Mrs Darlington's Splendid Cranberry Sauce with Port - 200g

On a British Christmas plate, cranberry sauce is not optional. It sits alongside the stuffing, the pigs in blankets and the gravy, and it is the bit that cuts through all that richness. The version with port is the one that feels like a proper occasion.

People in Canada go looking for this one because it is the jar they remember, the label from their mum's cupboard and the taste that says Christmas dinner has properly started. When home is a long way off, small things like that carry a lot of weight.

It comes in a 200g jar, which is plenty for a family dinner with some left over for the cold cuts. It sits happily in the cupboard until the day, then lives in the fridge once opened. Beyond the turkey, it earns its place with ham, a pork pie or a slab of cheese on Boxing Day.

Mrs Darlington's is best known in Britain for curds, jams and chutneys, so if you like this, the rest of the range is worth a look. It also makes a natural partner for a Christmas pudding and a tin of biscuits in a parcel for someone who misses home.