I’m still in North Norfolk, this time in Holt, a delightful little town. The first time I came here there was a ‘wanted’ poster in Bakers & Larners (amazing department store) asking for information about a broken plant pot with a reward of £250. What a pot it must have been. Who put up the reward? I’m still asking this question.
Because the whole town is so picture perfect and delightful, I once asked one of the artists in her local workshop if there was any scandal, because there must be ruffles under the smooth surface.
‘Oh yes,’ she said as she looked up from her creation, ‘a little while ago there was someone writing poison pen letters.’ The quiet towns are always the worst.
Walking past Casa Blanca, an Iberian gourmet shop, I spied inside a woman, with an actual saw, sawing something, her arm reaching high up into the ceiling to get leverage. You have to go into a shop like this.
Among the wonderful Spanish fare – Iberico ham, pâtés, gorgeous sardines in tins, cheeses, spices, Torres crisps (fabulous) – I spied Butter Bike peanut butter, which is very much not Spanish. It’s made in Devon and in flavours I’d never seen before: cinnamon raisin, gingerbread, smoked chilli and… chocolate, £4.50 (285g). All of which I wanted to try but, of course, I settled on the chocolate one thinking ‘meh it will be OK’ but, readers! It was beautiful. So thick; so really, really tasty. A new favourite.
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