Here on our wee island paradise we will shortly find ourselves prematurely plunged into darkness when we dutifully turn our clocks back an hour in the advent of daylight saving.  We know that for most of you this is a particularly unpleasant thought so in order to make light of the subject and to bolster the mental health of our nation we have done our best to bring you a selection of recipes which are bound to beat the dreary winter blues!

Last Christmas our son was four weeks old.  As we gathered around the Christmas tree to unwrap presents he lay sleeping, swaddled in muslin in his Moses basket oblivious to the sound of happy chatter and rustling paper.  This year, 11 months on, he has begun to twig on to the magic of Christmas.  To the Christmas lights which sparkle in shop windows, the brightly coloured gifts lying in wait under the tree and the festive carols to which he dances, his little legs springing in time to the music.

This morning a blanket of thick fluffy grey cloud hangs over the city.  The neighbours avocado tree, heavy with fruit, is buffeted in the wind and the leaves on our passionfruit vine nod in time.  It’s chilly outside, and it’s no wonder, it is winter after all.  So in defiance of the cold we’re wrapped up warm.  Woolen jumpers and thick socks

I will freely admit that I am rather partial to pasta.  This partiality made itself known the first time I set about making pasta and as the years pass it has by no means waned.  The taste and texture that result from the combination of flour and eggs is something which never ceases

Summer is teasing us down here at the bottom of the earth.  She sends sunshine beating down upon pallid wintry skin, warming fingers and toes still frozen from ice-laced southerlies.  Bodies unfurl and unwrap and greedily soak up her radiant heat before retreating once again as sun turns to rain and balmy daytime highs turn to overnight frosts.

Whilst the team here at Our Kitchen are by no means vegetarians, we do all however appreciate the importance of moderation when it comes to meal times…..most of the time anyway!  So this month we bring you a selection of vegetarian recipes.  Whilst we know they will be well loved by our vegetarian readers,