Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnuts and Candied Bacon

THERE’S lots of grizzle about ‘over here’ but we have a lot to be grateful for too.

I recently spent a weekend with friends in the UK in a prosperous part of middle England. The local village had neither pub nor local shop and the nearest town (about the size of Midleton) had five supermarkets, two of which were discounters. There was not a single food shop or deli and only one butcher hanging on by his finger nails.

The main street had several estate agents, betting shops, a Spec Savers, a couple of charity shops, several fast food outlets and a Boots.