Bisto Best Chicken Gravy - 150g

In Britain, gravy is not a condiment. It is a requirement. Bisto has been the name on the jug for generations, and the smell of it drifting out of the kitchen is the signal for everyone to find a chair.

You can roast a chicken anywhere. What you cannot do is make it taste like home without the gravy you poured as a kid, and most people notice it missing on their very first Sunday abroad. That is usually when the search starts.

It is a 150g pack that lives happily in the cupboard, lid on tight between roasts. A few spoonfuls in the jug, hot water from the kettle, a good stir, and it is done before the carving starts. It goes over roast chicken, mash, pies, Yorkshire puddings and, for the brave, a plate of chips.

Bisto makes a whole family of gravies, from beef to the classic original, so plenty of people keep two on the go. The rest of the basket tends to look like a Sunday dinner: stuffing, Yorkshire pudding mix, and something sensible for afters.