My daily stroll through Berwick Street Market in Soho provides me with the occasional flash of inspiration. Sadly, the market isn't quite what it was when I first moved to London in the Eighties – back then Berwick Street was flourishing, with a couple of butchers and a dozen or so fruit and veg traders. Now, the stalls are thinner on the ground. But the other week a couple of the remaining stands were selling doughnut or flat peaches; there must be an abundance this year as I keep seeing them everywhere all over London. There were also delicious large golden apricots and nectarines and peaches, so I thought I would devote this week's column to these delicious fruits.

Since it opened its doors in April, the new Chelsea eating-house Medlar has picked up reviews that are the gastronomic equivalent of high fives and punches on the arm. It's a welcome addition to that dog-leg section of the King's Road where World's End twists into Bibendum-land; its neighbours are a shop with a clock that goes backwards and a fine example of that dying species, the second-hand bookshop.

Finally a night off from touring, and I was very much looking forward to slouching in front of the TV. I'm doing some television reviewing at the moment. This is about as good a job as it gets. You just lie around, watch TV and then slag it off. No need for any creative process, no blood sweat and tears... what a job. It's even better when Stacey walks in and tells me to get up, because I can truthfully tell her I'm working. It makes you wonder why most TV critics seem so unhappy.

It says something for Sir Colin Davis’ eternal vitality and musical curiosity that he should come to the dynamic Carl Nielsen symphonies so late in life.

British shoppers bought cakes and quiches made with eggs at the centre of a health scandal in Germany, food safety officials confirmed last night.

Somewhere in one of Elizabeth Taylor's novels, a character makes the cardinal error of alluding, casually, to Christmas in the middle of November. "Oh, don't," her friend responds with, Taylor says, "all the English dread Christmas".