Cream

How can people be so ungrateful not to embrace cream into their diets? It is one of the most natural and God-given ingredients for texture and sumptuousness in desserts and a hundred different sauces. It enhances practically anything you might care to cook. A great dollop of whipped cream on top of either a pudding or a strong soup is always a treat. I’m sure, if not gobbled every day, cream can do you no harm, but will only enhance your life.

I don’t know if they still do it, but one of the great treats in the days of rationing was to have friends in Cornwall who would sometimes send you lovely little tins of fresh clotted cream. This was usually eaten, with cries of delight, on hot scones with raspberry jam. Clotted cream seems to be an entirely British affair - I’ve certainly never seen it anywhere else.