London: poetry and cheese

Back in London and what’s a food-loving poet to do but jump off the plane and onto the train and get myself to Islington to catch Poetry in the Crypt. Mike Bartholomew-Biggs

introduces the evening’s three featured readers and here are two of them; Franciscan monk, Murray Bodo, on his way home from Assisi to inner city Cincinnati

and the lovely Sue Rose whose first collection is due out next year from Cinnamon Press.

There were floor spots as well, including one from Peter Daniels:

After a wee drop with the poets at the Almeida‘s bar, I headed off into the night.

The next morning we had some breakfast at Gail’s Bakery, which offers an awesome brioche french toast with a decadent dollop of mascarpone

as well as a window full of breads and pastry, including some nice looking apricot-walnut bread.

After you’ve shopped there, you might want to stop for some cash, being careful not to be distracted.

We made our way to the South Bank Centre, crossing the Thames at Charing Cross on a beautiful autumn day

to check out the Cheese & Wine Festival that was enjoying big crowds on its last day. There was a lot to look at including some lovely breads to wrap your cheeses in

or if you prefer potatoes, you could get them smothered in raclette

and accompanied by French sausages

or a nice bowl of something hot.

There was British cheese

French cheese

and Italian.

There was a cheesemaking demonstration by organic cheeseman Bob Kitching, who taught young Thomas the bystander a thing or two about sampling a nice fresh Lancashire cheese.