Lyn,
Yes, I used to buy Vesta curries from Pricerite, which was the first Bournemouth supermarket, becoming International Stores, Fine Fare & finally Tesco - I think I got the order right!
Yes, Pedrocut, curry is a blend of spices, and if you are making a meat curry, the meat is best marinated for about 24 hours beforehand. I still have the book that someone bought me for Christmas one year.
As for curry being an insect repellant, Alan, I think you would have to live on the stuff. Likewise with Marmite. Things that you eat seem to very quickly disappear from your system and creams that you apply to the skin seem more effective, though most people don't want to walk around smelling of Vick or Deep Heat! I watch my rainwater barrel here as they love still water for breeding and as soon as the larvae appear, the barrel gets a dose of Jeyes Fluid. A few years ago they filled in a small clay pit a couple of hundred yards from us, and the mosquito menace very soon lessened. That action reduced the huge number of toads that used to live in the village, but they've quickly learned to adapt and their numbers are increasing again.
If ever a thread was destined to go off-topic it's this one!!!
Maurice