Princes Salmon Paste - 75g

Fish paste is one of those quiet British cupboard staples that nobody writes songs about and everybody has eaten. Princes is the name most people picture on the lid, which is why the jar looks familiar before you have even read it.

Canada has no shortage of salmon. What it is short of is this particular jar, which is a different thing entirely and tastes, for a lot of people, like being nine years old and waiting for the kettle. That is what people are actually searching for.

It is a small jar, enough for a round or two of sandwiches, and it sits happily in the cupboard until the moment calls for it. Spread it on buttered bread, on hot toast or on crackers. Cucumber on top if you are feeling posh.

Princes is one of the big names in British tinned food, best known for its tinned fish and corned beef, so the paste rarely travels alone. People tend to add a tin or two of something for the cupboard and a jar of pickle for the ploughman's they have been promising themselves.