In the 1980s, my brother Godfrey used to make sponges using this recipe, which came from the local public health nurse, Ailsa Gathergood. Godfrey, then a sheep farmer, busy entrepreneur and father of five, reckoned the secret was to ‘beat the s--t out of it’. Use electric beaters, even if you have forearms honed by wrangling sheep and small kids.
When it comes to plums, my all-time favourite is the Black Doris, followed by the heart-shaped Omega. Coming in hot in third place is the mighty Humdinger, a giant of a plum with sour, rosy flesh.
Hearty and sustaining — but not so much that you need a lie-down after eating it. This also keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. If you can find golden beetroot, they look especially appealing in this salad (shredded raw carrot or pumpkin will look great too).
It’s very tempting to bite into a hot, blistered tomato, but no amount of cooling white beans will soothe your burnt mouth. Add crusty bread and a simple green salad, and dinner is ready.
This recipe, from my wonderful sister-in-law Jenny Corry, is world famous in my family. Stick rigidly to the instructions to end up with perfectly cooked lamb. The varying thickness of the joint means that some bits will be well done while others are delectably pink.
