i was going to say, “let’s go for three”, but the sonoma muffin post has turned out to be a zumbo muffin post, so. let’s go for four.

this is not a long-forgotten fred williams, not one of his later works with its vibrant and abstract marks of the australian scrub. i found it in the bread basket at zumbo over the weekend: the artichoke and mushroom flatbread. look at it! littered with wedges of marinated artichoke and tiny sliced mushrooms, and just enough tomato and cheese to round it out. but yes, redolent with memories of the sunburnt country, now that has gone all winter again. what is this? damn climate change. nevermind, it gave me opportunity to defrost that enormous green icecube of broccoli soup languishing in the freezer. mopped up with chunks of mushroomy, artichokey bread, it made a splendid lunch.

a few months ago, this was the flatbread on offer. yuh, more olives than you could poke a stick at; a great salty treat.

speaking of bread… i was shocked and saddened to discover, yesterday, that zumbo no longer stocks the sonoma soy and linseed in the shelves beneath the ceiling. “but why??” i may have wailed. turns out he’s flogging his own. i settled for a fat loaf of olive oil bread.

it was just as soft and squishy as counterboy had promised, with a welcome nudge of salt. i had it with butter and broccoli soup. the soy and linseed thing was not such a disappointment after all.