This was the purest kind of escapism. There’s a lot of power in this kind of nostalgia, of course: it’s why Bake Off topped the TV ratings year after year, and reinvigorated a national appetite for cake. But, just like the comfort food it features – the scones, cheerful cubist Battenburg cakes, éclairs and pies – we can only survive on this diet fo

Rule: Avoid sweet, starchy desserts, as well as fruits, after large meals of protein or carbohydrates.

English “fidget pie”, a traditional harvest meal? It’s composed of potatoes, onions, apples, and ham pieces in a vegetable stock seasoned with a little brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour into a pastry shell, cover