I took to mushy peas like a duck2water.

I'm not a fan of the spherical garden vegetable – in fact a packet of frozen peas has been in my freezer ever since my partner said he liked them and, in a bid to impress, I cooked a small personal portion just for him.

The bag has survived therein for three years - outliving the old freezer which broke - half the contents having been decanted and used on a sprained ankle (then thrown a way of course), and the rest still languish there, frosty with ice residue and looking very sad indeed.

Then, one glorious July evening, on a Saturday sojourn to our local hostelry, my partner chose beer battered plaice with chips and mushy peas and I was set for revelation.

I had chosen not to eat a full meal and we had agreed to share the massive plate of food, but I neglected to think through the dish selection and when it arrived with a mound of pea-green pulp on the side, I thought, "now what am I going to dip the chips in."

Having consumed a small quantity of the local brew, I was feeling brave and so, dived in with pea passion, only to find out that mushy peas are really quite tasty.

There – a new string to my palate's bow - and if you're wondering what this has to do with motoring, well, all I can say is that we had left the car at home, as any sensible mushy pea imbiber should.

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