The first new potatoes of the season, so bright and shiny and new.

The start of the gardening year could be described as when you get to eat the 1st of your new potatoes. And this week there were just enough from one plant of Red Duke of York for the 2 of us to have alongside a herb omelette and a green salad.

And every time I say the name Red Duke of York, I can’t help but think of “The Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten thousand spuds…..”

They were grown in a plastic sack, in the garden. I won’t repeat the exercise next year as the battle to control the slugs and snails became increasingly fraught! But having said that, it’s the earliest we’ve ever eaten them.