My uncle Julian

We stayed the night in Shepton Montague with Diana and Julian. Ferds got deposited on the bus back to London at Wincanton and I returned to do stuff. There was Julian busying away in the kitchen, defrosting pheasants, roasting tomatoes, pulverising beetroot.

"You will stay for lunch, won't you?" he asked.

How could I resist?! Here is a man who has seven kids, a business to run and numerous other duties and he is quite happy to spend a good hour or so on a Monday lunchtime cooking up a storm so that his niece is well taken care of. What a legend - and a true devotee to the cause of eating well.

Skye Gyngell's pheasant breast with roast tomato, beetroot and creme fraiche and sauteed spinach as cooked by Julian is one of the best things I've eaten the whole trip and put me in fine shape for the journey down to Dorset.