SCOTTISH CELEB Carol Smillie has been visiting butchers and farmers in Perthshire and Fife to help promote a new charity cookbook highlighting the value of friends and families making time to prepare good quality meals.

Ms Smilie, who herself contributed a recipe to the 'Round The Table' book, visited the Mackie family at The Ross, Madderty, near Crieff, where she was given a tour of the cattle enterprise by farmer Ronnie Mackie and his daughter-in-law, Rebecca, along with Ronnie's grand-children, Wallace and Catrina (pictured).

The cookbook also features family favourite beef, lamb and pork recipes from the likes of actor Ewan McGregor, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and football legend Sir Alex Ferguson, and has been published by Quality Meat Scotland, with the profits from the sale of the book going to children's charities CHAS and Children 1st.

A YouGov study of over 1000 Scottish adults commissioned by QMS found that, worryingly, over one-third – 37% – of people questioned never sit around a table to eat a meal together as a family. The study also revealed that 31% of adults choose to eat seven evening meals in a typical week in front of the TV.

The research also revealed that in a typical week six in ten – 58% – of parents who eat meals with their family, say that their children never help to set the table. Just under two-thirds – 58% – say their kids never do the washing up or help load the dishwasher after a meal.

QMS chairman Jim McLaren said: "Scotland produces some of the best food in the world including, of course, our wonderful Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork!

"Scottish farmers, and others involved in the production of our meat, work hard and take a great deal of pride in what they produce and this campaign aims to encourage people to appreciate eating great food together.

"The good news is interest in the provenance of meat continues to grow and we hope this cookbook will also help to improve understanding of the quality assurance and traceability behind these famous brands."

From Lorraine Kelly's delicious beef stew and Ewan McGregor's mum's hearty carbonnade of beef, to Hardeep Singh Kohli's pork vindaloo and Clare Grogan's exotic Moroccan lamb with apricots, the cookbook is packed full of tasty, easy to cook family recipes made using Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb or Specially Selected Pork.

CHAS chief executive Maria McGill said: "Happy family mealtimes are a great way of creating lasting memories. Everyone buying this fantastic cookbook will not only get inspiration for tasty family meals, they'll be playing a valuable part in helping us run our care services across Scotland, helping families and children who are less fortunate."

With an RRP of £10.00, the hardback book is available at selected Waterstones stores and can be purchased on www.amazon.co.uk. Some butchers who are members of the Scotch Butchers Club will also be supplying the cookbook along with some farm shops.