Colman's Cranberry Sauce - 165g

Colman's is the name on the mustard tin, and its cranberry sauce lives on the same shelf of the British memory: next to the mint sauce, a spoon's reach from the gravy boat. It is the sharp red bit on the side of the plate that makes a roast taste finished.

People in Canada look for it by name because they want that jar, with the familiar Colman's label, sitting by the carving board the way it always did. Habit is a powerful thing, and the Sunday roast is where habit always wins.

A neat little 165g jar is small enough to actually finish before it gets lost at the back of the fridge, which, with cranberry sauce, is a genuine achievement. It waits in the cupboard until the roast chicken or turkey comes out, then it goes on the cold sandwich the next day, a wedge of cheese, or a pork pie if you are being honest with yourself.

Colman's is best known for its mustard, hot enough to clear your head, and the same cupboard usually holds its mint sauce and horseradish too. A roast with all of them on the table is a roast that knows what it is doing.