Because Lynne asked...

Hm. I thought I could take a more attractive picture, but...

This is potato leek soup with an amazing cheese bread. Leeks are not easy to come by at Lance's at home, so I'm happy to buy them here at Sainesbury's. This was a very successful meal, by the way; everyone liked it. And it was apropos for summer because it really doesn't feel like summer here. (Right now, oh my sleeping friends, it's 8:46 am, rainy and 61 degrees Fahrenheit. And it won't get much warmer today.)

The real story isn't the soup, though, it's the bread. And the cheese. You should shop here!!! All those expensive European cheeses I covet in the cheese shops at home are cheap here!! Gruyere. Fontina. Dolcelatte. Anything that would make Wallace and Gromet happy. And the breads you can get in the ordinary supermarket are amazing. Food, overall, is pretty exciting. Which is why I start my day by walking to market and picking up what I need. I'm still stocking the pantry so there is always something to be found. As I walk around Sainesbury's I stop to look at the readymade food at the deli. This is not about potato salad you can pick up, or barbecue pork shreds. It's about vegetable samosas and chicken tikka masala and curries and oriental chicken dishes that look just like the takeout you find at a Chinese restaurant. And the prices on many many things at the grocery are comparable to the states or cheaper. This is not so with apparel and things for the home, but it seems to be true for the food.