Take five: ways in which britain made fake pies

There is a story that in the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell banned Eccles cakes on the grounds that they were too indulgent: all of that melting pastry and expensive dried fruit, sugar and spice deemed

Evoke holidays at the Cornish seaside where this recipe hails. It’s named for the filling of mackerel or sardines (whatever the day’s catch might be) as their heads look skyward through a golden crust

Ingredients (Serves 4-6) 350 g potatoes, peeled,diced225 g swede, peeled, diced2 eggs50 g butter50 g plain flour600 ml milk, plus extra formashing450 g smoked haddock,skinned and cubed110 g frozen pea

These are lovely served warm with mulled wine. MAKES 10 PREP 30 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V ❄ 300g plain flour, plus extrafor dusting200g cold butter, cubed75g golden caster sugar1 egg, beat

Making the best use of fabric scraps, rag rugs may have been born of exigency, but the creativity behind their intricately woven designs knows no bounds, discovers Matthew Dennison

We may have all manner of modern gadgetry and user-friendly kit in our kitchens, but often it’s the most humble objects that mean more to us than anything else.