Don’t you just love spring.  There’s nothing nicer than spending the day in the garden in brilliant Martinborough sunshine followed by a goregous dinner.  PLUS watching Japan almost beat English in the World Cup. 

I am so pleased with my new Elizabeth David cookbook.  It combines her classics: Mediterranean Food, French Country Cooking and Summer Cooking.We Gourmet Girls are concentrating on Duck at the moment.  The Aussie leaves us next month so we are cooking her an Elizabeth David farewell feast.  Three of us are doing a separate duck morsel to serve as the main.  My contribution will be Canard a L’Albigeoise (from ED’s book) or a slight variation on it as I do find it impossible to follow a recipe religiously.  Essentially its a whole duck casseroled in the most divine liquid, then served on a huge chunk of bread that’s been brushed with butter, grilled and smothered with redcurrent jelly or pureed apple which of course I substituted for Quince Paste.  You reduce the sauce and strain in before serving it with the duck.