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From Canon Ann Easter, Chief Executive of a Charity and Chaplain to the Queen:

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The climax of the first meal that Christopher, my husband-to-be, made for me, the dessert diva, was packet-mix cheesecake decorated with tinned mandarins….. the poor soul’s never lived that down! And for my sister’s first meal with her new fella, he cooked each part consecutively so by the time it was put in front of her the steak was like leather and the peas had frozen again – but the potatoes were lovely and hot!

Isn’t it great how food features in so many of the special occasions in our lives?Ìý Not just the intimate dinner for two - think of the christening tea, the wedding breakfast and the funeral wake, the picnics and the pizzas.

And certainly all the faiths that I know of love to include food in their festivals – and Jesus was Jewish and so, it was at this time of the year, that he observed the important festival called Passover by sharing a meal with his friends, since immortalised famously, of course, as the Last Supper in traditional and modern art and countless stained glass windows.

All meals nourish the body in various degrees but many do much more than that; sharing, encouraging, teaching, listening and learning about each other are all part of eating together and those things nourish the soul too.

Jesus' last supper, which Christians throughout the world will mark today, Maundy Thursday, was charged with emotion because Christians believe that Jesus knew that his life was coming towards its end so the conversation was pointed and poignant. That meal of bread and wine is remembered and recreated at every communion service.

The next day, Jesus was crucified.Ìý But, then, when they thought it was all over, Christians believe, Jesus rose again from the dead, and, guess what? - enjoyed more meals with them and with others so that they'd know that death was not the end.

It's impossible to imagine what Heaven's like but, in the Bible, it's often portrayed as a banquet. The eternal dessert – it sounds brilliant.