I spent the whole of today looking forward to England versus Poland in the last of the World Cup Group qualifying matches. Then, fifteen minutes into the match, I realised that the last instalment of Rick Stein’s French Odyssey was starting on BBC2 – an hour long finale to the wonderful ten-part TV series in which the celebrated Padstow chef has traversed France from Bordeaux (Atlantic) to Marseille (Mediterranean) in a rather fine canal barge.
I managed to reach a compromise, with the wife and daughter posted in the living room to watch out for goals on one TV, whilst I stayed in the kitchen learning how to prepare bouillabaisse on another set in the kitchen. At times we changed around (even meeting up for some supper at around half time). I ended up seeing both the England goals and almost the entire Rick Stein programme. What a great goal from Frank Lampard, and how fascinating also to see cucumber being served as a hot vegetable with John Dory and a sauce made with crème fraiche , fish stock and Noilly Prat.
Maybe we should spend next summer watching World Cup TV from a canal barge somewhere in South West France. Dream on!
