'Grandpa John's Favourite Dinner.' by Lindsay Bamfield

Grandma’s recipes are handwritten in an old exercise book. Blots and stains decorate the pages.

On page 23 is ‘John’s favourite dinner.’ John was my grandfather. I never knew him.

Grandma noted the provenance of the ingredients. All of it from their own small West Country farm plus sugar from the beet fields in Lincolnshire and vinegar from the local shop.

In honour of my grandfather’s 100^th birthday I recreate his favourite meal for his two daughters and six grandchildren.

I take my list to my local North London supermarket super-market and fill my trolley.

1. Leg of Lamb – New Zealand

2. Potatoes – Spain

3. Carrots – France

4. Broccoli – Morocco

5. Mint – West Bank

6. Vinegar – Italy

7. Flour – milled in Britain with wheat from USA

8. Sugar – Paraguay

9. Butter – New Zealand

10. Apples – South Africa

11. Cream – France

Our dinner is a triumph – good old-fashioned fayre. ‘Just as good as Mum used to make it,’ says my aunt. But the ingredients clocked up more than 54,000 miles – over four times around the globe to reach us.