SHOULD I ever be pressed to single out my most memorable meal I would have no hesitation in citing the following repaste ...

Our camper van was parked on a white sandy shore overlooking the islands of Rhum, Egg, Muck and Skye.

We had spent the day beachcombing, our deliberations blessed by glorious blue skies and only the merest hint of a breeze.

At peace with the world we sat in the van admiring our new shell collection and then watched the sun set while we scoffed our way through a jolly big wedge of Orkney cheese and a packet of chocolate digestives, washed down with a glass - or two - of Talisker single malt whisky.

Nothing since has ever come near to touching that moment of utter contentment.

I was reminded of it in no uncertain terms when two extremely weighty tomes landed on my desk - Juliet Harbutt's new 'World Cheese Book' and Charles Maclean's 'World Whisky'.

As both of these books are published by Dorling Kindersley (hard back, £16.99 each), it goes without saying that the design is extremely reader-friendly and superbly illustrated.

I defy anyone not to drool over page after page of cheese - from the amazing Dragon's Breath Blue from Canada and Serendipity from Japan, to some stars from much closer to home including Innes Button from Staffordshire (the first cheese ever to win supreme champion twice at the British Cheese Awards), Wensleydale, Whitehaven, Lancashire and Little Wallop (Ms Harbutt's own cheese made in partnership with Blur bassist Alex James).

The World Whisky book is similarly impressive. Like its cheese counterpart, processes are explained, 'secrets' are shared (Jack Daniel died in 1911 after contracting blood poisoning when he kicked his safe door in frustration because he had forgotton the combination!), and the photography is second to none (one of my favourites is the ethereal shot of the Bowmore distillery on the shores of Loch Indaal, Islay).

If you have either a cheese addict, a whisky fiend, or both, in your housefold, you won't go far wrong getting them these books for Christmas.

I have no whiskies to offer you from our Checkout contributors this week; but I do have some cheese. And in response to news that sales of French cheeses are being overtaken by their British rivals for the first time, we have a taste of both ...

Baba Ganoush has French Mont d'or vacherins at £7.99 each. Proprietor Cherith Platt suggests making a slit in the top of the cheese and pouring in a glass of medium white wine. Pop in the oven, in its box, wrapped in foil, and heat through for 30 to 40 minutes. This will serve four to six people as a starter - simply dip your crusty bread in the warm cheese.

"It's like a fondue without the washing-up," laughed Cherith.

Meanwhile, Low Sizergh Barn has Keverigg on sale at £1.90 for 100g. This mild and creamy cheese is made with organic milk from Wintertarn Farm at Newby, near Penrith, by those clever chaps at Appleby Creamery.

And what better to eat with it than some of the new season English eating apples from Fletchers greengrocers at Grange-over-Sands (six varieties, average 79p per lb).

On the meat front this week we have a 'meal in a pie' from Hazelmere Bakery, Grange - the bakery's meat and potato slice, which can be eaten hot or cold, combines minced beef, potatoes, onions and carrots in shortcrust pastry (99p per portion); Watson & Woollard butchers, Kendal, has outdoor reared pork loin chops (£2.82 / 500g); and Peter Hutchinson at Greenodd has 4-bone racks of lamb on at £4.75 each, and healthy 8oz venison steaks at £2.30 each.

Finally, back to Grange, where Higginsons butchers found themselves taking a starring role in a new Japanese production aimed at promoting the Lake District. Boss Stuart Higginson (pictured centre) and right-hand man Mark Porter (far left), were filmed making their traditional Cumberland Sausage (250g 'man-size' coils, £1.49 each).