update me next week on when they might be able to do the work.  Is this bad "customer service" do you think, or am I just being picky?