It’s been a while since I wrote a post for this occasional series. Life’s been busy but also the truth is that even the most enthusiastic food blogger isn’t eating special food all of the time! Though I do eat very well, even when it’s simple stuff, and I’m lucky to live in London where wonderful food is virtually on tap.

It was that fabulous pizza in the photo above that I ate at Masaniello on Tuesday, which inspired me to write another My Week in Food post. The series enables me to mention great favourite haunts again when another review wouldn’t be appropriate.

So … this is how my week went:

Thursday – Italian colours

I bought a gorgeous crusty roll from Your Bakery in the morning and made a Tricolore Salad of Italian colours – green avocado, red tomato and white mozzarella – for my lunch.  All dressed with some extra virgin olive oil and a few leaves of fresh basil.

Friday – Golfing Calm

I had lunch with my friend Liz and she suggested meeting at the Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, where she’s a member. She also kindly tells me that as a guest, I can’t pay, so she always buys me lunch when we meet there. You don’t go for the food, although the spinach, bacon and avocado salad was very nice. You go because it’s a little oasis of calm in Richmond. We can easily hear each other talk in the hushed dining room and as you look out over the greens, one could almost be right out in the countryside – except when a plane roars overhead on its way to Heathrow!

Saturday – Gelato & Cricket

I’m not sure those two things go together. Do the Italians play cricket? Probably not – although they do play rugby! One of the nicest things to do on a warm summer’s day is for me to take a walk into Richmond, buy some gelato from Gelateria Danieli (one of the best in London!) and then sit on a bench overlooking Richmond Green.

Another oasis of calm. I love watching cricket being played, even though I’ve never got my head round the rules. It’s quintessentially British to look out over a village green and see the cricketers in their whites, listening to the dull thud of the cricket ball hitting the willow bat, with the occasional shout as either someone is bowled out or hits the ball for six.

In the evening I made the delicious Sea Bass en Papillote for my supper. Another touch of summer.

Sunday – A Son’s Return

Jonathan, Lyndsey and Freddie had been holidaying in Cornwall all week. Lyndsey and Freddie were then heading to Wales for two weeks to spend time with her family while Jonathan had to return to London for work. In the morning I went for coffee to Corto Italian Deli who serve the most perfect cappuccino, which is just like the cappuccinos you get in Italy – no Antipodean influence, just good coffee in a small cup, the perfect amount of froth and visible crema – that sign of a good coffee. One of the reasons for going was to buy some cold meats for the evening as an antipasti. It’s absolutely the best place I know to buy excellent salame, prosciutto, mortadella, etc.

As the timing of Jonathan’s drive back from Cornwall was unpredictable, it was the evening I cooked the rack of lamb – great last-minute cooking to accommodate a moveable eating time.

Monday – Croissants & Pasta

In the morning I walked to Whitton for coffee and croissant at Your Bakery. Baker Stefano makes the best croissants I know. It’s a 20-minute walk, across a little bridge that passes over Crane River and on through Kneller Gardens, a pedestrian underpass to negotiate a way across the busy A316 and then you’re there.

In the evening I made a sauce of fresh tomatoes, garlic, spinach and pine nuts for a pasta supper.

Tuesday – Pizza Napoli style

It was totally spur of the moment. I’d been into London and was on the train home unfed and hungry. And it would be a bit late to cook once I got home. I rang Jonathan to find out if he was home yet. It turned out he was on the same train. He came to find me. Let’s go to Masaniello, I said. So we did. And we both had this fabulous pizza with aubergine, pancetta and burrata. We had a nice chat with Livio – owner and head chef – too. We were pretty full at the end but when I saw Livio’s wonderful baba was on the dessert menu, I convinced Jonathan we needed one to share.

They are the lightest most glorious baba – and not to be missed! I had an espresso with mine.

Wednesday – A fishy supper

I walked to Your Bakery again in the morning for coffee and to buy one of their lovely sourdough loaves for lunch.

In the evening, Jonathan was out. He doesn’t eat fish so it was an opportunity for me to do so! I made the lovely salmon with arrabbiata sauce.