Why is it that we (I) crave mostly for sweet or unctuous food? Do the cravings come from our needy bodies or our brains, which maybe require their ‘fix’ for happiness, often several times a day? As you may know by now, I am nearly always on a diet – I’m just not particularly successful because at some point in any day, perhaps if I have forgotten to eat at the right time, I succomb to my cravings.

This morning I opened the cereal cupboard, took one look at the packet of whole grain porridge, had a mental picture of yesterday’s breakfast, and closed the cupboard door. Next I went to the refrigerator for inspiration; Actimel yogurt drink, Polish sausage and cherry tomatoes didn’t do it for me, and there was no point in looking any further (I knew what was in the vegetable drawer). I opened the tinned food cupboard door and scanned the six tins of tomatoes, the four tins of baked beans, the Argentinian corned beef, the  Lidl’s chicken tikka, the jar of pasta sauce and then I stopped… at the “Ambrosia Rice Pudding”…. For breakfast? No, that’s what I thought too and I shut the door.

Back in the cereal cupboard, I eyed up all the serious cereal options – the rice flakes, bran flakes and oat groats – before pinching a handful of dry (but unctuous) “Crunchy Nut Caramel Bites” (with nuts); unfortunately the packet was nearly empty and was soon down to the layer of small pieces and sugar dust and I withdrew my hand in dis-dust – well you have to draw a line somewhere. I settled for a plain omelette cooked in my new non-stick pan which works with barely a drop of olive oil. It wasn’t very unctuous or satisfying and I keep thinking about the caramel dust and the creamy rice pudding lurking in the cupboards… ( And to think I believed there to be nothing nice to tempt in the house.) But no, I shall fight those cravings. It might be an idea to get on with some work!

Before I set to it I’ll give you a snippet of the conversation at breakfast (nothing is sacred nowadays). I picked up a nectarine from the fruitbowl nearest me and was surprised to find that it hadn’t ripened in the five days since it had sat there. I passed it to Chris and asked…

“Would you mind putting this in with the banana? Apparently bananas are supposed to help ripen other fruit – aren’t they?”

“That’s right, they emit…,” answered Chris as he placed the rock (still love that word) hard fruit beside a solitary banana in the fruitbowl beside him (we  are a two fruitbowl family – we have gone up in the world!).

“… some kind of gas?” I interjected.

“Like the rest of us!” Chris ejaculated.