Lonnie Donegan, the Scottish skiffle singer, composer and guitarist, was born on this day in 1931.

Considered by some to be Britain's first pop superstar, James Anthony Donegan burst onto the scene in the mid-1950s with a distinctive, lively sound called "skiffle", which was based loosely on American folk music. His first big hit, Rock Island Line, achieved the then rare distinction of soaring up the US hit parade, and he was rarely out of the charts from then until "The Beatles" era.

Donegan's hits included Does Your Chewing Lose Its Flavour, My Old Man's A Dustman, Cumberland Gap and Puttin' On The Style. Lonnie Donegan died whilst touring in November, 2002.

The Scottish mathematician, physicist and author John Arbuthnot was born on this day in 1667. A friend of Johnathan Swift and Alexander Pope, Arbuthnot popularised the character of John Bull as the proto-typical Englishman, following the publication of the 'History of John Bull', although he may not have invented the character.

Today's recipe: in-season asparagus complements this sophisticated take on a breakfast staple. Scrambled egg blinis with chargrilled asparagus.