Imagine a week without thinking about what you’re looking forward to eating. It doesn’t bear thinking about, does it? Even on my busiest, weirdest weeks – and you’ll see, this week was weirder than most – I have a few dinners I’m looking forward to, and a few snacks I’m lining up for a rainy day. Food is important in my life; it lifts my mood and it comforts me, and it helps me celebrate when things are going well. And even when things are tough, I know I can have a little treat to cheer me up …
Monday
Waking up early helps me start my week off right, and getting to my desk at 7am earns me a well-deserved pat on the back in the form of an extra-special elevenses to chase breakfast. For this I choose crumpets (three – don’t you dare judge me!) slathered with Bonne Maman’s Caramelised Apple Spread. It’s a gorgeously buttery, toffee-like spread that melts into soft crumpets like a dream. It provides a moment to savour appley sweetness, and imagine I’m not at work but instead at a tearoom enjoying a lovely selection of cakes. Speaking of tearooms, this particular combo works exceptionally well with endless mugs of tea.
Tuesday
A busy deadline day, which means hours spent at my desk. Again. At about 2pm I nip out and buy a pork pie to eat with a dollop of sweet pickle, the sort you find on a ploughman’s platter; a little walk for my legs, a little treat for my tastebuds. The refreshing sweet-sharpness of the pickle cuts through the pork pie’s buttery, peppery richness as I watch an episode of UNHhhh, my favourite YouTube series, hosted by drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova – a much-needed escape from my responsibilities.
Wednesday
On the road again with my partner Tom, this time to Oxfordshire, which calls for Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread slathered on baguettes, wrapped in tinfoil and eaten at our leisure throughout the trip. Unlike other chocolate spreads, there’s a real decadence to this nutty, creamy version that reminds me of chocolates wrapped in gold foil. My little chocolate sandwiches of joy are a real lifesaver, especially when we hit hefty congestion near Birmingham. Nothing feels more smug than not caring about a traffic jam because your tunes are blasting, you’ve got a delicious chocolatey snack in your mouth and you’re not in a hurry.
Thursday
A tough day, I’m not going to lie. Not to dwell on the macabre, but if you want the truth, here it is: we have travelled all this way to attend a funeral. In the morning we wake up, in the van, in a beautifully quaint Oxfordshire village and have coffee and breakfast, then on our way we enjoy a little snack of vegetable samosas as we weave through the countryside lanes towards Essex. Curry is definitely a comfort food for me, and samosas in particular are a weakness. Warming spices, crisp pastry, and double points if there’s a corner that’s extra-specially crunchy to dip into mango chutney; an essential part of the experience. Nothing can really distract us from the happenings of the day itself, but when times are hard, it always helps to reach for your favourite food. Again, a lot of crumbs for the van, but a lot of comforting flavours for us.
Friday
When we finally stop travelling and arrive at our campsite on the Isle of Sheppey, we toast some brioche, smother it Bonne Maman’s Chocolate & Orange spread and watch boats bobbing on the Swale for our morning tea. The spread’s full of real oranges – giving it the tang and texture of a quality marmalade, but there’s a delicious bonus addition of rich, dark chocolate too, which melts delightfully and gives you all the warm, cosy feelings of an autumnal night in. Also, it’s ideal with a rich-roast coffee. After fuelling up, we take a quick walk along the beach and watch locals riding dirt bikes on the sand. Then, we’re off to our next destination, a small-batch cider producer, where we are set to spend the next week picking apples in their orchard.
For snacks that hit the spot any time of the day, take a look at Bonne Maman’s new range of delicious spreads
