Magic can be made with a host of cupboard cans

Trying to eat well while sticking to a modest budget isn’t easy and we often resort to the same handful of dishes again and again. What Jessica Elliot Dennison has put together here in Tin Can Magic is an ingenious catalogue of recipes which use up things that most people consistently stock in their cupboards.…

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Celebrating a forgotten Scotswoman artist

As with most female artists of her time, Mary Cameron’s name faded into relative obscurity following her death in 1921. Captivated by Spanish culture, Cameron created large scale compositions of traditional peasant life and dramatic bullfights. While providing a catalogue of her vibrant and evocative work with additional context, the book also gives an extremely…

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Why does Portuguese wine taste so different?

Peter Ranscombe hits the trail to find out what makes Portugal’s wine so special. IT WASN’T the grapes that first brought Peter Bright to Portugal – it was the surfing. Winemakers seem to have an affinity for the waves, no matter whether they’re from California or South Africa or Australia. Bright’s first visit to Portugal…

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Chardonnay showdown: Australia v New Zealand

Peter Ranscombe had a ring-side seat for this afternoon’s virtual clash between two chardonnay giants. IN THE red corner: all the way from the southern hemisphere, the undefeated heavyweight champion of chardonnay, it’s Australia. And in the blue corner, from the other side of the Tasman Sea, the upstart challenger looking to land a knock-out…

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The horrors of war and the stories of two men

By using a rich collection of primary source material, author Gary Sheffield has woven a detailed picture of the lives of two men connected by both family ties and the horrors of war in In Haig’s Shadow. He shines a light on a story which has been entrenched in false truths and obscurity for many…

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Living life to the Max in Dundee – a true story

Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, A Guide to Surviving Childhood is the story of a Dundee girl, Max, and her mum, Big Max. It’s laden with hilarious, explicit and more than a few non-PC anecdotes. Being from the City of Discovery myself, this book contains so many references that I completely relate to and…

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A celebration of Scotland’s monuments

Many of us walk or drive past the same monuments or memorials every single day. But how much, if anything, do we really know about the people behind them? At first glance I wasn’t sure how exciting Scotland Remembered would prove to be. Meighan has put together an extensive list of the monuments and memorials…

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Another winner of a Scottish cookbook

The Lady Laird of Ballindalloch had no intention of serving up third helpings of homemade recipes with I Love Food 3, but I am thrilled she did. This instalment is packed with delectable ideas, and includes a special nod to the country’s exceptional game. As a pudding fiend, I’m taking note of her banana, orange…

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Scotland’s wildlife celebrated in a family book

100 Great Wildlife Experiences: What To See And Where is a family-friendly book, and author James D. Fair delivers exactly what he promises. Counting down 100 of the UK’s majestic fauna and flora, he takes his readers on a nationwide wildlife tour, recommending the best places to spot lapwings, willow warblers, pine martens and more…

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Research your Scottish family history at home

Scottish Ancestry Through Church & State Records is a thorough guide to Scotland’s genealogical landscape and is a useful tool for researchers of the diaspora to have at hand. Chris Paton examines common records used by family historians, including censuses, tax records and registers of land ownership. A basic knowledge of the legal system is…

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