Isabella Beeton, famed for her Book of Household Management, wrote in an era before air-freighted bananas and a fridge in every home, and so her lists of what was in season at any time (or available from careful storage) are a good guide to simplifying the process of deciding what to grow, and when.
What makes shortbread so compact and crumbly? The high fat content. Have no illusions about the health benefits (or lack thereof) of this biscuit; butter is the second biggest ingredient. But at the same time, don’t let that put you off. All shortbread is fattening, and the method described here is very easy.
