It was a book that helped to change British tastes and the 50th anniversary of its publication has been celebrated by the BBC this week.

Radio 4 dramatised Claudia Roden’s A Book of Middle Eastern Food in its evening 15 Minute Drama slot, with Tracy-Ann Oberman playing the Egyptian-born food writer.

“At a time when most Britons were enjoying cauliflower and soggy spaghetti Bolognese on a regular basis,” the BBC website explained, “she introduced chick peas, sharp-flavoured marinades, aubergines and — her most popular recipe — orange and almond cake.”

The five-part series, dramatised by Anjum Malik, contains cameos from Israeli restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi as well as Claudia Roden's grand-daughter, Nelly Wolman.