I have become a convert to baked soft cheese. A Christmas present of a cheese baker – an earthenware round bowl with a domed lid – has proved a revelation. I checked the whole idea of baking soft French cheese with Stephane, the Frenchman who runs the cheese shop in the Guildhall market in Bath. He said it was fine to do so and gave me a very good recipe.

Using a sharp knife, score the top of a Camembert and place it in the baker. Pour half a glass of white wine over the cheese, add two peeled cloves of garlic and a sprig of thyme rosemary. Put on the lid and place the baker in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

A cheese baker isn’t strictly necessary but makes it fun. Serve with crusty bread and chutney. Our present came with a jar of hot gooseberry chutney. I had given my gooseberry bushes a severe prune late last year and now hope for a bumper harvest in 2020.