This is the month for the Royal Bath and West Show which I have been visiting since I was a child. I look back at it with great pleasure as my day was filled with lemonade, sandwiches and as many cakes I could possibly eat. We use to visit lots of trade tents who offered this hospitality as a thank you for the trade my father gave them throughout the year.

Our other important call was to the Show pigs’ pens to see whether my cousin, Philip Snell, had won any prizes for his large black pigs, most of which I think were later enjoyed at breakfast!

Not all pigs end up as bacon as pork is such a versatile meat and no wonder it’s included in so many menus. I understand that the parts which don’t appeal, such as tails, ears, trotters etc, are exported in large quantities to China.

You really can’t beat a roasted joint of pork with some crisp crackling but here are some other ways to use it.

RILLETTES This is an excellent recipe; a lovely meaty pâté that is a meal in itself if served with a salad and hunks of crusty bread. It’s a far cry from shredded pork that seems so popular these days and keeps popping up on menus.

4lb lean belly pork (rindless) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 level teaspoons salt Good shake of ground pepper ½ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 bay leaves 16 fl oz water approx 1. Cut the pork into inch cubes and put them into a large heavy pot. Add all the other ingredients and bring to the boil on top of the cooker with a tight-fitting lid.

2. Next transfer to a medium oven 180ºC/350ºF/Mark 4 and cook for four to five hours or until the meat is tender. You will need to stir it occasionally and add a little more water if the liquid has evaporated.

3. When it’s cooked, check the seasoning, remove the bay leaves and shred the meat with two forks. As it cools the fat will form a crust on top.

JOHNNIE’S PORK IN MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE Johnnie loves to cook and he does so for ten days each summer when I am busy fishing in a match. This is one of his delicious lunch dishes he cooks for me.

1 pork tenderloin, approx. 1lb 2 tablespoons olive oil 4oz button mushrooms, halved 2 courgettes, sliced 2 tablespoons Somerset Royal or brandy 1 tablespoon grain mustard 150 ml crème fraîche 1. Slice the pork into ½in thick medallions. Heat a heavy ovenproof dish with the oil and fry the pork slices until browned on both sides.

2. Add the mushrooms with the courgettes and sauté for a few minutes.

3. Transfer to a hot oven (230ºC/450ºF /Mark 8) for 10 minutes. Or leave on the hob having covered the dish and reducing the heat.

4. Stir in the mustard with the cream, and heat thoroughly.

TIPSY PORK CHOPS This is a great favourite of mine and is similar to the above but uses cider and cheaper cuts of pork.

4 loin pork chops 1 sliced onion ½ pint medium cider 2 sliced cooking apples 1 teaspoon mustard 1 tablespoon flour 2ozs (50g) butter ½ teaspoon mixed herbs salt and black pepper 1. Melt the butter and fry the chops on both sides until they are well sealed and golden. Spread the mustard on one side and keep the chops warm.

2. In the remaining butter fry the chopped onions and when golden stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes before pouring in the cider. Add the herbs and cook until the sauce begins to thicken.

3. Place the chops in an ovenproof dish. Lay the sliced apples on top and pour over the sauce. Cook them at 350ºF/180ºC/Mark 4 for 25 minutes or until brown and thoroughly cooked.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK This is probably the first Chinese dish most people ever taste. Usually it is small cubes of cooked lean pork which have been dropped in a batter and then deep fried. Another way is to cook the pork from raw and when done covered with this sauce. It’s equally good served on chicken, sausages etc and excellent as a separate sauce served at a barbeque.

1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato purée 1 tablespoon cornflour ¼ pint water 1. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to the boil, stirring all the time for a few minutes. Add more water if necessary to get the correct consistency.

2 Arrange the pork on a warm plate, pour over the sauce and serve at once.