When it gets cold, all I want to do is eat cheese. But not just plain cheese! I am speaking about it melted into cheese heaven goodness such as in raclette, tartiflette or fondue. Served with all kinds of buttery boiled potatoes, charcuterie and cornichons (gherkins), melted over potato cubes and bacon bits or a variety melted with white wine into a pot where big chunks of bread are dipped in... Are you still with me or have you gone to cheese dreamland?
I obviously do not eat those dishes everyday because I would certainly lose the enjoyment and get bored. Also, imagine the state of my arteries if I only listened to my cheese dreams...

So, instead, I reserve those wonderful cheese dishes for every other weekend during Winter time. And if I have a sudden craving for melted cheese, I just stir a small handful of it grated into a hot soup. Depending on the vegetables, I vary the options with Comté, Gruyère, Manchego, Gorgonzola or Parmesan cheese.

Have you started taking all your warm clothes, Winter coats, long soft scarves and blankets out of the closet? I definitely have started my annual ritual of layering my clothes before leaving the house. Goodbye cold salads and ice creams, hello comforting hot dishes and soups!

I am stocking up on soup recipes for the colder months so we get to try various things: different types of vegetables, sometimes some fruit added, spices or not, cream or coconut milk, and many many types of toppings. When making a simple plain soup or velouté, it is always a good idea to prepare a few toppings to make it less boring: croutons, toasted nuts, crumbled or grated cheese, bacon bits, etc.

One of my favourite soups to make is butternut. I just love how creamy it is and its colour is so pleasing, it is like sunshine in a bowl!

From our holidays in the beautiful Languedoc region in France, I brought back some lovely things in my suitcase. Some were specific to where we were, some were things I had wanted to try and some are things I always bring back from a trip to France. So, let's see what was in there!