Mrs Darlington's Cracking Christmas Chutney - 312g

Chutney does a lot of quiet work in British food. It is the dollop on the side of a ploughman's, the thing that rescues a cheese sandwich, and at Christmas it graduates to the cheeseboard, where it is treated with rather more respect than the crackers.

People in Canada go looking for this one because the spread can look exactly right and still feel like something is missing. The cheese is there, the cold meats are there, the family is there. Then someone asks where the chutney is, and the room goes quiet.

It comes in a 312g jar, which is enough to get from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day if you ration it, and nobody rations it. It keeps in the cupboard until opened; after that, follow the label. Spoon it next to cheese, spread it in a leftover turkey sandwich, or put it out with pork pie and pickles.

Mrs Darlington's is better known for its curds, jams and everyday chutneys, so if this jar goes down well the rest of the cupboard usually follows. It pairs naturally with British crackers, a good hard cheese and whatever is left of the ham.