How to Eat in 2022 This year’s biggest food and drink trends

How to eat in 2022

Ailidh Forlan of @plateexpectations on this year’s biggest food and drink trends

SUPER-SIZE YOUR SARNIES

Ginormous sandwiches have been in the limelight for a while now, and in Edinburgh that surge is showing no signs of stopping. Check out Albys in Leith for imaginative door stops of jam-packed Bakery Andante focaccia, Sando’s pop up at The High Dive for chunky katsu sandwiches and, recently listed as one of the world’s best sandwich shops, King Of Feasts at Polwarth Tavern (pictured left) for American-inspired filth. “Right now, we are in the middle of a sandwich renaissance,” Rob Casson aka King of Feasts explains. “The sandwich has always been the great equaliser of the food scene. If you look at it from a cost perspective, not everyone can afford to dine at starred restaurants, eating the finest of ingredients but everyone has access to the basic ingredients needed to make a sandwich. Even the most esteemed chefs in the world have made themselves a chip butty at some point in their lives! Fine dining chefs are now realising that not everything they serve has to be on a plate, it can also be between two slices of bread’. Or cookies of course, in the case of Moo Pie Gelato’s sensational monthly-changing cookie sandwich, (pictured right).

ORDER IN YOUR COCKTAILS

In lockdown, we discovered just how nice it was to have our cocktails made for us, pre-batched, orderable at the click of button and ready to slurp on in no time. Despite the world re-opening, thanks to spontaneous socializing, impromptu office drinks and busier lifestyles than before, the ready-to-drink market is showing no signs of slowing. Mothership, the parent group of Bramble; Lucky Liquor Co; and The Last Word Saloon have continued to add new premium cocktails to their online offering (pictured left) whilst Whitebox Drinks (pictured above) which launched in Edinburgh late 2021 is now the UK’s leading canned cocktail company. Following in their footsteps, Angels Dare, a brand new Scottish canned cocktail brand, launched in March. “The appetite for ready-to-drink cocktails remains strong,” says founder Michael Crozier. “We’ve done the hard work for you, and when you crack open a can (or two), you can enjoy the experience of a master bartender whenever the feeling strikes.”

SPLURGE ON TRUFFLES

Despite diners feeling the pinch, there’s also that resounding notion of ‘life’s too short’ and so occasional splurging, mini upgrades and indulgent add-ons are all on the rise. With thanks to this subtle shift in spending, truffle is having a bit of a moment in Edinburgh. At the end of last year, Francesco Bani of Wanderers Kneaded launched his tongue in cheek Eat The Rich pizza (pictured below), smothered in a cascade of fresh stacciatella, wild boar salami and black truffle shavings before being spritzed with Champagne right before serving. Meanwhile, at Butta Burger, the pricier Truffle Chic, featuring a hunk of succulent fried chicken doused in homemade truffle mayonnaise, has continued to grow in popularity. But it’s not just fast food that’s getting the truffle treatment; during the winter months Heron offered a £15 supplement of shaved peak season Perigord truffle to sprinkle to taste throughout the meal. Whilst at The Kilted Donut, white chocolate glazed truffle topped ‘kilties’ (mini doughnuts) have got all the sweet tooths talking.

BRING BACK THE BACON

Veganism isn’t quite the hot topic that it was two years ago. We’re just so used to cutting back on our meat and dairy intake that in 2022 there’s less of a drastic switch to fullblown veganism and more of a flexitarian approach… or a ‘reducetarianism’ movement as Whole Foods recently dubbed it. It seems we’re at odds over whether to prioritize animal wellness and the impact of meat production or deforestation, carbon emissions and lengthy air miles - as the plant-based sector grows, interestingly so too does that of meat consumption. So, the solution? Do a bit of both. Realising that 320 litres of water are used to grow just one avocado, Chef Steven Connolly-Bastock of Salt Café has vowed to ditch the popular brunch food in favour of a menu balanced with plant-based alternatives and quality meat reared locally (pictured above).

EXPLORE THE RUM AISLE

After years of anticipation and excited whispers, ‘up and coming’ Scottish rum has finally landed. This Spring, Holyrood Distillery’s new Elizabeth Yard rum, matured in whisky casks, launched with five medals from the Rum Masters Competition already under its belt, whilst longerstanding Livingston based Matugga Distillery have been crowdfunding in preparation to redefine the UK’s £1 billion rum industry. Not quite sure where to begin? Why not dive head first into the rum aisle with Rum & Cake, a bold and buttery sipping rum laced with molasses and Scottish spices by Buck & Birch. ‘Rum in cake works a treat, but cake in rum – even better!’ Tom Chisolm, co-founder of Buck & Birch exclaims. Oh, we hear you!

DRINK YOUR OATS

There was a time not so long ago when asking for a vegan alternative to cows’ milk in your morning coffee resulted in an eye roll from the barista. Now it’s practically the norm, and oat milk in particular is gaining traction across Scotland. Not only couldn’t we get our hands on Black Lines OatNog, stocked at Little Rascal throughout December, but we’re now seeing the independents ditching market leader Oatly in favour of Brose, made just a stone’s throw away in East Lothian. “If I was in a supermarket and didn’t know anything about oat milk and saw a Scottish brand on the shelves, I’d immediately choose that,” Josh Barton of Brose tells us. “There’s a genuine perception that the best oats are grown in Scotland, so why shouldn’t the best oat milk be made here too? The moist cool sea air on the east coast makes perfect conditions for it.” 2022 will also see the launch of Scoatish, promising Scotland’s first farm to carton oat milk, not to mention the best brand name we’ve ever heard.

TRY TURKISH EGGS

Let’s face it, eggs & avo is getting a little old. A personal favourite alternative is Turkish eggs, perfectly poached specimens on hot buttery Aleppo chilli-doused garlic yoghurt. As if reading my mind (and tastebuds), four great Edinburgh brunch spots have introduced Turkish eggs to their offering. Head to Room & Rumours at Waverley Arches, Noon just off Princes Street, Salt Café in Morningside and Grams in Stockbridge for your fill.

DISCOVER KOJI

“Koji is rice fermented with a specific type of microbe (aspergillus oryzae) to produce enzymes which open up all sorts of incredible flavours,” the young and already flourishing Roslin based Koji Kitchen informs us. It’s already a well-used ingredient in London and New York, and with chefs including Tomás Gormley at Heron beginning to experiment with it in Scotland, we’re expecting to see a whole lot more of the stuff. ‘Shio Koji is a relatively new addition to the Heron flavour arsenal,” says Gormley. “We’ve been working a lot on our pickles and ferments recently and koji felt like a natural extension of that. Marinating with shio koji imparts umami and subtlety sweet notes to meat and fish, while also tenderising them, much like you would with buttermilk.”

STEP ASIDE CINNAMON BUN, THE CRUFFIN WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE”

TAKE YOURSELF ON A CIDER TASTING

When Frightened Rabbit drummer

Grant Hutchison opened Scotland’s first dedicated cider shop, just off the beaten track in Anstruther, and filled it with small batch Scottish ciders that regularly sell out, we quickly realised that that the cider craze was among us. With the very best including Dour Cider, Sail We

Must, Nøvar, Diggers, and Lanthorn, all pressed, fermented, bottled and imbibed hyper locally, there’s lots to discover. Your best bet locally is to pitch up at Brauhaus in Tollcross,

Smith & Gertrude in Stockbridge or

Spry at the top of Leith Walk to see what they’re pouring and have a try.

STUFF YOURSELF WITH CRUFFINS

Step aside cinnamon bun, the cruffin will take it from here. Just when we thought nothing could top those sweet sticky buns, the croissant muffin hybrid has other ideas. Nice Times Bakery have given them the tropical once over with a jammy filling of mango and basil or passionfruit (pictured left), Babyfaced Baker keeps theirs vegan with a flaky pastry made of plant-based butter and oat milk, and Twelve Triangles make the most of what’s in season, filling theirs with the likes of rhubarb cheesecake. If you simply can’t choose one variety, head to Tasty Buns Bakery for a mixed box of four - they’re flying like hot cakes.

SUSTAINABILITY IS SO LAST YEAR. ENTER STAGE LEFT REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, THE LATEST BUZZ WORD IN THE FARMING WORLD”

Photography: Amelia Claudia

SUPPORT LOCAL FARMS

Sustainability is so last year. The word is over-used and too many people still don’t quite know what it means. Enter stage left regenerative agriculture, the latest buzz word in the farming world and what The Free Company are up to on their organic no-dig farm in Balerno (pictured above). “In its simplest terms, it is the production of food whilst improving the natural environment that it is grown within,” explains Charlie, co-founder of the Free Company. “It is focused on improving the soil, water, biodiversity, sequestering carbon (locking it into the soil) and improving a farm’s resilience to climate change”. From this is born Free Company’s latest Veg Club which allows them to connect with and directly sell vegetables to the people of Edinburgh.

GO ‘LOW OR NO’

With a predicted 45% of 2022’s global population opting for an alcohol-free refreshment, we’re still seeing a continued upward trend for the ‘low and no’ movement. Days, brewing 0.0% ABV lager and pale ale, centre themselves around good days and good tomorrows creating “a great tasting beer that worked with us, not against us”. Meanwhile even those not specializing in 0.0% have jumped on the bandwagon, including Eden Nil alcohol free gin and tonic from Eden Mill and Harviestoun Brewery who seek to prove that that alcohol-free beer needn’t lack complexity with their Wheesht dark ale packed with aromas of roasted chocolate, sweet biscuit and dried fruit.

OPEN YOUR MIND TO CBD

You either love it or you hate it (or maybe you still don’t quite get it) but there’s no denying the CBD revolution is upon us. And it’s in everything - from bagels topped with toasted hemp seeds at Edinburgh’s first ‘cannabis cafe’ Vitality And Kynd to vegan gummies containing 10mg of the stuff from local producer CBDiablo. Voyager (pictured right) shook up the community when they opened a Stockbridge cafe, where Unorthodox Roasters coffee is served with a free shot of CBD syrup, but soon it won’t be strange to see this on the menu in most cafes, with CBDinfused soft drinks in the grab and go fridges too.

SIP ON SELTZER

When Scotland’s got the best water in the world, it feels natural that we’re trying our hand at hard seltzer and excelling at it. Light, refreshing and full of flavour, hard seltzer ties in nicely with the demand for convenience and lower-calorie health-conscious choices; we’re billing it to be summer 2022’s drink of choice. Cold Town House make their own 4% ABV passion fruit and mango seltzer, which is readily available on tap, Glasgow based Lilo now ship their 50 calorie cans UK wide and Edinburgh’s Long Shot, found in Margiotta stores, recently had their Raspberry & Blackcurrant named the world’s best hard seltzer at the World Remix Awards, with their Strawberry & Rhubarb also picking up a gold medal. Grab a can and hot foot it to the park at any chance of sunshine, we say!

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