I always like this time of year just for the national newspaper headlines.

It seems that every year for the past I don’t know how many, the papers have promised us a heatwave. Funnily enough, last year, when late spring and early summer were outstandingly hot, it came so early that the papers didn’t get chance to put their headlines together in time. More fool them.

I guess if you say we’re going to get a heatwave, you’re going to be right eventually. They are at it again in the moment, promising us three months of record temperatures. They forget we’re British and simply don’t believe them.

People naturally eat less when it’s hot. You simply don’t feel like it. Pubs with beer gardens might be full but you can bet they’re serving less food than normal.

I am constantly surprised how much soup we sell in the summer. Even on hot days. We keep it a little bit lighter and introduce less hearty soups such as pea and mint, and tomato and basil is always popular all year round. Salads get a good outing. Something simple. Something fresh.

Small sharing dishes always go down well. Not sure tapas would have been invented in a cold climate definitely one for the hot nights on holiday.

The further north in Europe you go, the heartier the food. There’s a difference in the bread as well. This is partly dictated by the grains that can be grown but compare a southern European baguette to a Northern European rye bread. One is light and airy, the other heavier and dense.

We notice in the bakery that we sell more of our pane rustica (a white cob loaf with added olive oil) in summer than we do in winter. The sales trend is very marked. Similarly, our dense three-seeded bread sells well all year round but had a peak in the winter months.

Of course, I’m writing this at the end of half term and its pelting down outside and has been all day. Maybe its all a bit of wistful thinking, wishing the rain away and the sun to come out.

I’m just snacking on some salami from Stonehouse Smokery and its delicious. It goes really well with our bread.

To be honest, I’m happy with a salami and bread whatever the weather. I’m easily pleased.