NOWADAYS more than ever before we need comfort food. So I’m going to devote my first column of the year to simple homely dishes guaranteed to warm and cheer the family when they traipse in tired and hungry from school or after a long day’s work.

SEPTEMBER was all about school books, bags and uniforms and trying to find digs. Children are apprehensive and excited, parents usually relieved and comfortable to be back into a routine.

THESE days, even the most organised and keenest of cooks regularly finds themselves pressed for time when preparing a meal. The answer often lies in some element of pre-preparation, whether its having a bake or a stuffed roast assembled in the refrigerator ready to be popped in the oven or simply a fiddly sauce or topping already made to speed the service of an otherwise straightforward dish.

One Step Ahead, by Mary Berry, published by Quadrille.

Try this with new season’s gooseberries.

James Martin’s Desserts, published by Quadrille; €17.69