Food Whisky Life by Ghillie Basan

Available now

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Ghillie Basan. It’s been about 14 years since I first discovered her work, having randomly picked up a copy of one of her books at an event. When I noticed that she lived in Scotland, I couldn’t believe that I’d never heard of her before or that she wasn’t better known. As I came to realise, here was someone with an extraordinary talent, living an extraordinary life, in a Highland glen, but in a very unsung way. There was something quite remarkable about her story, and one that was screaming for greater recognition.

An anthropologist, author, broadcaster, former journalist and tourism provider, she has written more than 50 books, particularly on Middle Eastern cuisine, but also on Scottish seafood, whisky and the Highland larder.

This book, in what she says will be her last on food, is deeply personal, and represents a culmination of her life experiences gathered over many years of travelling, being immersed in other cultures -  learning, cooking, tasting, storytelling, absorbing, respecting, connecting.

At its essence, it’s how she translates this to her guests who come from all over the world to her off-the-beaten-track Highland home. It’s about genuine hospitality.  Something hard to put into words, but when you encounter it, it’s a feeling like no other. You don’t forget it. Perhaps best summed up in Ghillie’s own words as she sets the scene:

“When hospitality comes from the heart it is the simplest gift you can give. It costs nothing but it can mean everything, I live in a remote glen in the Scottish Highlands where I open the doors of my humble home to people from all over the world and share my stories, my family, my food and flavours, and I watch my guests relax and unwind. I give people an experience that money can’t buy and often they don’t want to leave”

The book starts with her story, from her formative years growing up in East Africa, which had a lasting impact, to her journalist travels, taking a Cordon Bleu diploma, studying Social Anthropology and then ending up in a remote Highland croft with her Turkish husband but soon afterwards was left to bring her children up single-handedly, and building a business on her own.  It’s quite the story that I can’t do justice to here, but anyone who knows Ghillie will agree that she’s strong, resilient and a survivor. 

The Cairngorms

Moving on to the Spirit & Spice chapter, she explains how the world of Scotch whisky captivated her and somehow perfectly matched the kind of flavours she was cooking, serving and writing about. In a time of necessity, she had a germ of an idea that to offer tasting experiences, together with her mezze-style food, in the stunning environment around her, is something that food tourists might like. And indeed, they did and have ever since, whether that be around her kitchen table, the ancient bothy or in the forests and hills around her. Together with her equally spirited, adventurous and talented son Zeki and daughter Yazi, they work together to offer joint experiences in traditional skills/foraging and feasting and wilderness retreats.

What follows is a collection of recipes that encapsulates Ghillie’s food philosophy and style, from Pastes, Pickles and Preserves to Wild Drinks & Cocktails to Fire & Smoke. 

They marry her global influences but Highland/Scottish roots – caramelised bananas with whisky, cream & toasted oats; smoked haddock bake with chickpeas & rosemary; roasted rhubarb salad with stem ginger, feta, lime zest & roasted pecans; venison bobotie with hogweed; nettle & roasted hazelnut pesto and ember-baked smuggler’s salmon with whisky, juniper and bog myrtle. 

Photography by Ghillie and her family, as well as guest photographers, captures the colours and tastes so evocatively. It’s nothing short of stunning.

I hope that this book brings Ghillie to an even wider audience. That you, the reader, feel as though you are in her Highland home, around her table, tasting, savouring and chatting. That you feel the intimate, genuine hospitality that she dedicates her life to providing.  

Gather friends and family around your own table, cook up some of the book’s dishes, share your own stories, and be reminded that hospitality is a gift that we can all give. 

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Tin Shack Press, 2025, Food Whisky Life by Ghillie Basan. Copies available from all good bookshops

Follow Ghillie on Instagram @ghilliebasan for more information about her work and experiences

 Fiona Richmond is Head of Regional Food, Scotland Food & Drink