DURING the spell of hot weather I went off my food a little, perhaps because I was more interested in gulping water all day long.

Summery salads, fruit, and lighter evening meals satisfied me. Of course this did not last long - with the rain now pouring and outside looking dreary, stodgy foods seem much more appealing once again.

When the wind started to blow and the need for a jumper cropped up at Playfest, Warton, on Saturday, I found comfort in a chocolate and banana pancake courtesy of Kendal Creperie.

On Sunday a walk along Arnside prom was interrupted by a shower, and there was no choice but to dash into Ramblers Cafe for a delicious cream tea which came with scones almost the size of the teapot!

Somewhere else I could have have dried off in is Cafe 27, part of Burton Community Stores, which sells lots of home- made cakes, including ginger cake, tea loaf and ‘Fat Rascals’ – scone-like goods with cherries and a little spice.

And the weekend of indulging was finished off by a squishy slice of traditional Battenburg. It looks like the dampness is set to continue, so I asked local producers what hearty goods can keep us all smiling.

Hazelmere Cafe and Bakery, Grange, have some scrumptious-sounding dark chocolate and fresh beetroot cakes, which could bring sunshine to your day. At £1.25 each, these are described as ‘really nice individual treats’ by Ann at the bakery. She also recommends the date and walnut fudge tart, which is a pastry base filled with crushed walnuts and a sticky date fudge mixture. These will cost £1.70 for an ‘ample’ slice.

Baba Ganoush, Kendal, is serving some unusual but enticing soups, £2.75 for a small pot or £3.75 for large. Flavours include cider and white onion with cheese and croutons, and spicy lamb and Merguez sausage, and both come with local artisan bread.

At the Courtyard Dairy, Settle, there are two ‘guest cheeses’ this week. Anster, at £21/kilo, is a nice Cheshire-style cheese and Rachel, £26/kilo, is a hard goat’s milk cheese made in Somerset. This has a nice tale to it too – apparently it is named after the cheese maker’s girlfriend.

Sticky maple chicken fillets, from Higginsons Butchers, Grange, also sound delightful and delicious. These are available at £9.90/kilo.

Another to add to my weekend feast was the bacon sandwiches we ate. For yours you could head to Watson and Woollard, Kendal, for a 1lb catering pack of English bacon, £2.75/kilo. Alternatively you could have some hot smoked salmon from Kendal Fisheries, which cost £2.99 per portion.

There was some goodness in my weekly menu, which consisted of home-grown vegetables from daddy Manley and the father-in-law. My dad provided some round courgettes but if you are not so lucky, Growing with Grace, Clapham, also have some, as well as the yellow and traditional varieties for £3.40/kilo. You will also find some flat, yellow, green and purple French beans for £6/kilo. These would make a lovely meal with Irish sea trout, £13.99 per kilo, from Kendal Fisheries.