Dear Mr Cornwell, There is a passage in Enemy of God, the excellent second novel of Arthur that seems to suggest that todays ‘Black Pudding’ is descended from the secret ceremonies associated with the worship of Mithras. Halfway through the book, Derfel is shocked to hear that the ever-mischievous Merlin knows all about how Mithraists mix bulls blood with fat and oats to make puddings to eat. Is there any truth in this or just a smidge of artistic license on your part? My full English breakfast my never be the same again! Warm regards, Martin Luck (London)