Sublime

newer diseases such as Nosema gut pathogen and the Slow Bee Paralysis virus.

Learning to like new foods can feel like leaving your old self behind.

eating is one of those human activities that is overwhelmingly governed by the power of habit—one

Learning to share food well is critical to our upbringing, not just so that we don’t steal all the cake, but because it teaches us the self-restraint and mutual trust necessary to live as civilised beings.

“To England and the English, as long as they keep their cooking to themselves.” Most of the French people we had met were more or less disdainful of la cuisine Anglaise without knowing very much about it. But Régis was different. He had made a study of the English and their eating habits, and during dinner he told us exactly where we went wrong. It

Avoid margarine and use butter instead. Cheese in moderation is fine.

‘It’s the lemon zest. It’s not “the taste of authentic home cooking” or anything – it’s just lemon zest. Your mum didn’t have the time, and that’s okay. Doing this takes time. It’s not about affection, I’ve realised – it’s just about time. You don’t realise that until you do it.’

Appetite is a profoundly social impulse. To a large extent, our likes and dislikes are a response to the environment we eat in. From our first toothless tastes, we are picking up cues about which foods are desirable, and which are disgusting, which, sadly, are so often the very ones the grown-ups most want us to eat.