Queen's Diamond Jubilee: classic party snacks

Party like it’s 1952: Xanthe Clay's selection of slightly twisted tea-party classics

If ever there was an excuse for a party, a jubilee with an extra bank holiday is two. Bring on the bunting, invite round the neighbours and remember a time when socialising didn’t involve a social media website.

With immaculate timing, the Fifties and all things retro are cool again. That includes the food. Restaurants such as Quo Vadis in Soho revel in serving up proper pies and smoked eel.

But leafing through a 1952 issue of Good Housekeeping, I found many dishes that are best consigned to history. You could blame rationing, which didn’t end until 1954, but porcupine salad – a confection of gelatin, fish, prunes, radishes, pineapple and melon? I don’t think I will, thank you.

Happily, there are plenty of simple classics that are well worth reviving, and are perfect for soaking up the delicious wine and beer suggested by Victoria Moore. Take “home-made” sausage rolls and pork pies (buy them in) with a pot of piccalilli for an extra kick, cucumber sandwiches, of course, some English asparagus and scotch eggs livened up with extra spice.

And talking of spice, we couldn’t leave out the dish designed for Her Majesty’s coronation. Mind you, the original coronation chicken recipe can seem cloying these days: we like brighter, sharper, stronger flavours.

My version uses fresh coriander, limes, pomegranate and curry paste. I fancy that if the originator, Rosemary Hume, had had easy access to those ingredients, she would have used them too.