In Christie's household, the day revolved around very English rituals: the hearty breakfast, the Sunday roast, and above all the five o'clock afternoon tea with its pastries and cream. Added to this is the travel table of the Blue Train and the Orient Express, where the dining-car service was a fine art. It is not a starter/main/dessert grid but a succession of moments — each with its own codes, crockery and treats.

Christie, born in Torquay in the heart of Devon, adored the local thick cream and confessed her consuming passion for chocolate and fresh cream. These two delicacies run through her recipes like a personal, unabashed signature.