The Christmas table

Yes, it’s nice to go out at Christmas but there’s a lot to be said for staying home and cracking open the cook books!

For a start you will always know and like what’s on the menu and it will be cooked the way you prefer, and it’s nice the way people can stand and chat, glass in hand, while you’re cooking. It is such a relaxed and friendly feeling.

Remember the golden rule of cooking for a party or big event such as Christmas dinner: buy a third, prepare a third in advance and make a third on the night.

The great thing about cooking at home is that you have all these incredible ingredients available here in the West Highlands at your fingertips, from artisan bakers, local breweries, meat and veg producers, cheese makers, smokehouses, game suppliers and the freshest, locally caught and landed fish and seafood. Not forgetting all our wonderful whiskies and the new, inspired, gins.

When you dine in and invite friends round you can do everything from nibbles to a light lunch or supper, to a fullblown dinner party or Christmas feast.

There is so much choice: you can buy the ingredients and find recipes for food from all round the world and mix it with local produce to create some fantastic dishes.

You have worked so hard to make your home the way you like it and so cosy, and your Christmas decorations and flowers are so nice, it seems a shame to go out.

Retailers are in such fierce competition that they have incredible wine lists at reasonable prices and such a wide choice of drinks – let’s make some cocktails!

The children enjoy themselves more in their own homes and in the evening we don’t have to worry about getting a baby sitter or relying on grandparents or guilt-tripping your sister to look after them.

Best of all you can relax and have a drink, knowing you don’t need to get into your car.

As much as we all enjoy staying in it is good to have a nice meal out during the Christmas season, so let’s get the table booked.