It’s December, the month so centred around food and drink it’s okay to rock up to a holiday-seasoned themed party, with nothing but a beverage and chips (just try make sure they’re not already open). And let’s face it, your fellow party-goers are so accommodating because we all love a good wine or whiskey with canapes and nibbles? I mean some of the amazing platters people put on display can be as if the Queen herself was attending. With the vast array of mouth-watering cheeses, crackers, fruits, cured meats and whatnot, making you think… don’t worry, live a little… we’ll fix this later…
That’s what new year’s resolutions are for!!
Yeah, for most of us, it is a month of excess but, not if you’re Robin Halkett, our newest Mortgage Advisor. He’s so talented in the kitchen, he doesn’t need Christmas as an excuse to execute a good recipe!
Robin joined us in September, working remotely from his home in Aberdeenshire. He wowed us at the interview with this frank and honest approach. Stephen and Sarah-Louise were both united in their approval. Much to our delight, Robin accepted our offer and joined Team_MFS.
Our Team’s personal bios reflect the diverse interests of our members. They show you the person behind all the numbers, financial jargon and admin, and Robin’s bio is no different. And this is where we introduce you to the foodie of our team. Pictures paint a thousand words, as the saying goes.
Breakfast: Mango, raspberries, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds, quinoa puffs with plain yoghurt.
Lunch: Crispy vegan tofu buns
Dinner: Buddha bowl filled with baked miso aubergine, roasted tofu and colourful veggies brought together with an Asian-inspired orange vinaigrette. 
We’re all patiently waiting to be invited round for dinner (hint, hint, Robin!). If you’ve been inspired by the food, you can find Robin and his wife’s recipes on Instagram, AllGoodFoodAllRound. You can thank me later!
Robin’s love of food is tied into a very active lifestyle too:
“I’ve always tried to be an active person from martial arts to rock climbing, hill walking and gym work. I never paid too much attention to my diet other than volume but realised that if you want your engine to run clean, you have to put in clean fuel. Two main things, minimal monounsaturated fats and no dairy.”
Getting out and about is always the aim for Robin, with quite a few Munros bagged.
But, the most romantic (extreme) sunrise award goes to Robin, for his hike up Mount Batur in Bali. Located in Indonesia, this is an active volcano, with the most recent eruption in 2000. Apparently, a normal summit wasn‘t romantic enough. There needed to be molten lava added to the heat of the moment too. Mount Batur’s first recorded eruption date’s back to 1804 and it has been frequently active since then.
Lava to one side, if you’re starting to think that Robin is far too perfect, you can scrap that thought. Robin assures us that the hike was actually torture! There was a “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” moment and a classic example of Instagram VS Reality when, halfway up the climb he was plagued with a case of very unpleasant food poisoning.
But, with a view like that though, the effort I’m sure was more than worth it.
So, if you’re joining the queue at Robin’s desk, you will not only get your mortgage reviewed, assessed and sorted, you’ll also have the opportunity to expand your culinary skills in your new kitchen, just in time for the Christmas madness.