Rumour had it that the Falkland Islands were running out of food. There was panic, it was said, and people had forgotten what fresh food looked like. It all sounded pretty far-fetched, but it was what a couple of UK publications were reporting. And it was particularly apposite for me since I was about to travel to the Islands for my latest visit. The last thing I wanted was to get there and find that I couldn’t actually eat.

Well, I’m writing this in Stanley, and am pleased to report that the cafes are operating as normal, as are hotels and guest houses. And in people’s homes throughout the Islands everything is hunky-dory. I’ve had a cooked breakfast wherever I’ve been, from Staney’s comfortable Malvina House hotel to remote B&Bs in tiny hamlets. Last night, dinner was roast beef followed by bread and butter pudding, all washed down by a pint of local bitter. You can’t do better than that.

In the UK, this would be a major crisis. I can only imagine the outcry if ham, cheese and flour started disappearing from shelves in Tunbridge Wells

In the UK, this would be a major crisis. I can only imagine the outcry if ham, cheese and flour started disappearing from shelves in Tunbridge........

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