MANY years ago, while a pupil at Redditch County High School, I used to attend school dinners.

Two meals I remember particularly: one, a winter salad of shredded cabbage, grated carrot, sliced beetroot and grated cheese with boiled potatoes and a mustardy dressing, the other (and this is the reason for the letter) a beef stew with crunchy roast potatoes.

We have tried many times to recreate this particular "school stew" but never really succeeded.

Does anyone know the recipe?

I suspect it was a standard one as, when my wife worked at an infants school later, they also served the identical stew - but unfortunately she didn't ask for the recipe.

Food of the Gods!

PJ TAYLOR

Woodlands Park

Quedgeley

Gloucester