“There’s no routine,” I said. “But what kind of things do you eat, generally?” she asked, genuinely puzzled. I listed some of them. Asparagus velouté with a poached duck egg and hazelnut oil. Bouillabaisse with homemade rouille. Honey-glazed poussin with celeriac fondants. Fresh truffles when in season, shaved over cèpes and buttered linguine. She stared at me. “That all sounds quite . . . fancy,” she said. “Oh no, sometimes it’s just something really simple,” I said, “like sourdough toast with Manchego cheese and quince paste.”
