I have some positive, exciting news after this strange few months – at last, the amazing food scene in Hertfordshire is on the map.

Anyone who lives here knows we have farms, farm shops, markets, distilleries, breweries, bakeries, indie cafes, restaurants and, of course, the best pubs in the UK, and now the rest of the UK can find out too.

Meze, the publisher, has produced books about Cambridge, Brighton, Bristol, Cornwall and at last it is our turn!

The Hertfordshire Cook Book is a photo-packed recipe book filled with many of the region’s favourite indies. You will spot plenty of local legends in there, and many outstanding recipes including the Lussmanns fishcake and Campfire Gin’s world-beating martini. Even if you think you know the area really well, I think there are some stories that will be a surprise – do you know which bakery has a history of baking scones for Wimbledon?

I wrote the intro for the book and it was a complete pleasure to reflect on everything we have to offer in the area. I had a lot of fun suggesting the images to go on the cover – can you spot Hertford castle, St Albans Cathedral, Alban buns, yellow fields of rapeseed and some other very familiar sights?

We tried to include some very old favourites (Simmons has been baking in Hatfield since 1838), with some very new talent. Many of you will know Laura Kate Cake Boutique and Tea Parlour in pretty Welwyn, and we have the recipe for her incredible Snickerlicious Chocolate Cake.

And, of course, we had to include Hertfordshire’s very own chocolate factory, The Secret Truffletier in Woolmer Green. I think people who don’t know the area will be amazed at what we have here, from farms to street food, and with cuisine from all over the world.

You can find copies of The Hertfordshire Cookbook in Waterstones, Books on the Hill (St Albans), WH Smiths, Battlers Green Farm Shop, Pearces Farm Shop, Simmons, Farr Brew pubs, Laura Kate, Lussmanns and many more places. It is also for sale on Amazon if you want to send a copy further afield.

After a year when many of our local indies worried about whether they would even be here now, I am so pleased to be able to celebrate them now. I hope you buy a copy of the book, discover somewhere new, cook one of the amazing recipes, and enjoy all that our lovely corner of the world has to offer!