I had been there with a couple of first timer friends, showing them the areas off the tourist trail, and recommending some of my favourite, authentically Venetian, restaurants and bars. Over spritz and fritto misto, they encouraged me to share my knowledge in a blog.

Torrefazione Girani’s Coffee Roasters – Campo della Bragora, Castello, Venice

Back at home I started by writing some posts, and realised that I would quickly run out of fresh material. I don’t live in Venice. I am, however, lucky enough to be able to stay in a friend’s apartment in Paris, where I’m able to follow my preference for mixing up exploring restaurants with shopping in the local market, and cooking my purchases. I wrote a post about it.

Mushrooms and figs, Rue Cler, Paris 7e

Another place I spend time in is North Norfolk, watching its food scene evolve. (Like Venice, you can eat very well if you know where to go!). My local pub proudly lists 101 gins. Black Apollo in Holt is a coffee shop that wouldn’t look out of place in Shoreditch. The county is also home to Creake Abbey Farmers’ Market, recently recognised by Diana Henry in The Daily Telegraph as one of “Britain’s 20 finest Farmers’ Markets”.

I began to feel that with these places I visit regularly, and occasional adventures elsewhere, I would have some stories to tell.