Cheesey

Yesterday we were in London, and went for tea in Fortum and Mason. Before we had tea we had a potter around the shop and the things you can buy in there are amazing. I bought 4 different sorts of cheese to have for our supper that night, and the decision making process took ages.

There are so many different sorts of cheese. Every country has different sorts of cheese, thought there are variations which are similar, because they all start with the same basic ingredients - ie milk from cow or sheep or goat (I suppose you can get camel and things but ....). The ways people found to create cheese from milk have created so many different cheeses. I stood in front of the counter and dithered for a long time, as I ignored the ones I already knew and wondered which ones I should buy from among all the ones I didn't know. Eventually I decided to get a creamy milk one, a blue one with grapes on the outside, some Stinking Bishop, and some pecorrino . There were lots of others which were tempting, but there is a limit to how much cheese any four people can eat in one night.

There is something which is so satisfying about the combination of cheese, red wine and good company which it is hard to beat, so we had a truly lovely evening as well as a really good day.

We went to the Cabinet war rooms and the Churchilll museum which was fascinating. The Cabinet war rooms have been recreated as they were during the war, and it is interesting how small, dark and claustrophobic they rooms are. The corridors are low and narrow, with small rooms and dark furniture, no windows, there are parts which show you the huge concrete slab above the ceiling which was designed to protect the rooms from bomb falls above. The Churchill museum is very well done, with a great deal of information about Churchill all through his life, and some very nifty button pushing things to play with as well. We also had a cup of tea in the canteen which was tea in a pot, and in nice cups as well.

Then we went and had a very posh tea in Fortum and Mason which was very, very good indeed.

It was an excellent day.