FOOD and DRINK

'Tis the season for comfort food, late-night cocktails and revisiting old classics

- Natasha Radmehr

“I think I'm biased towards liking this time of year, because my birthday is in November,” says Flora Shedden, the owner of Aran Bakery in Dunkeld. “But I do think winter is very undervalued, particularly in Scotland. People moan about the cold and the dark, but I think we need a mindset shift. I love the cooking it brings, cosying up at home, any excuse for a candle. Even the air smells good to me.”

So fond is the baker of hibernation season that she has written a book in celebration of its spoils. Winter in the Highlands (Quadrille, £26) is a coorie in literary form, filled with recipes that, says Flora “aren't reinventing the wheel, but are very much about comfort and warmth - real family favourites, and a few that will get people more excited about sprouts.”

The book takes readers on a gentle stroll through November to January as Flora explains how to make the most of seasonal ingredients. Among the recipes are squash-and-apple soup, sausages with butter beans, and sprouts with tahini, alongside all the necessary components for a memorable Christmas dinner. There’s a whole chapter dedicated to sweet treats such as clotted cream caramels and lemon amaretti - timeless classics that'll have you digging the book out every year as the nights draw in.