What do I know? I just had a light supper of Cornish Pilchards (season for fresh ones is just about to start), buttered brown bread, some Jersey New Potatoes and local Sparrow Grass (olde Englishe Terme for Asparagus) and finished a bowl of fresh Devon strawberries and double cream. Typical food for the London Dock workers in my family was oysters (my nan used to make a hauntingly delicious Steak & Oyster pie). English food? Bleah! Disgusting!

The moment someone even mentions a processed sugar laden AMERICAN import like baked beans and all else is forgetten, the stinky sludge becomes representative of Britain's culinary heritage... Ah well, it's less likely to bring on a heart attack than the artery clogging French cassoulet that supposedly inspired the dish. Just.