SIMPLICITY, even in winter, is everything and nothing hits the spot quite like a hearty bowl of thick, chunky vegetable soup. You can even throw in a few fat lardons of bacon or generous cubes of chorizo to add extra oomph. How delicious does that sound?

FOOD fads come and go, but the craving for Italian food endures; a few, really simple pasta recipes are a must in everyone’s repertoire and where better to seek them out than in Giuliano Hazan’s books.

ON January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, the French enjoy 50 million Galette des Rois to celebrate the Festival of Kings. The flaky pastry cake has a soft filling of delicious frangipane. Inside is hidden a Feve. Originally it was a broad bean, but nowadays it is more likely to be a tiny porcelain or hard plastic figure.

IT’S A very busy time in the kitchen so don’t forget a big hug for the cook. By now most people will have planned their menu for the festive season. Let’s hope the lesson learned from the excesses of the Celtic Tiger era will mean that fewer people will totter out of the supermarket with trolleys piled high as though the shops were never to open again.

CARMEL SOMERS, owner of the iconic Good Things café in Durrus developed her love and appreciation of good food in her childhood “while surrounded by lavish roast dinners, meticulous baking and too much butter”.

A COUPLE of weeks ago my daughter-in-law Rachel’s new book shot to the top of the bestseller list. Can you imagine Bertie’s reaction when he was knocked off the number one spot by a book on home cooking! This is Rachel’s sixth book in just six years. Can’t imagine how she manages to keep all the balls in the air with three little dotes to look after and regular stints on Market Kitchen as well.

LAST WEEK I hopped off the train in Portlaoise on my way to Cork especially to make “an appearance” at a book launch — not something I would do on a regular basis.

IN RECENT years I have become increasingly fascinated by the Muslim culture and am eager to learn more about the way of life and of course the food. I have enjoyed delicious Syrian and Lebanese food in several London restaurants, most notably Le Mignon in Delancey Street and Yalla Yalla Restaurant just off Brewer Street in Soho.

AWARDS are two a penny these times, so much so that they often come and go with minimum publicity.

AS PEOPLE dig out their winter attire in preparation for the cold dark nights ahead, many thousands of holiday makers will actually be packing their swimsuits and sun-tan lotions to fly off to the sun.