As a teacher, she was able to travel extensively during the school holidays and spend a lot of time with French friends and family in France, where her love of gastronomy began. On her travels she began to collect interesting recipes from all parts of Europe and to develop her own cooking ideas from them.

It was on one of those trips that she met the love of her life, her husband Blair, who invited her to join him in the romantic Scottish Highlands, a place that offers cuisine in its own right. It's a place that has more to offer than beautiful landscapes, mythical stone circles and haggis. As well as beautiful castles and rolling hills, there is also wild local salmon, excellent beef and lamb, and fields of strawberries and raspberries.

Marie has lived with her husband in the cozy seaside town of Nairn on the beautiful Moray Firth for 37 years now. The small town in the Scottish Highlands has holidayed many celebrities including Charlie Chaplin and Burt Lancaster and is famous for its championship golf courses.

After early retirement from teaching, Marie Cruickshank started an online travel company arranging bespoke car tours of Scotland, Ireland and France, winning an award for Highland Business Woman of the Year in 2006.

Due to her travel business she has traveled extensively to view and inspect hotels and restaurants in Scotland, Ireland and France. In doing so, she found inspiration and added something to her book that she hopes you will enjoy.

When she's not cooking and trying out new recipes, she can be found in her garden or volunteering at a local charity shop.