As someone who took off on a 1350km hike across France to temper my own mid-life malaise, I can truly relate to Nici Wickes’, at times, tempestuous relationship with herself. This follow-up to her best-seller, A Quiet Kitchen, is brimming with comfort food – recipes that are a culinary shelter from the storm – interlaced with candid thoughts concerning the messiness of life that are oh so relatable.

The dishes, made to serve one or two, aren’t complicated, mainly requiring ingredients that are pantry and potager basics, but the results are heart-warming. At home, we tried Nici’s version of Chicken Kiev and, when we had to return the breasts to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes (likely because we hadn’t flattened them out enough), we went with her don’t-beat-yourself-up philosophy of ‘plenty good enough’ – and the garlicky, buttery juices were heaven on a rainy Saturday night.

Learning to live in the slow-lane and reprioritising housework, leaves more time for Nici to enjoy her tiny coastal kitchen and recipes such as Chicken Pie for a Cyclonic Disaster (named after Gabrielle, of course) was one to share with neighbours who were also feeling bruised and beaten.

Risottos, curries, chowders and gratins kick winter woes into touch and who could resist Nici’s homemade hot fudge sauce? It may have been initially made as part of a quick-smart, school-camp pud, but a jar on standby in the fridge to warm and enjoy over vanilla ice cream in front of the telly, is the best type of self love. Claire McCall