A good food holiday, specifically.

Highlights included Bob’s Cognac-infused fig and hazelnut crumble, with fruit and nuts both plucked from the branch that day, Donny’s superb courgette and wild mushroom risotto, which induced a coma in its creator, Janet’s cheese gratin, which included the remains of a vast (€39!) block of gruyere, and a collaborative apple and pear tart, with apples picked from the orchard by my own hand.

Thanks to Donny, Janet, Jess, Len, Niamh and Yesten for being there, and of course to Mr. Bob for being such a fine host!

I have an holiday photoset on Flickr, needless to say, though with only a smattering of telephone camera snaps uploaded so far, and a search for the LPM0905 tag should, in the coming days, reveal photographs by all of us. I’m particularly looking forward to Leon’s shots of the Roman amphitheatre at Saintes, taken with his fancy little paper pinhole.

Oh, and something appears to have gone awry with email in my absence - if you sent me anything in the last fortnight and I haven’t yet replied, do get in touch.

It’s always fabulous - how could a night offering a three courses of home-cooking for £6 and heavy dub for nowt not be fabulous? - but last night was extra-special thanks to Kenny Knotts.

The ex-Unity Sound man was on the mic all night, singing pretty, toasting hard, chatting up the barmaids, riding riddims like a total fucking pro, and doing a funny running on the spot dance, all this not two feet from our table.

He’s appearing tonight, too, at a proper gig down the Woodside Social, though I’ve got a feeling his unannounced session last night will be tough to beat.

You get a three course meal for £6 - last night it was spring rolls to start, a serious stew of plantain, sweet potato and suchlike, topped off with a plate of apple strudel.

To aid the digestion, disc jockeys from the Mungo’s Hi-Fi soundsystem blast dub and dancehall.

Lovely crowd too.