The novel is called "Cakes and Ale" by W. Somerset Maugham.
W. Somerset Maugham was a British playwright born January 25, 1874. He was born in Paris and studied medicine in London. He was the highest paid author in the world in the 1930's.
John Galsworthy, "The Forsyte Saga" or perhaps you are thinking of "Brideshead Revisited" Somerset Maugham?Sorry that was Evelyn Waugh, not Maugham- I sometimes confuse them!
I've always thought it may have been absinthe, but that is only a guess at best.
Appointment In Samara is a novel by John O'Hara. It is also the name of a very, very short story by W.S. Maugham. Although I could not verify positively, it is my impression the short story by Maugham is actually something of a folk tale which Maugham cleaned up, and made into his own.
Somerset Prew's birth name is Somerset Sidney Prew.
It got its name from the county in England called Somerset.
Lenore Somerset's birth name is Lenore Miller.
Cheddar is the name of the cheese. A 'true' cheddar comes from the counties of Somerset, Dorset or Devon, in south-west England, and specifically from the Somerset village from which it takes its name.
There is no company with the name Bush Somerset. However, there is a company called Bush and they make a range of furniture called Somerset which includes a desk.
Chard
The current Duke of Beaufort is Henry Somerset.
It's not French - it's the name of a county in England