Recipe: Scottish shortbread

Who can resist a crisp slice of Scottish shortbread? Well, if you're on a calorie-controlled diet, I suppose you might. But, putting that to one side, you must agree that a nice piece of shortbread is always a delicious treat.

So what exactly is shortbread? Despite the name, it has nothing to do with bread. Rather, it's a biscuit - a cookie, for Americans - made entirely with butter, flour and sugar. Unlike the similarly named shortcake, it contains no baking powder or other raising agent.

It's also very easy to make at home. I have several recipes, but the one I'm offering here is the simplest and most reliable.

5 August 2011: I have now moved this recipe to my main website, Veg World. My apologies for any inconvenience. You can see the recipe by following this link:

Scottish Shortbread

You might also find this link useful:

Full list of vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Taste test proves positive for Provamel

When I heard that Provamel were planning to improve their chocolate and vanilla soya desserts, I was immediately suspicious. I always keep a few of these delectable treats in the fridge, either for a quick dessert or just for an occasional snack. As well as having a lovely creamy taste, they boast excellent health and allergen-free credentials. So why mess around with a product which is already so good?

In fact, I needn't have worried. The new desserts appeared in my local health food shop this week, so I decided to conduct a taste test (admittedly, not a particularly scientific one) among myself and some family members. The verdict: the new version is at least as good as the original, and - in the opinion of 50 percent of my testers - noticeably better.

Eating out: Mimi's Bakehouse, Leith

Although it's not specifically vegetarian, I would like to tell you about Mimi's Bakehouse in Leith (except perhaps those of you who are watching your waistlines).

I discovered Mimi's when I was out with my cycling group (Edinburgh 20-Milers) yesterday morning. Along with seven other foolhardy peddlers, I cycled in snow and slush from central Edinburgh to Leith. The temperature was around zero, and by the time we reached the Shore, we were badly in need of warmth and sustenance

Celebrate the bard's birthday on the 25th January

With Christmas and Hogmanay now out of the way, it's time to look forward to the next great Scottish feast day: 25th January. That's when Scots everywhere honour the "immortal memory" of the national poet, Robert Burns.

In the past, Burns Night suppers have been a turn-off for vegetarians. But things are changing. Most hotels and restaurants now include veggie options on their Burns Night menus - often featuring the famous vegetarian haggis from Macsween.

Of course, you can also make a vegetarian haggis at home, as this recipe demonstrates.