While James Bond has some slivers of pineapple to finish his meal at Blades before pitting his wits against Sir Hugo Drax across the card table in Moonraker (1955), M opts for strawberries in kirsch (cherry brandy). In the recipe below, I’ve included cream for extra indulgence. If preferred, you can dispense with the kirsch and just have the strawberries and cream, which is what Vesper Lynd orders in Casino Royale (1953).

Serves two

• c 14-16 strawberries
• 2 tbsp kirsch
• 1 tsp sugar
• Double cream
• Mint leaves

Remove the stalks from the strawberries. Rinse the fruit and tip it into a bowl. Add the kirsch and sugar and stir to coat the strawberries. Whisk the cream until it is stiff. Divide the strawberries between two plates or bowls, drizzling any remaining kirsch mixture over the fruit. Add a tablespoon of the whipped cream to each plate and garnish with the mint leaves. To complete the meal in true M fashion, follow the strawberries with a marrow bone.