Scotland


<p>We&#8217;d argue that getting the oven on and having friends over for a big cook up is an act of wellbeing and self-care in the winter. These five Scottish chefs we&#8217;re pretty sure would agree. This clutch of new recipe books from some of the best names in Scotland&#8217;s kitchens is a treat. From Masterchef finalists to former Bake Off contestants there&#8217;s loads here you&#8217;ll want to try. Invite your friends over and cook up a feast. Once you take a look at the recipes in these books, there&#8217;s really no excuse not to.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winter-in-the-highlands-eating-drinking-and-celebrating-in-scotland-flora-shedden"><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/465595/winter-in-the-highlands-by-shedden-flora/9781837833689" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Winter in the Highlands: Eating, Drinking and Celebrating in Scotland</em></a>, Flora Shedden</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1406" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781837833689.jpg" alt="Winter in the Highlands, recipes by Flora Shedden" class="wp-image-814" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781837833689.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781837833689-213x300.jpg 213w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781837833689-728x1024.jpg 728w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781837833689-768x1080.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Winter, according to food writer and baker Flora Shedden “rises above all other seasons”. It’s her theme for <em>Winter in the Highlands</em>, the fourth book from the former <em>Bake Off</em> semi-finalist, now owner of ARAN and LÒN. Taking inspiration from the darkest months of the year, she sets out seasonal recipes for November, December and January. And it’s all hearty – roasted squash and apple soup for the fireside, baked bread sauce for Nollaig and a luxurious sounding Sherry and Raisin ice cream for Hogmanay. We’re salivating at the thought.</p>



<p><em>Published by Quadrille, Hardback, £26 </em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sama-sama-comfort-food-from-my-malaysian-scottish-kitchen-julie-lin"><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/461644/sama-sama-by-lin-julie/9781529935370" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sama Sama:<em> Comfort food from my Malaysian-Scottish kitchen</em></a><em>,</em> Julie Lin</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1382" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/cover-.jpg" alt="Sama Sama, recipes by Julie Lin" class="wp-image-560" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/cover-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/cover--217x300.jpg 217w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/cover--741x1024.jpg 741w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/cover--768x1061.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Malaysian-Scottish chef Julie Lin is a bit of a superstar. A regular on <em>Saturday Kitchen</em>, the Glaswegian has fed Phil on his Netflix series <em>Somebody Feed Phil</em> and Dame Judi Dench on <em>Countryfile</em>. No one can say she’s not got range! In her first cookbook <em>Sama Sama</em>, she shares 90 recipes that celebrate all parts of her identity alongside tales of self-discovery. In Malay sama sama is a way of saying you’re welcome and her goal with these recipes is to reinforce the idea of togetherness through food. We love her <a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/dining-at-home/glasgow-chef-and-tv-presenter-julie-lin-sticky-toffee-pudding-recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sticky toffee pudding recipe</a> – perfect for chilly winter nights.</p>



<p><em>Published by Ebury Press, Hardback £28</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gloagburn-recipes-from-a-scottish-farm-alison-niven"><a href="https://www.gloagburn.co.uk/products/gloagburn-cookbook?srsltid=AfmBOooyjUt_BTnmMKISETh-qAuW2K-IM3fiArBkmsxCVhmxeBlKIueQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Gloagburn: Recipes from a Scottish Farm</em></a>, Alison Niven</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="759" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174064-1.jpeg" alt="Gloagburn, recipes by Alison Niven" class="wp-image-816" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174064-1.jpeg 759w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174064-1-228x300.jpeg 228w" sizes="(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px" /></figure>



<p>Those in the know have made the turn off the A9 to stock up on goodies from Gloagburn Farm Shop ahead of a long journey. Now you can enjoy all the flavours from Alison’s Aga in your own home. This book tells their story through classic, straightforward recipes straight from Alison’s Aga. The biscuits, scones, slices and cakes that make the cafe so popular are all there, woven through with Alison’s secrets for unfussy and delicious home cooking. It’s ideal winter comfort food: one-pot stews and casseroles, beef stovies, tarts and twice-baked soufflé&#8230; These are hearty recipes to sustain busy family life.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Published by Kitchen Press, Hardback £25</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feast-recipes-that-bring-joy-sarah-rankin"><a href="https://birlinn.co.uk/product/feast/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Feast: Recipes that bring joy</em></a>, Sarah Rankin</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1315" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/Feast.jpg" alt="Feast, recipes by Sarah Rankin" class="wp-image-829" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/Feast.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/Feast-228x300.jpg 228w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/Feast-779x1024.jpg 779w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/Feast-768x1010.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Ever invited a group of pals round for dinner only to then panic about what to cook? Well fret no longer. Masterchef finalist Sarah Rankin’s second book groups recipes together as seasonal feasts, making planning easy and the food guaranteed to be delicious. For Sarah, feasts don’t have to be fancy. She’s got Mexican cook-ups, food for pizza nights and for big brunches, as well as recipes for festivals like Hogmanay. If anything, it’ll inspire you to have friends over more often.</p>



<p><em>Published by Birlinn, Hardback £25</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cafe-cuil-cookbook-clare-coghill"><a href="https://www.cafecuil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Cafe Cuil Cookbook</em></a>, Clare Coghill</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="756" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174071-1.jpeg" alt="Cafe Cuil Cookbook, recipes by Clare Coghill" class="wp-image-818" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174071-1.jpeg 756w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2025/09/9781739174071-1-227x300.jpeg 227w" sizes="(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px" /></figure>



<p>Born and bred on Skye, Clare Coghill is head chef and owner of Cafe Cuil, a distinctively comforting red cafe on the island’s Minginish peninsular. She’s been dishing up Hebridean inspired brunches, lunches and speciality coffee there since 2022, after she moved the original cafe hundreds of miles north from Dalston in east London. Quite the move but she’s never looked back. While it’s well worth the visit, you don’t have to head over the sea to Skye to try Clare’s distinctive take on breakfast and lunch classics. We love her <a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/dining-at-home/sweetcorn-chowder-recipe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweetcorn chowder</a> –&nbsp;have a go!</p>



<p><em>Published by Kitchen Press, Hardback £25</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/dining-at-home/sweetcorn-chowder-recipe/">Spice up lunch with Clare Coghill’s spiced sweetcorn chowder</a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/dining-at-home/glasgow-chef-and-tv-presenter-julie-lin-sticky-toffee-pudding-recipe/">You need Julie Lin’s sticky toffee pudding recipe in your life. Here it is!</a></li>



<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/home/dining-at-home/new-cookbooks-autumn/">5 new cookbooks to cosy up your kitchen this autumn</a></li>
</ul>


Five new recipe books we can’t wait to cook with this winter

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