I love the unexpected. Having been invited to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society by Seafood Scotland, I naturally was looking forward to a delicious meal and fabulous whisky. What I didn’t expect was the chance to chat with fishermen, fish processors and a fish market owner. It was fascinating to…
Carte Noire has made a range of espresso capsules that work with Nespresso* machines. I’ve got a Krups Nespresso Citiz, an easy to use machine that produces great coffee every time. When I saw a call for blogger to test and review Nespresso-compliant capsules from Carte Noire, I was intrigued…
Having grown up in the south of England, I became very used to a certain sort of pub. Not posh, not trendy, just somewhere welcoming where you could enjoy a drink or two. On coming to Scotland, I’ve never quite found the equivalent drinking establishment. Teuchters has changed my mind.…
Today’s guest writer is Christopher Garvie, known to readers of this column as C. When we were invited to Innis & Gunn to the launch of their latest beer, C. kindly came with me. Since he’s a long-time fan of the company, I asked him to write up the experience.…
Adventures in Bread I love a challenge. For me this past year has been all about improving my bread making skills. To check whether I had the stamina and prowess to take this passion further, I decided to head off to France to work in a bakery for two weeks. …
Tucked away in Bruntsfield is the gorgeous La Barantine patisserie and cafe. The atmosphere is welcoming, warm and friendly – a true corner of France in Edinburgh and a great place to have a relaxing coffee. In addition to some marvelous cakes, tarts and sandwiches, you’re bound to find a…
Imagine you’re a young chef. Quite possibly, it is the first time you’ve been abroad. Visiting a French market can overwhelm the senses. Ingredients that are hard to come by in a Scottish kitchen are sold in copious amounts on the markets – seven different types of pears? How…
The Basement Bar is a bit of an Edinburgh institution. It’s been at the top of Broughton Street for as long as I’ve lived in Edinburgh, and it’s always been busy, buzzy and good for a drink. It used to be a bit dark – as fits a basement –…
Recently I was invited to Chaophraya to eat Thai accompanied with Glenfiddich whisky. Whisky and food matching is a challenge: I love the idea, but it can be tricky to manage. If you’re used to drinking wine with food whisky can seem too strong, too concentrated. At my whisky-matched meal,…
One morning recently, I was welcomed into the kitchen at Edinburgh Larder Bistro by Julia, Edinburgh Larder Bistro’s new pastry chef. I helped Julia produce some of the bakes for the bistro. This blood orange almond cake is a new favourite. One I am sure I will be making again.…
