By Royal Appointment

I made my own mayonnaise for the first time this week; whizzing it up in my mini chopper was no trouble at all to my surprise.

After it had lurked in the fridge for a couple of days, I improvised a coronation chicken (which was actually created for the Queen in 1953).

Coronation Chicken was invented for the foreign guests who were to be entertained after the Coronation. The food had to be prepared in advance, and Constance Spry, who also helped with floral arrangements on the day, proposed a recipe of cold chicken in a curry cream sauce with a well-seasoned dressed salad of rice, green peas and mixed herbs. Constance Spry's recipe won the approval of the Minister of Works and has since been known as Coronation Chicken.

I love the detail of Ministerial Approval.