‘Orkney Spirit: Food Journeys’ by Liz Ashworth is a welcoming, warm, lovely book by someone I have met a few times. Orkney is not a place that I have been to as yet, but the world is a big place and the clock is ticking.

The food here is great, with some wonderful names in the book like Orkney Fuarag — a form of Cranachan consisting of oatmeal (of which many recipes in Orkney do), crowdie and honey. A warming recipe of Mealie Tatties, which is adding some freshly stoneground oatmeal, a knob of butter and salt to cooked and just-drained potatoes. Another brilliant name is Fatty Cutties — a biscuit of sorts that has many versions, but given a lift with bicarbonate of soda, the addition of currants and cooked on the griddle. It is unique to Westray, a place where we get some very fine cheese.

What makes this book stand out for me is the personal touch — the memories and the stories that Liz brings. It is a charming book, and it seems everyone is a lot happier in these remote places away from the madding crowds. There are many mentions of F. Marian McNeill in this book, who was a resident of Orkney and wrote the classic cookbook The Scots Kitchen, which I hope you all now have. There is a recipe in this book that makes my mouth water — slow-roasted North Ronaldsay mutton. I adore that meat; I must try and chase some down. Liz is quite a character and worked at Baxters, the soup people, for a long time. I adore this book with all her tales. It will make you want to go visit and have a dram of Highland Park.