I’ve had a summer of learning. My 10-week Science & Cooking course is coming to an end, the three-day forensic psychology course is but a memory. Learning is fun and I was wondering what to do next when I was invited to a one-day chocolate masterclass with Charlotte Flowers at…
Connage Highland Dairy is in Inverness. It is all the things we like: family owned, organic, dairy. Dairy farming has had a lot of attention in the media recently so you’ll be aware that milk production is a difficult way to make money. In 2006, Connage decided to try a…
When the Scotch Malt Whisky Society asks me if I want to come and try whiskies, I say an enthusiastic yes. This time, the invitation was particularly intriguing: an international whiskies tasting. Two Japanese grains, two Japanese malts, an Irish whiskey and an American bourbon. To guide us, we had…
On Monday evening, Amy and I had to work for our supper. The way we worked for our supper was somewhat surprising. We were challenged to exercise to burn 500 calories. The idea being that the low calorie meal we were to eat later would balance things out and we’d actually…
Graham went to sample the Fish and Shellfish Saturday Workshop course at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School on Queen Street, Edinburgh. There was a real mix of people there – equally split between men and women. They were mostly locals, but others had travelled from as far as Manchester to attend.…
I love dipping into a new cookbook. The recipes tempt you. You turn to your store cupboard and realise that you’ve not got all the ingredients. That initial enthusiasm dims a little. “Ah well, I’ll get the ingredients next time I shop” I think. Then you have the problem of actually finding…
On a sunny Sunday morning, I turned up at Locanda de Gusti to learn how to make pasta with chef Rosario Sartore. In two hours, he showed me how to make and shape three types of dough: Egg pasta – a denser dough used to pick up heavier sauces. Standard, or egg-free pasta…
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…
I read recently, that if you cut down the amount of salt you have in your diet, it takes 3 months before it makes any difference. So our rush each January to resolve to eat more healthily and for us to see a difference within a few weeks is probably…
If Martin Morales has anything to do with it, Peruvian cooking will become the taste of 2013. Owner of Ceviche in London, dubbed the hottest restaurant of the year, he has just completed a 10-venue whistle stop tour of the country. Each night, he and his team created a pop…
