Author of The British Cookbook reveals favourite Glasgow pubs and restaurants

The author is Ben Mervis, a respected food historian and researcher. He arrived in Glasgow from Philadephia to study at university 14 years ago and has made the city his home.

Now, local recipes will sit among 550 others from across the four nations in this deep dive into traditional cookery.

Ben says: "Beyond being 'simply' about food, it also an exploration of local history, social culture, regionality, migration, and change. Of course, at the end of the day, it is also a loving embrace of one of the world’s finest, and arguably its most comforting, cuisines."

For The British Cookbook, part of a series of comprehensive journals from respected publisher Phaidon, Ben has worked alongside chefs from around the UK to draw together the collection of dishes while writing chapters from his home in the Southside for the last four years. The title is available to pre-order now and will ship from September 15.

Recipe contributions came from Glasgow chefs including Sumayya Usmani, Grant Reekie, The Gannet's Peter McKenna, above, and Julie Lin of Julie's Kopitiam. The chapters are arranged with types of foods including shellfish, soups and stews, poultry, savoury pies, cakes, buns and biscuits.

The publisher explains: "the recipes are fascinating to read and easy to follow, with lively descriptions of each dish's origins; clear, user-friendly instructions; and helpful notes on unique ingredients and techniques. Stunning photographs of food and local scenery complete this exciting ode to British cuisine."

Ben has told me about his connection to the city that he made his home: "I remember the first time I saw Glasgow. Flying over Scotland, early in the morning, the green hills, then coming into land, seeing the fog, and cars cutting through it. I showed up at halls, then walked around for about three hours trying to find town. I met my flatmates and within a couple of weeks, I was living as if Glasgow was my city, and I had lived there forever. I never felt like an outsider. Even though I was clearly a foreigner, I felt included.

"The West End for me now, it’s connected to those student days. I turn every corner and think about the friends I made or some of the parties I went to in flats. The memories can be a bit intense sometimes. I realised I wanted to explore a new place in the city so I moved to Pollokshields and now I’m in Govanhill. It’s a nice area to live in, you’re close to huge parks, it’s fairly affordable to rent or buy a home and to start up your own business.

After graduating from university, Ben worked at Noma in Copenhagen as an assistant to the head, before returning back to Glasgow and launching Fare magazine, a bi-annual publication that explores city culture through the intersection of food, history and community.

His top food tips for Glasgow include Two Eight Seven, the small bakery and neighbourhood hub in Govanhill set up by Sam and Anna Luntley that offers different types of bread and rolls. See also the no-frills comfort food of Big Counter where chefs John Dawson and Claire Johnston create ever-changing menus packed with personality.

"If I want to show off Glasgow to visitors then I usually start off with a bacon roll in an older cafe, then a walk through Pollok Park to see all the Highland cows, then a visit to Pollok House. The Burrell Collection is possibly the finest collection in the city and the building is really beautiful. Then an Indian restaurant for dinner, then I would take them to the pub. Probably a series of pubs.

"My Holy Trinity of Glasgow Indian food at the moment is Mother India, probably the upstairs one on Westminster Terrace, Ranjit's Kitchen on Pollokshaws Road. The new one on my list is Kebabish. That is one of my locals too - I thought it was absolutely fantastic, and I was so excited that it’s a five minute walk from my house. In terms of bars, my two favourites are the Laurieston and the Star Bar - they used to do an excellent karaoke night. I have a very soft spot for Nice N Sleazy in town from my Uni days. The Hielan Jessie is a great pub, and it’s so cheap.

Glasgow's prominent place in The British Cookbook, which will be sold globally, is another boost to the city's culinary standing as travel guide publishers Time Out's definitive annual ranking of cities around the world profiled Glasgow at number four on the list. Their profile points to the fact there are now two Michelin-star restaurants in the city, alongside informal, friendly restaurants, with Crabshakk and vegetarian restaurant Sylvan getting a nod.