This Life Ghillie Basan
Homes & Interiors Scotland|September-October 2019

Exotic flavours from far-flung corners of the world fill the remote Highland home of this celebrated food writer

This Life Ghillie Basan

Off the beaten track in a quiet glen high up in the Speyside hills is the home of food writer, workshop host and broadcaster Ghillie Basan. Having grown up in East Africa, she has never lost her need for space and wilderness. “Africa is my childhood. It is a massive part of my life and it is at the root of all the decisions I’ve ever made,” she says. “It’s a bit of a cliché to say it, but it is in my soul. And the view from my cottage in the Cairngorms actually reminds me of Africa. The feeling of solitude I get here is like a sanctuary.” This might be a remote corner of Scotland but it’s certainly not lonely. People make the pilgrimage from all over the world to learn to cook by her side or to enjoy a relaxing week in the cosy holiday home she has fashioned out of a former barn. In any case, dealing with rugged isolation would be no big deal for a woman with such a well-developed knack for unflinching graft.

Basan has been living here since her two children (now 19 and 22) were born. In between an unconventional school run – on skis for most of the winter, or by Land Rover – the single mother would cook, clean, plan and write cookery books based on her travels. “Travel is important if you actually go on a journey – either physically or mentally – and you allow it to open your mind, inspire you, change you, teach you,” she believes. “There is so much to learn in life, so many different ways of living, so many different ways of seeing. If you travel for experience and to expand your horizons, you’ll benefit from it in many ways, sometimes life-changing ones.”

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September-October 2019 من Homes & Interiors Scotland.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September-October 2019 من Homes & Interiors Scotland.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من HOMES & INTERIORS SCOTLAND مشاهدة الكل
Escape BOATH HOUSE
Homes & Interiors Scotland

Escape BOATH HOUSE

An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Homes & Interiors Scotland

Escape THE LOOKOUT

Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
Homes & Interiors Scotland

"It still feels like home. Just nicer"

The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2024
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
Homes & Interiors Scotland

A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY

You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2024
CLEAN AND POLISH
Homes & Interiors Scotland

CLEAN AND POLISH

Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2024
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
Homes & Interiors Scotland

MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN

You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
Homes & Interiors Scotland

IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES

It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space

time-read
2 mins  |
July - August 2024
JUST A HINT OF PINK
Homes & Interiors Scotland

JUST A HINT OF PINK

This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Homes & Interiors Scotland

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
LAURA THOMAS
Homes & Interiors Scotland

LAURA THOMAS

The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels

time-read
6 mins  |
July - August 2024