cold war stores

It is always the least glamorous foods that get to me. My new fad? Tinned tuna.

Last week I had it in oil (which I didn't drain off, just lifted it, dripping, onto the plate) with olives, avocado, a squeeze of lime, and salad from the veg box - a little stump of cucumber, a few leaves of curly lettuce. This week's version is tuna in brine, as it's shopping basket neighbours were sweetcorn and mayonnaise: this combo can be a bit greasy with tuna in oil, but perfect when from brine. The addition of baby gems and avocado takes it to the passe side of retro - but also raises the nutritional value, too.

Of course when I say sweetcorn, I mean tinned ... in fact, my bag was pretty heavy as there were also cannellini beans in there. I don't mean to start a rush on tined goods, but the stack next to my work desk makes it look like I have received notice of a possible 3-minute warning - as my Mother recalls it, from the fifties or sixties.

But we live in more peaceful times and can enjoy tinned food on its own merits. Humble, yes, but very delicious.