Disneyland Resort Paris

A weekend of fun and mostly fried food in France

The highlight clearly a trip to 'The Earl of Sandwich', a destined-to-fail French chain of British style sandwich restaurants

Partyfood

A rare night in alone, so Tesco Finest* ready prepared party food it was - tempura prawns with a homemade chilli soy dipping sauce

Smoked haddock

Smoked haddock, served on a bed of crushed poatoes, with fresh babyleaf spinach

Asian Salmon

Salmon baked with soy, chilli and garlic, served with pan choi in an oyster sauce, and fried rice noodles

Vegetables in Paris

Mon Viel Ami in Paris - a rare vegetable focused restaurant

Started with a range of carrots in vinaigrette

Followed by a fricassee of wild mushrooms with spinach and a poached egg

Finished with the last of the autumn's raspberries with a sorbet

And a digestif

Dinner in Paris

Dinner at Josephine 'Chez Dumonet', starting with an endive and Roquefort salad

Followed by a bistrot classic - rib of beef with Sarladaise potatoes and a great bearnaise

Oxtail stew

Experimenting with a new cut - a couple of oxtails slowly cooking down with red wine, onions, carrots, celery and bay leaves

Three or four hours later it's removed from the bone, the sauce is reduced, and it was served with fresh savoy cabbage and mash. Great - and the cheapest stew I've ever made!

Homemade chicken pie

Leftover roast chicken and spinach going into a nutmeg-heavy chicken pie filling

Two pies, appropriately decorated with a shortcrust pastry

Cooked until golden

RSJs

RSjs for the annual birthday feast - a goat's cheese and golden beetroot starter