As Strong As Soup

This simple recipe is based loosely on a chutney from a restaurant somewhere in France (I can't quite remember where) and was intended to liven up simple game dishes. I think it would do very nicely on turkey sandwiches or alongside a leftovers curry around this time of year. If you're short of time, chop everything in a food processor - it won't make a big difference to the finished chutney. Vary the amount of chilli flakes and sugar according to how hot or sweet you like your chutney. This amount will make around 5 small jars. 750 g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small dice Juice of 5 or 6 clementines (or 2 oranges) 175 ml white wine (or cider) vinegar 100 ml sherry vinegar 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced 3 tbsp honey 4 - 6 tbsp light brown soft sugar ½ - 1 tsp dried chilli flakes ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper ¼ tsp salt Put all the ingredients in...

Just over the channel in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais there's a village called Licques which is noted for its fine poultry. But of all the fine poultry produced in the area turkeys are the most celebrated, especially during ‘La Fête de La Dinde’, which is held every December. There are prizes for the best birds, a local Christmas market and enough food and drink to keep out the cold. Everyone has a fine time, except possibly the turkeys. The festival is said to have sprung from the time when the local farmers herded turkeys through the village to their inevitable pre-Christmas fate. As a result there's still a parade through the village with a marching band and the poor old turkeys. (I'm told that this year's festival will be held from 12th to the 14th December and some mechanical turkeys are promised). Paraded or not in my opinion a turkey is for lunch and not just Christmas. (I know quite a number of people who refuse to eat turkey at any other time than the day itself an...