Tasmania is the perfect place to embrace winter and celebrate all the cool-weather delights the season has to offer, according to Matthew Evans.

The ACT-born writer and restaurant critic, who has a farm in the Huon Valley, said he “dreaded” the cold winters before he moved to the island state, but was surprised to learn that the season is warmly welcomed by Tasmanians.

“I discovered that the locals celebrated it,” the television presenter told the Canberra Times.

He added that as winter often provides an excellent opportunity for hearty, rustic comfort foods and the regionally-produced fare in Tasmania will be showcased in the upcoming series of The Gourmet Farmer, which is set to begin on SBS One later this month.

The show follows Evans on his quest to learn more about the regional produce of Tasmania – in one episode, he reportedly prepares a meal using ingredients sourced entirely from Flinders Island with the exception of butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

If you are planning a cold-weather visit to Tasmania, you might want to head to the shop Evans set up with Bruny Island Cheeses founder Nick Haddow in Hobart.

A Common Ground is located within the Salamanca Arts Centre – Evans described the venture to the Mercury last month as “artisan produce meets Harry Potter”.