I like a helping of slow-roast pork belly with celeriac and pear mash as much as the next girl, but there are days when this (slightly) pretentious fodder just won’t do, and yesterday was one of those days.

I came home from work with just one thing on my mind – egg and soldiers! Dippy eggs to some, soft-boiled eggs to the culinary correct, this yummy snack is a firm favourite from my childhood, and just in case there are any doubters, Jamie Oliver even has his own recipe, so it definitely counts as a “meal”.

Alas, Jamie and I do disagree on how long to cook the eggs for. I like mine runny, but not too runny, so I pop them into a pan of boiling water for 6 and a 1/2 minutes.

Now, call me picky, but there are some other rules that must be followed in my household when making this dish:

1. The soldiers should be buttered LIBERALLY! (See below for guidance)

2. A tea spoon should be used to lop the tops of the eggs off, never a knife.

3. The eggs should be served in the same egg cup they were served in when I was a child – since I left home many years ago I’ve had 7 different addresses and this little metal egg cup has made it to each and every one of them. In fact, it might be one of the oldest things I own.

The result is a dish resplendent with warm, fuzzy nostalgia. While I can’t deny that I enjoyed nomming on my egg and soldiers last night, there was something missing – I think it might be that no-one else can make it quite like my Mom does.

Are there any dishes from your childhood that your grown-up self pines for?

P.S. If you’re reading this Mom, I’m really sorry I stole your egg cup, but in all fairness I’ve had it for the last 10 years and you haven’t missed it. Finders keepers?