Normandy, as simple as ABC, apples, butter and cream, there is more of course but “A La Normande” will include one or all of the above. Where else in the world would the “Butter Tower” of Notre Dame de Rouen be built, a somewhat debatable way of avoiding the ban on butter during lent.

The fact that Normandy has nearly twice as much pasture as any other area in France forces me to start with cheeses. I can not begin to list them all but here is a list of famous and not so famous types: We have to start with Camembert, though made everywhere in France look for the Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée label that ensures provenance and the wooden box, not a marketing ploy but more of a cage preventing this cheese running away as it was shipped far and wide. The wonderfully named Livarot Colonel because of its military stripes a tangy Pont L’Eveque; Neufchâtel a very heart shaped cheese that should be eaten within three weeks of making and perhaps the nirvana of creamy cheeses, the Brillat-Savarin named after a famous French gourmet, a triple cream concoction that oddly is wonderfully paired with Champagne.

As good as Mum’s apple pie may be, they have never visited Normandy. The sheer diversity of pastry and apple concoctions is staggering: latticed, cream and almond, the wafer thin tarts all liberally splashed with crème fraiche, Calvados or both.

Back home on the many farms, pigs are raised, the prime cuts eaten, the less so made into Boudin Noir (blood sausages) smoked Andouillette (a sausage made of the whole intestinal system) and Head Cheese ( a local version of brawn).

It is odd that with all this meat, butter, cream and sweetness the coastal bounty is nearly forgotten. Most of the coast is on the Channel home to a wonderful selection of flat fish such as Dover soul, lemon sole, grey sole and fish we recognize from our English southern coast Turbot, bream, flounder, halibut as well as many shellfish.

Tea time is never a problem here a dazzling cornucopia of biscuits tempt you from nearly every corner, all heavily laden with local butter.

If the prospect of all this heaviness gives you concern, fear not, the Normans have got the answer; Le Trou Normand or Normand Hole, in the middle of a heavy meal knock back a shot of Calvados. This will set you right and allegedly set you right for another assault on more courses.