Mer et terre

Say what you like about the French, but there's no denying that their attitude to food is very different to the British. 

Just back from a week in the Vendee and the differences are still fresh in my mind. Which is a good place to start really, because that's one of the really noticeable ones. Your average HyperU or Leclerc is a mega-temple for the worship of shopping, with aisle after aisle of every conceiveable kind of item you might want to buy. Shelf after shelf of graphic novels, next to litre jars on Nutella, followed by what can only be described as the most kitsch tableware ever seen. While deals and special offers scream out in every direction. 

Except the fresh food area. 

Here, the mood is more serious. The wet fish counter is nearly 5 metres wide, groaning under an amazing array of really fresh produce. Behind it 3 knowledgeable staff patiently work through the queue of demanding shoppers.

The veg area has barely anything per-packed; a pyramid of Charentaise melons is sniffed and prodded by old ladies with sharp eyes and sharper elbows; sacks of Demi-sec beans are given the once over by burly men with leathery hands and only a passing acquaintance of deodorant. 

People here know what they want and will take the time to get it. 

And what we wanted were simple things for holiday dinners. Fresh sardines from St Gilles Croix de Vie and some little prawn brochettes flavoured 'au curry' and 'a la Provencale'. 

And when we got back home, the French respect for food shone through again. The people next door had given us a huge bag of Mirabelles - small and incredibly sweet plums - freshly picked from their orchard. Despite the temperature, or perhaps because of it, I decided to make a crumble. Inspired by the gift, we tried to add something of our own, in the form of hazelnuts from the one useful tree we had in our garden.

I have to say that picking them in quantity is a pretty time-consuming process, matched only by the shelling. But once roughly chopped, they made a fantastic addition to the crumble topping. And the end result, served with vanilla ice cream was one of the best crumbles I've ever made.

Made even better by eating it outdoors under the summer stars.

When it comes to food, knowing what you want and taking the time to get it can make all the difference wherever you are and whoever you are. Non?