In the first of our blogs about The World in London, we’ve asked Coralie, author of the fantastic Tea Time in Wonderland to tell us where to find the taste of France in London. Here’s a post to make your mouth water!

You know the French. They can discuss food for hours (to dip or not to dip a croissant in your cafe, that is the question). One of our favourite addictions is cheese. Cow, goats, ewe, soft or hard: we have an impressive collection of 400, each jealously defended by its region.

In France, the Sunday ritual is to walk to the market, visit the local cheesemonger, admire the cheese selection presented on a straw mat and choose the perfect one for the family lunch. Baguette, cheese and wine is one of our favourite meals – we are easy to please!

In London, we struggle with Cheddar and Stilton. We long for a wider range of textures. So we rush to La Cave a Fromage, in the heart of South Kensington. You will always find a French fellow admiring the display longingly from the outside, eyes twinkling with desire, hand already on the doorhandle…

Step in! I love the smell and wish I could bottle it – an instant reminder of holidays in sunny parts of France, of picnics on the lawn, it makes your mouth water in no time… So many varieties, colours, shapes, assortment of flavours! This is just like home. The staff is friendly and very patient: let them guide you with simple questions about your preferences in textures, strength of taste, aromas, letting you taste a selection… Freshness, excellence and tradition are the keywords here.

You get addicted from the first visit: there is always a new one to try, a flavour to discover, maybe lemony, peppery, or melting on your tongue. Most of us do not even leave the shop: it has a handful of tables on the side, also sells wine and bread and we just sit there in true heaven. Tasting events are regularly held in the evening, perfect for aperitif time! www.la-cave.co.uk

Read more from Coralie at Tea Time in Wonderland, or feel free to check out the French event she takes part in every month, as she explains:

l’apero-blog: the French-speaking bloggers (or those loving those blogs) meet in a pub and practise their French, exchange tips, visions of England, best addresses, and recipes (of course!). It is very merry indeed. Three hours are never enough, we are always asked to leave the pub as it is closing. And still, we linger on the pavement for another half an hour…

Do you have any more ideas about France in London? Let us know in the comments below!

Last night I enjoyed my first ever cheese fondue at Swissôtel The Howard’s Swiss chalet. The chalet offers all the fun of the après-ski without a gnarly snowboarder in sight!

We enjoyed a carbolicious meal of bread, melted cheese, cold cuts of meat, salad and a delicious apple strudel. The fondue was made with three different cheeses and a generous amount of white wine and kirsch, which gave it a lovely boozy taste.

The cute wooden chalet is filled with authentic Swiss touches – from the antler lampshade to the roaring fire. (Actually it’s not a real fire, or real antlers, but they still look good!) Even the music is Swiss.

I’d highly recommend a trip to Swissôtel‘s chalet – all that dipping and swirling the bread in the gooey cheese definitely makes it more fun than your average restaurant meal and being in the chalet made me feel like I was on holiday.

And if your tummy’s too full of cheese to stagger home, book a room with a river view – the panoramic view across London is stunning and includes the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge. It’s no wonder they’ve based their afternoon tea on London landmarks!

The Swiss chalet is open every Tuesday and Thursday, 6pm-10pm until 30 April 2010. £23 per person, minimum two people.