Small City Food & Drink | Issue 6 | October to December

RECIPES, PRODUCERS, EATERIES

OCT-DEC 2017

E FRASE E TAKE

PLE

ONE

WINE GLORIOUS WINE

LIFE STORIES IN FOOD

FERMENTATION NATION

Make like an eighties socialite and hit the wine bars for a great night out in Perth City Centre.

Linda Hill of Murrays Pies on her fourth generation family business and world championship win.

Why gut-healthy fermenting brings so much more to the table than the average food trend.

www.gillmurrayphotography.com facebook.com/gillmurrayphotography Instagram: @gmmphotography Twitter: @gmmphotography

Gill Murray Photography and Styling is at the heart of Small City Recipes.

Each week, Gill creates, styles and photographs her original images for our popular recipe column on our website, posted every Thursday. Using local, seasonal produce - often from her own greenhouse - Gill’s passion is to inspire us to pull out the pans and get cooking.

Many thanks to our advertisers who make this magazine possible.

To advertise with us or to become a free stockist please contact rhona@theredstringagency.co.uk.

Editor - Nicola Martin // Design & Layout - Cain Martin // Food Photography - Gill Murray This magazine is produced by The Red String Agency under their online magazine brand www.SmallCityBigPersonality.co.uk Š The Red String Agency, 8 Atholl Crescent, Perth, PH1 5NG, 01738 636888 All details correct at time of printing

ISSUE 6 WHAT’S

INSIDE Aye…. The nights are fair drawing in though.

As the year draws to a close and the leaves start to turn golden, red and yellow our thoughts switch to brightly-coloured autumn fruits, piping hot pies and one pot comfort meals that have the power to warm us through to the bones.

#SmallCityRecipes

Page 16

Red Wine Sausage Stew The winter one-pot wonder

Of course, a wee tipple or two is always a welcome addition to a cold Scottish night and in this issue we catch up with Andrew Moss of North Port to speak forager’s gin and get excited over a Pieropan red wine in Derek Hamilton’s Wine review.

If this all seems just a bit too indulgent then check out our fermentation article on page 8.

It may be having a bit of a foodtrend moment, but this ancient preserving method is packed full of antioxidants and promotes super good gut health.

Page 18

Hebridean Mussels

A fresh taste of the Scottish sea

As always, we love to see your Small City recipe photographs – pop them up on social media and make sure to tag us so we can find you!

Happy cooking, Page 11

Gill and Nicki XX

Mulled Apple Cider

Warm and spiced for Autumn nights

P: 07855 566649 E: praveen@indiancookschool.co.uk W: www.indiancookschool.com A: Indian Cook School 38 Edinburgh Road PH2 8DR

spice up your life!

INDIAN COOK SCHOOL GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE NOW

Give the gift of cooking this Christmas with a voucher for Perthshire's only Indian School.

Purchase from Tabla Restaurant in South Street, Perth or contact Praveen directly.

3

Foragin’ For a Gin here’s a standing joke in the Small City office that if in doubt, add gin. Quite apart from the fact that there has been an explosion in our favourite juniper based spirit, a staggering 70% of gin in the UK is produced right here in Scotland.

We have quite literally distilled ourselves a second national spirit!

Thankfully, a new generation of gin lover has ensured that demand is growing directly in proportion with supply and for every dusty bottle of Gordons you’ll find lurking in the back of your booze cupboard there will be three, four or maybe even five, half-empty, hand-crafted artisan varieties.

Andrew Moss, chef-proprietor of North Port Restaurant in Perth city centre, has, like many other restaurant owners, spent the past two years rearranging his bottle shelf to accommodate the constant supply of new flavours and distilleries. That said, Andrew has been waiting patiently for someone to walk through the door with his own dream distillation; a River Tay Forager’s gin.

“There is just an insane amount of gins now, and I was sure someone was going to arrive in the restaurant one day with a perfect mix of foraged botanicals.

Our menu is heavily influenced by the wild herbs and flowers that grow along the banks of the river and it seemed to me it was just a matter of time before I found the gin to fit.

Anyhow, it wasn’t to be and as the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them join them. So I decided I’d give it a go.”

His first port of call was to contact Simon of Persie Gin, a wee local distillery tucked away into the hillside of Glenshee.

Andrew’s polished chef’s palate has tasted a few gins in its time – “all in the name of research you understand” – and he regards Persie’s gins as some of the best around. He wanted his own gin to have the same punch of flavour, 4

It really was a bit of a wild experiment. and with the ever-enthusiastic Simon on board he knew he’d get exactly that.

“There’s a couple of ways people make gin. You can make a basic gin and add flavour or you can distill the flavours into the spirit as you go - a bit like making soup.

You get all the botanicals you want to include – juniper is a given as it’s the reason a spirit becomes a gin – and distill small batches of each, sniffing and tasting as you go.

Simon has built his whole ethos on this system, ensuring each batch is given due care and attention and I like that about him. He’s as passionate about his product as I am about foraging – it felt right from the start.”

With the famed gin flavour combination of aniseed and citrus as his starting point, Andrew drew on his knowledge of the river bank to come up with a blend of plants and herbs that would work with a classic gin base. Sweet cicely, lemon balm, nettles and sorrel gave the right notes but as Simon had never used these botanicals before, the jury was out on how well it would work!

“It really was a bit of a wild experiment. If I’m honest, it’s not quite how I envisaged it at the start. I’ve been cooking for 20 years and I always have a notion of how ingredients work together but it’s not the same with distilled flavours. They’re more pungent and that brings a different taste to the finished product.

Recipe

Each botanical was distilled separately and then mixed together in various combinations until we got the right balance.

I had to taste a lot of gin but I’m pleased to say it was worth the drunken mid-afternoon spent doing it. The gin is really good.”

The finished result is a warm, earthy flavour that will please lovers of autumn. Convinced that there’s a reason we all drink gin with tonic, Andrew has stuck to tradition and is serving his gin as a simple cocktail with fever tree and sliced green apple.

“The sharp, sweet taste of the apple is a perfect balance to the slight bitterness of the cicely and nettles. It tastes really good.

And that’s the thing – there’s no point in me making a forager’s gin because the stuff grows near me. It has to taste good. It has to bring something different to the table and give people a reason to switch from their usual brand. I think we’ve done just that!”

HEDGEGROW JAM WITH GIN

Method

Inspired by Andrew’s foraging and passion for gin, we’ve created our very own gin jam recipe. If you’re resourceful enough to forage for wild hedgerow fruits you can whip up this tasty preserve with your days pickings! For everyone else, you can do some foraging of your own at Martin’s Fruit Bazaar or Perth Farmers’ Market.

Cut the apples into quarters, rinse and add to a pan with the fruit.

Pour in water until just covered and simmer for 45 mins until soft.

Ingredients 2kg wild hedgerow fruit, we used brambles, rosehips and plums 2 cooking apples 100ml gin water to cover 1kg jam sugar

Pour the fruit mix through a sieve to remove any seeds and transfer into a pan. We were left with 2L of juice and added 1kg of jam sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on how much juice you are left with. Add the gin and boil the sugar and liquid over a high heat until it reaches setting point (105C).

Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Sterilise your jam jars, fill with jam and seal them immediately.

If like every person in the Small City office, you’re desperate to taste Andrew’s Gin, then book your table at North Port from mid-October onwards. He doesn’t have an off-license so make sure you leave the car at home and go prepared for a couple or three!

To book: 01738 580867, thenorthport.co.uk 5

SMOKED FISH PIE A traditional Scottish family favourite, this Smoked Fish Pie recipe is simple, quick to make and guaranteed to have everyone’s approval.

Ingredients 350g smoked haddock 350g white fish (such as cod) 1 small onion, quartered 450ml milk 1 bay leaf 2 diced carrots 1 handful of frozen peas 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped 1kg floury potaotes 50g butter 25g flour 1 handful of cheddar cheese Method Preheat your oven to 190C. Put the fish into a pan together with the onion and bay leaf and pour in the milk. Bring the milk to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan using a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl. Sieve the milk mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Peel the potatoes into chunks and place in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil, then simmer until tender. When cooked, drain and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer for perfectly mashed potatoes.

Add in 25g butter and mix through. Season and set aside.

In a pan, melt the remaining 25g butter and mix in the flour.

Gradually whisk in the milk mixture that has been set aside until it thickens up and you have a lovely white sauce. Flake the fish into the white sauce and add the carrot, peas and chopped parsley. Mix together and pour into an ovenproof dish.

Top the ovenproof dish with your mash mixture and scatter over the cheese. Pop in oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling at the sides and golden on top.

6

WORKDAYS WEEKENDS With a career spanning over a quarter of a century in the hospitality and hotel industry, across a number of different countries, Robert Corrigan has led a very busy life! The former hotel general manager is now the managing director of a local bakery business - Mr. C’s Hand Crafted Pies.

Robert is based in the bakery unit of Jamesfield Farm Shop and even after all of those years travelling the world, he’s still working as hard as ever! We caught up with him to find out more about his work and how he spends his very limited free time away from the bakery.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

It usually starts in bed where I’ll send as many e-mails as possible; replies and orders, that sort of thing. Then I’ll do a little bit on social media before heading to the unit. I supervise the work load for staff, deal with day to day issues and special orders, make sales calls and do some paperwork.

I then make breakfast for the staff and later in the day some lunch or an early dinner before everyone goes home. Then I might stay on for a few hours to catch up on forms, legislation or label production - anything that is required for running and growing the business!

What signals the start of your weekend / days off?

I don’t really take days off and I work most weekends.

As an ex-hotel manager of twenty-five years plus, we worked all hours required, so it was a seven day a week, twenty-four-hours a day vocation. Now the pies have that privilege!

I’ve been to the top of Ben Nevis, and also Lochnagar and I’ve had the privilege of attending three royal garden parties - and have baked pies for members of the royal family!

Top of your bucket list?

To visit Turkey - it’s one place that I’ve never been.

Worst job you’ve ever had?

All jobs have good and bad elements in them and you learn can from them all. Everything is an experience in life.

Who or what inspires you?

People that take pride in their work and what they produce - not just food but any professional crafts person who is passionate and has a pride in what they do, works for me!

Tell us about the weekend you’d love to live again?

There are quite a few but one very memorable one was in Aberdeenshire. We set off from Braemar to walk up Lochnagar to see the sun rise, and then headed back to Braemar to help make a picnic. Then it was off to behind Mar Lodge where we enjoyed a heatwave and swimming in a small river pool with very, very dear friends.

What’s the best part about your job?

Good customer feedback and satisfaction. Itís also nice knowing that what we create gives pleasure to others.

What’s in the perfect day off breakfast?

Smoked trout or salmon with scrambled eggs and sourdough toasted bread!

The best things in life are...?

Shared with others.

For more information about Mr.C’s range of award winning, hand-crafted pies, including stockist information visit: www.mrcspies.co.uk

promotional feature

What might people be surprised to know about you?

I used to grow and show cacti in my teens. I initially trained as a chef, and then went on to become a hotel General Manager. When I first started out in hospitality, I specialised in banqueting and at 22, I ran banqueting for 750 people in Bradford for Stakis Hotels. I’ve also opened two hotels in Nigeria where I had to carry a

gun on two occasions. I then worked in Israel in 1982 on the Nigerian projects for almost eight months and before that in South Africa, where I opened the Galaxy Show Bar in Sun City in 1981.

7

Fermention Nation ermentation, take a bow.

Your crowning moment in the foodie spotlight has arrived! Anyone who regularly reads food mags and recipe blogs would be forgiven for thinking the recent superfood parade that has been rolled out for fermented foods is yet another culinary trend dreamt up to make the #InstaCooks look clever. Not so! This time round the scientists are backing up the benefits and encouraging us all to go out and grow ourselves some good-gutbacteria.

Although the health buzz surrounding fermentation is fairly recent, it is in fact a natural process that has been around forever. For the last 9000 years, fermentation has been exploited by mankind to create a whole heap of different foodstuffs and flavours, using perishable items such as milk, vegetables and meats. Along with drying and salting, fermentation was used to

extend the life of foods, allowing them to be available and eaten safely, in times of scarcity – let’s face it, in 2000 BCE, a midnight trip to the 24 hour supermarket wasn’t on the cards.

So why the hype now? We do, after all, have fridges and 24 hour supermarkets! Well, what scientists have discovered is that roughly 70% – 80% of your immune system is in your gut.

Feed it poorly and your gut will be easily overwhelmed by bad bacteria; not only can this leave you open to inflammation and gastrointestinal ills but what we now know is that you may also be more susceptible to colds and flu.

On the flipside, top up with good bacteria such as the kind you find in fermented foods and the exact opposite comes into effect; these tasty little probiotics are alive with health and work by releasing enzymes to balance your gut bacteria. The overall effect will

also improve your immune system meaning a healthy, balanced gut really can make you feel better all over. As well as the positive effects that probiotics and fermented products have on the gut recent psychological studies are now suggesting that fermented foods could help to treat anxiety – do Google it to find out more!

Leaving the potential health benefits to one side, fermented foods are just plain delicious.

Products that contain healthy bacteria such as yoghurt drinks and sauerkraut have been on our shelves for decades but as supermarkets push back their culinary borders, we’re beginning to see products such as miso, koji and the king of fermented foods, kimchi join their ranks.

Try making your own fermented green beans at home with Gill’s recipe opposite, or use it as a guide to create something new.

Any of these common fruits and vegetables are great for using to experiment with fermenting. Slice them up, whack them in a jar and see what happens. You could invent the next Scottish-Kimchi classic!

8

Recipe Small City’s Top Five Fermented Foods Kefir

FERMENTED GREEN BEANS

Ingredients

Prep Time 10 minutes Fermenting Time 4-7 days Makes 1 jar

1 litre fermenting jar sterilised 400g green beans 2 garlic cloves 1 handful of fresh dill 1 litre filtered water 2 tbsp good quality sea salt

Method

Kefir is a fermented dairy drink which has long since been popular in Russia, Turkey and Poland but now can be found in most good delis and supermarkets. Similar to other live yoghurt drinks, the difference is it contains a much broader spectrum of the good bacteria which inhabit the gut.

Wash and trim the green beans and pop them inside the jar. Trim them to fit the length of the jar and add in the dill and garlic cloves.

Kimchi

Leave in a cool dark place for 4-7 days. The brine will start to go cloudy, this is perfectly normal. Open the jar occasionally - when ready the beans should smell pickled. Once fermented you can move to the fridge where fermentation will continue but at a much slower rate.

A traditional side dish of fermented vegetables (usually cabbage) that’s so popular in Korea, people throw kimchi parties when a new batch is ready! Kimchi is also a good place to start if you want to get into the fermentation craze as it is easy to make at home.

In a jug, mix 125ml of the water with the salt and stir until dissolved.

Add in the remaining water, stir again then add to the jar, ensuring the beans are submerged.

If you are using a screw cap then screw the lid on loosely. If you are using a kilner (like the one in the image) then simply remove the rubber seal before closing.

These beans should keep for up to a month. Enjoy them straight out of the jar or chop and add to salads or lunchboxes.

Kombucha

Thousands of years old, the drink that the Chinese called “The Immortal Health Elixir” is a sweet tea made from fermented yeast.

It contains large quantities of antioxidants, B-vitamins and is super easy to make at home. It also tastes completely delicious!

Sauerkraut

When it comes to fermented foods, sauerkraut is an oldie but a goldie! You may have tried it years ago on a holiday to Deutschland but you can now buy it easily right here in Perth. Not many things taste better on a hotdog than this finely shredded, salted, fermented delight.

Beer

Around one third of the food we consume is fermented and with world estimates for beer consumption at about 22 million gallons a year you can see why!

Not necessarily a health choice, but certainly high on the taste factor! There is simply no better accompaniment to a meal than a glistening glass of ice cold beer.

9

APPLE DOUGHNUTS

Method

A recipe that would have Homer Simpson’s mouth watering, these baked apple doughnuts are a fruity Autumn take on this much-loved treat.

Heat the oven to 180C. Put water, yeast, salt, beaten eggs, sugar, flour, butter and diced apple in a bowl and evenly mix with a spatula.

Cover the dough loosely and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

Transfer the dough to the fridge and leave to cool for another 2 hours.

Remove dough from fridge and transfer to a pastry bag and pipe 3 inch circles onto baking paper.

Alternatively, you can use a doughnut pan.

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack.

Next, make the glaze - sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add one tablespoon of milk at a time - you don’t want the icing sugar too runny.

Once the doughnuts have cooled, dip the tops into the icing mix. You can add sprinkles, desiccated coconut or any topping of your choice too. Then, turn over and return to the cooling rack to set.

These are best eaten within the first day or two, yum!

Dougnut Ingredients 180ml lukewarm water 2 tsps dried yeast fast action tsp salt 3 eggs beaten lightly 100g golden caster sugar 315g plain flour 170g butter, melted 1 large apple or 2 smaller ones peeled and diced Glaze Ingredients 100g icing sugar 2 tbsp milk couple of drops of food colouring of your choice

10

MULLED APPLE CIDER

Method

With the cold dark nights upon us, its time to get yourself cosy, shut out the chilly winter air and enjoy this sweet, and spicy mulled apple cider. Will you go boozy or not?

Place the cinnamon stick, cloves, orange and lemon peel in a pan and pour over the cider/apple juice and maple syrup.

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Serves 8

Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, Strain then serve decorated with cinnamon sticks.

Ingredients 1 litre apple juice or fresh apple cider 2 cinnamon sticks plus extra to garnish 4 cloves Orange peel from 1 orange Lemon peel from 1 lemon 6 tbsp maple syrup

11

Wine, Glor here are few modern day phenomena as impressive as the rise of the Wine Bar. Almost unheard of before the eighties, they swaggered onto our social scene alongside the muchmaligned image of the yuppy of the time. The mocking continued, with everyone’s favourite man about town, Delboy Trotter, setting himself up as Peckham’s answer to Gordon Gecko and temporarily giving up the Nag’s Head for a trendy wine bar; it seemed that we Brits just couldn’t take this particular Americanism seriously.

Fast forward thirty years and the idea of going for a night out to a bar that doesn’t offer a choice of wines seems unthinkable. As our culinary palates changed to adopt a never-ending smorgasbord of international flavours, so too did our appreciation of a good Malbec or oaky Chardonnay. Gone are the snobbish overtones and puffedup pomp, and in its place is an altogether more pleasant pastime.

“Let’s meet for a glass of wine?” is almost certainly the perfect prelude to many an enjoyable night on the town!

As the demand has grown, so too has the choice and nowadays most good bars will offer an extensive list of quality wine by the glass.

Indeed, many will now have their own wine merchant rather than picking up a case of what’s on offer at the cash and carry. As well as guaranteeing something for everyone, it has also created a new generation of hospitality staff who are knowledgeable enough to know their Pinot Noir from their pink plonk.

Recently, long-established Perth city centre restaurant, 63 Tay Street, became one of only three national winners to be awarded with the AA award for Notable Wine List.

Chosen from over one thousand entries, a spokesperson for the awards commented: “Each year we choose three national winners of the AA Wine 12

promotional feature

Award who hold a diverse list of high-quality wines. We look for a range of grapes and/or countries and styles, as well as wines from the best individual growers and vintages. 63 Tay Street has shown a real passion for wine and offers a fair pricing policy and interesting coverage so you can be assured of a choice of the very best wines to complement your award-winning meal.”

It’s not just the restaurants who are on board; Perth’s first standalone wine café opened last year to much applause and popular venues such as Sante, The Postbox and Parklands offer an impressive

choice of wines by the glass, served up in a relaxed, stylish atmosphere.

So what to drink amongst all this choice? It’s all very well nodding wisely and sticking your nose over the brim to look like you know what you’re doing, but how do you hold your own when presented with the growing choice of grapes, vineyards, regions and growers?

Visiting a good restaurant is a great way to learn about pairing wine with food – most good waiting staff will be only too happy to enlighten you. As for the bar, if it’s still a bit of a guessing game, read our great night out guide below.

Follow our guide to enjoying a great night out on the wine: Be adventurous!

So you “always drink a Chenin Blanc” but that’s no reason to keep drinking a Chenin Blanc! Ask your bar tender for some advice and try something different. Order the Zinfandel instead of the Cabernet Sauvignon, or the Sauvignon blanc instead of a Chardonnay.

Ask for a taste.

All good restaurants and bars will be happy to let you taste a mouthful. But please, choose a couple of varieties you think you’ll like rather than asking for a go of everything on the menu! And do please tip your wonderful bar tender before you leave!

Perth is one of only four Scottish cities with Purple Flag accreditation.

This prestigious award highlights a city’s commitment to providing a good night out with great bars and clubs, clean and safe venues, a variety of arts and cultural attractions and excellent transport links.

rious Wine

Wine Review Enjoying a night in can be just as enjoyable as hitting the town and with Provender Brown on George Street offering a great choice of award-winning wines starting at under £10 a bottle, you can brush up on your knowledge from the comfort of your own couch!

We caught up with their resident Wine Reviewer, Derek Hamilton, for a run down on what’s good for pairing up with a rich stew on a cold autumn night.

Name: Ruberpan Varietal: Valpolicella Region: Hill of Garzon, Italy Price: £22.99

Grayson’s Wine Café – Scott Street Santé – St John’s Place The Venue – St John’s Street The Bothy Wee Bar – Mill Street Parklands Hotel – Leonards Bank

Know your units.

A typical glass of wine is 175ml and around 13.5% ABV. This is a whopping 2.5 units so you should have no more than six glasses a week according to guidelines. If like us, you enjoy a few more on a night out, make sure to order a few tapas to soak up as you go!

A lovely red from this famous Italian dynasty of wine makers. The appearance and the nose sets it apart from the rest and the taste makes it a bit of a stand out. Traditionally, for me anyway, Italian wines are earthy throughout but the initial hint here is cherry sweet – before settling down to traditional hints and setting my change resistant mind at ease.

A new sensation and overall, very, very nice.

Made by Pieropan, the Italian ode to the boy who never grew up, this wine is having me regress – I feel young again. The whole experience feels new and intriguing, wrapped up in a lovely looking bottle, with the ominous 13.5%, suggesting things are going to get a little less serious as the evening wears on.

This liquid version of pixie dust has my mind racing and my body slowing right down, though as we move on through a fun evening both mind and body sync rather well into a Zen state. I’m enjoying

this quite a lot and I’m still coming to terms with the taste experience.

It’s in actual fact, dangerously moreish, very quaffable and one to drink now! I say this, since for whatever reason, this feels like it should be one for the colder nights in autumn and winter.

I can’t explain why but that’s how I feel – just good to sit in with this one. All this on what is a rather rare Scottish evening, where the skies are beautifully clear.

I’m setting a bit of a record here on the acceptable speed to consume a bottle of wine, the flak I’m receiving from my wife for such would make a gang of sailors blush, not to mention, give BUPA some cause for concern, but I feel it’s worth it… In the interests of providing some serious consumer advice you understand.

Incidentally, you know when you get a blood red, viscous looking wine (or sauce or herbal tea) and you think it just looks like it should taste bold, then you are sorely disappointed? Ruberpan is quite the opposite.

It just didn’t look like it should grab your attention; it won’t happen, a little bit like Leicester City winning the Premier League – but in the end, we all like nice surprises.

I’d love this to go on all night – it would certainly be a fine ally on those long winter nights but I can hear the “tick-tock”, “tick-tock” on my supply here this evening, so in fear of a rather large crocodile swaggering into my living room, I’d better wrap up. Great tasting wine, it was an experience. Sorry for the tenuous links to something else, but you know me – I need a hook!

13

Life Stories in Food: Murrays Bakers urrays Bakers has been part of the fabric of Perth for over 115 years and leading the charge is our favourite girl next door, Linda Hill. Linda is the fourth generation to hold the mantle of this epic Perth institution and for those who don’t know her, she is a woman who has not only embraced the decades of work her dad, granny and great grandad put in, but one who has built a fierce loyalty from the people of Perth.

Opened by her Great Grandad Murray, who had no idea the legacy he was about to create, it passed to Linda’s granny - an unlikely turn of events for a woman of that generation – and then to Linda’s dad and his cousin.

Many of you will remember, I’m sure, Murrays’ home on the opposite side of the street, pre-St John’s Shopping Centre. It was a double storey bakers, split over two shop units. This is Linda’s earliest memory.

Linda: “The bakers would hand wires piled high with pies, cakes and biscuits through the wee lane to be stacked into the windows and cake cabinets. It was magical. My dad would be up in the middle of the night, baking all the pies and cakes, then it was back home for a sleep, up for lunch and back down to till up.

I’d go back with him at the end of the day, spreading notes across the tables and playing shops with real money while he counted. I was about 10 or 11, and I’d go round the empty tables, pretending to take orders in the actual Murrays Tearoom. I had no idea as a child 14

how much Murrays meant to the people of Perth. It felt ordinary to me; it was just my dad and granny’s work.

I started in the shop properly when I was about 14; there was no special treatmen, I can assure you!

Murrays has always been a place where people came to work and never left – everyone was family so it wasn’t a big deal being the boss’ daughter. I loved it – I felt safe and happy. Really, really happy.”

Linda is everything a woman with a cake shop should be. Warm, infectious and with a nature that draws you in and makes you want to be her pal. She fits her shop, like hand in glove; nurturing that feeling of family to ensure Murrays

is as good today as it was then.

“We’ve had the same customers for years and years and they like the same things. I’ve one old lady who comes in for two pancakes every day and for me, that’s what Murrays is all about. We do old fashioned cakes and we do them well. I love that people have chosen to stay so loyal to us and the least I can do is give them what they like.”

In January 2015, Murray’s brought home the title of World Scotch Pie Champion to Perth City Centre and the place went wild.

“It was AMAZING! We had won other categories - bridies, curry pies, macaroni pies – but the Scotch Pie was the one I wanted. It’s my

dad’s recipe and I’ve always said that ours are the best. I talked shop with my dad for years and although he’s not with me now, whenever I eat one of our pies I always think ‘that’s bloody good that is!’ ” Earlier this year, Murrays won Scottish Craft Baker of the Year, further testament to Linda’s hard work. “I have built my entire life around my pie shop and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The smell of the bakery in full flow, the shortbread at Christmas and the Hot Cross Buns at Easter - all of these things bring me a hundred happy memories and I’m grateful every day that they do.”

Murrays Bakers, South Street, Perth

www.murraysbakers.co.uk

15

One-Pot Wonders The one pot wonder! Low on dishes, high on taste and packed full of cold weather comfort, is there any better way to herald the start of autumn? We’ve gone with a lentil broth so thick and heavenly that it’ll stick to your ribs, and a boozy red wine take on a typical sausage stew; both are super easy to rustle up and can be adapted to suit your own tastes or veg patch.

Of course, as with all one-potwonders, the beauty lies in making enough for midnight snacking.

Warm it through, spread it on toast and you’ll sleep as soundly as a well-fed baby!

RED WINE SAUSAGE STEW

Method

This delicious dinnertime stew is a must this winter with it’s warming and comforting flavours. Why not try the Ruberpan wine from page 13 and enjoy a wee glass while it cooks?

In a pan, add the rapeseed oil and fry the sausages until browned.

Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Ingredients 8 pork sausages 1 onion chopped 4 tomatoes chopped 2 courgette diced 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped 150ml red wine 500ml vegetable stock 400g red haricot beans rinsed and drained 250g passata 1 tbsp flour 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp rapeseed oil salt and pepper

Add the onion to the pan and fry for a few minutes. Then add in the diced courgettes, chopped tomatoes, thyme and garlic, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add in the flour and passata and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the wine and cook and reduce by about 2/3rds. Add in the stock.

Return the sausages to the pan and slowly cook through for about 20 minutes on a simmer until the sauce thickens.

Lastly, add in the haricot beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Season to taste and serve with some crusty baguette.

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SMOKED HAM AND LENTIL BROTH Everyone loves homemade soup and as the weather begins to get chilly and the nights begin to get darker, what better way to warm your bones than with this chunky smoked ham and lentil broth?

Ingredients 250g red lentils 1 smoked ham hock 2 carrots diced 2 celery sticks diced 1 onion diced 2 garlic cloves crushed 2 bay leaves 2.5 litres water rapeseed oil Method Place the ham hock in a pan and cover with water (approx 2.5 litres).

Add the bay leaves and simmer for 2 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. Strain the stock from the hock and leave to the side. Once the hock is cooled, shred the meat and also leave to the side.

Dice the onion, carrots and celery.

Add the rapeseed oil to a pan and heat the vegetables, gently adding in the crushed garlic. Stir in the red lentils and then add the stock that you have put aside. Simmer until the lentils are soft, approximately 15-20 minutes. Add in the meat and mix.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve with chopped parsley.

Words by Nicola Martin, Recipe and Photography

by Gill Murray here’s an old foodie tale that says we should only eat shellfish in months with the letter "R”, meaning now is the perfect time to scoff down as many mussels, oysters and clams as you like!

Rules like this are far less relevant now than they were back in the days of wild harvesting and toxic sea levels but quite honestly, we’ll use any excuse we can to run a recipe for a piping hot bowl of mussels!

I love shellfish, and mussels are, in my humble opinion, one of Scotland’s most under-rated food heroes. Low in calories but packed full of protein, the wonderful Scottish mussel is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. Offering high levels of vitamins C and B12 as well as thiamine, zinc, iron and folic acid, they are also high in long-chain fatty acids which we’re being told to get more of due to the amazing impact they have on improving brain function – always good news for an aging copywriter – and immune systems.

However, it is their plump, fleshy bodies and sweet, juicy taste which has guaranteed mussels a constant place on many a restaurant menu; in all of my years of experimental cooking I’ve yet to find a more adaptable ingredient that crosses over into so many global dishes.

Think about it; this is an ingredient which is as delicious as the star of a spicy Thai broth as it is stirred through an Italian Spaghetti or bringing their distinctive flavour to an authentic Spanish Paella.

For me though, they come into their own when served simply with some garlic, shallots and a splash of white wine – just like we’ve done here!

Believe it or not, mussels as an easy option for family dinners. Once you get past the look of the wee blighters, kids love the not-so-fishy taste, and as far as hand-foods go, you can’t beat the theatre of pulling a mussel out of it’s glossy, blue-black shell.

I think people are put off with the thought of cleaning the wee ‘beards’ away but nowadays they arrive at the fishmonger’s counter a lot less hairy than they used to! Soak them in some water for a few hours, pull the beards out and give them a wee rinse – remember to throw away any open ones at this stage.

After this they’ll cook in a big pot with a lid in literally two or three minutes; you can add all sorts of great flavours here- why not try gin instead of wine or add a dollop of cream and a slug of cider? Plonk a giant bowl in the middle of the table and let everyone get stuck in - plenty of crusty bread, some homemade chips and you’ll soon be serving it up as one of your staples.

TOP TIP: For a family tea, fry off some onion with strips of smoked bacon and serve this alongside shelled mussels and a strong Scottish cheddar as a homemade pizza topping. Packed full of flavour and goodness, this is a great way to get kids eating shellfish.

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HEBRIDEAN MUSSELS WITH WHITE WINE AND GARLIC

Ingredients

Method

The taste of these Hebridean mussels will transport you straight to the western isles, with the salty flavour of the Scottish sea in every mouthful. It’s hard to pinpoint what the uniquely briney and fresh taste of great seafood is - we reckon life’s best things just escape description!

2kg mussels 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 shallots, sliced 150ml white wine 150ml double cream 20g butter handful of fresh parsley crusty bread to serve

Wash the mussels, clean the beards and discard any that don’t close. In a pan, melt the butter and fry the shallots and garlic until the shallots are transparent.

To drink, we’ve gone all out and paired the dish with Wild Island Botanic Gin from the Isle of Colonsay; a combination guarenteed to capture the coastal wilderness and atmosphere of this spectacular island.

Add the wine to the pot then quickly add the mussels, turn up the heat and cover with a lid. Let the mussels steam for approximately 3-4 minutes. Shake the pan every now and again.

Add the cream and chopped parsley and remove from the heat. Serve with crusty bread, delicious!

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Pick up a piece of Perthshire Perthshire is home to a fabulous array of independent shops brimming full of tasty treats, delicious drinks and a wonderful range of gorgeous home accessories.

1

Christmas Coffee Blend £5.50 The Bean Shop limited edition Christmas blend is the perfect seasonal treat!

Buy in: The Bean Shop 67 George Street, Perth

2

Beetroot £/Weight Whether you roast it, pickle it or use it to bake a cake, beetroot is low in fat and full of vitamins!

Buy in: Martins Fruit Bazaar, 39 S Methven St, Perth

3

Cullen Skink £3.25 Classic Scottish Cullen Skink soup is rich, creamy and filling. A great choice at any time of year.

Buy in: George Campbell & Sons, Whitefriars Street, Perth

4

Foccacia £1.90/slice This authenic italian foccacia uses sourdough and coldpressed extra virgin olive oil.

Buy in: Casella Polegato, 9 - 10 Whitefriars Street, Perth

5

Bubblegum Daiquiri £7.50 Pink, poppy and super sweet, this blast from the past cocktail guarantees a great night out.

Buy in: Rocablu, 1 Speygate, Perth

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The Perth Gift Card £5 - 5000!

An ideal pressie or souvenir for lovers of all things Perth, with over 80 quality retailers, visitor attractions, restaurants and bars all now accepting this fantastic little card.

The lucky recipient can enjoy a perfectly mixed cocktail, treat themselves to a pampering or pick up the latest fashions; the choice is entirely theirs!

Buy in: Fun Junction on the Old High Street, Tayberry Gallery or online at:

perthcard.co.uk 20

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Alan’s Sweet Chilli Sauce £3.95 Delicious garlic sweet chilli sauce made for dipping, marinating and slathering on cheese!

Buy in: Provender Brown, Scone Palace, Martin’s Fruit Bazaar and George Campbell and Sons Bowly Boards £35-100 Louise Forbes makes a variety of cheese and bread boards with mini “bowls” carved into them for holding chutneys and dips. Perfect for dinner hosts or cheese lovers!

Buy in: Tayberry Gallery, 19 Princes Street, Perth

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Small City Tote Bags £5.00 Our super trendy tote bags with some of our fave iconic Perth landmarks in doodle form! It’s the ideal shopper for picking up some tasty pieces of Perthshire.

Buy in: Althos Clinic, McCash’s Country Store or Subrosa Patisserie, Perth.

10

Galaxy Table Mats £38 Geometric table mats inspired by star systems and constellations.

Designed and made in Perthshire, available in a mixed set of four.

Buy in: Boo Vake, Watergate, Perth, PH1 5TF

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Starry Night Apron £18.95 Get ready for cooking the big festive feast with this gorgeous Sophie Allport Starry Night Apron.

Buy in: Loch Leven’s Larder, Channel Farm, Kinross

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Old Perth Whisky £29.95+ Brought back to life as a blended malt in 2013 by Morrison & MacKay as a celebration of Perth’s illustrious past in the whisky industry, this is the only whisky now blended in Perthshire.

Buy in: Glendoick Garden Centre Food Hall, Glendoick, Perth

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Review:

Parklands Fizz Lunch

W

ith multiple awards for food and service, an ideal location just a stone’s throw from the city centre and stunning front facing views of a colourful and well-tended terrace and garden, Parklands hotel ticks all the right dining out boxes. I have however, found myself overlooking this beautiful boutique townhouse hotel when choosing somewhere to enjoy a relaxed coffee, lunch or dinner. Why? Well, if I’m being honest, I’ve always assumed it was more of a special occasion venue and not where you would go for a spontaneous lunch or dinner.

But when I noticed that they were offering a three course Sunday lunch for £22.50 (including a glass of fizz!) I pulled on my comfiest jeans, flats and t-shirt and headed along with my mum for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

As we walked up to the entrance of the hotel, the sun was shining and the bees were buzzing from one brightly coloured flower to another. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who showed us to our seat overlooking the stunning, award-winning garden.

Glass of fizz in hand, we leaned in for an obligatory ‘cheers’ before feasting our eyes on the menu. It all looked so good and I felt that wee buzz of anticipatory excitement that you get when you’re about to treat yourself.

Order in, we waited for our starters and tucked into the bread and butter whilst soaking up the atmosphere of the beautifully decorated bistro. With a steady stream of people being shown to their tables it wasn’t long before we were surrounded by the warmth of chatter and laughter that comes

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with a roomful of eager diners.

I had been spoiled for choice with a mouth-watering selection of starters but I eventually decided on the flame grilled mackerel and my mum the poached egg salad.

Starters arrived and we were blown away by the presentation. Every element on the plate had been carefully positioned with the chef’s artistic flare, and I couldn’t help but stop and admire.

The same sensitivities couldn’t be said for my mum, who excitedly dived into her perfectly poached Gloagburn Farm egg that oozed a vibrant orange, yolky lava over her salad. My mackerel was oily and

tender and the skin had a perfectly just-charred crispness. It was drizzled with a smoky red pepper dressing, and served on a bed of tasty homemade slaw with a slice of toasted sourdough to mop up all of the juices.

Time for mains and another glass of fizz! With drinks and chat both flowing effortlessly, thoughts of washing, ironing and other mindless chores had drifted away.

I was fully embracing the Sunday Fun-day mantra of my lucky Mondays-off-friends!

Now for the mains: my medallions of pork were surrounded by a sticky jus and decorated with leeks and slices of perfectly roasted potatoes.

The pork was seasoned well and cooked to perfection, It was meaty, moist and juicy. The addition of shredded ham knuckle added saltiness and balanced well with the Mull cheddar puree that had been piped perfectly onto the plate. It was like a delicious deconstructed Sunday roast without any of the dry stuffing or watery gravy!

Words & Photos by Holly Macdonald

My mum had opted for the steak and was in her element as she tucked into her vine roasted tomatoes, field mushrooms, proper chunky hand-cut chips and rocket and parmesan salad. She adored it all and ate every last bite, complimenting the crispiness of the chips and tenderness of the steak as she went. Needless to say there wasn’t a morsel left on either of our plates.

Even though the portions had been generous, in the spirit of Sunday Fun-day we had both decided to go for a full three courses! My chocolate parfait was light, sweet and full of surprises, with raspberries, lemon curd,

frozen yoghurt and fizzy shards of honeycomb. Mum’s eye had been caught by the lavender ice-cream, that accompanied the peach and nectarine crumble and she wasn’t dissapointed! The crumble was sweet and crunchy and the delicate aroma of the ice-cream proved too much to resit. I had to get in on the act. One spoonful later, and I was sitting at a sunny picnic in the lavender fields of Provence.

As the sun continued to shine down on Perth we finished up our meal with a coffee on the terrace.

Full bellied, satisfied and planning our next visit, we certainly won’t be overlooking Parklands again.

Parklands Sunday Fizz Lunch is available every Sunday.

2 Courses: £17.50 3 courses: £22.50 Call the restaurant to book on: 01738 622451.

CINNAMON BUNS

Method

Soft, sweet and packed with great flavour, cinnamon rolls are one of Scandinavia’s favourite treats.

Ideal for slipping into a lunchbox or enjoying with your cuppa, we’re wondering how we lived so long without them!

Bring the milk to the boil in a pan, and then allow to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the now scalded milk, 50g of the sugar, butter, salt and egg. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and stir. Combine these two mixtures, and gradually add the flour until you achieve a dough consistency. On a floured surface, knead the dough for around 5 minutes. Place into a well greased bowl, cover and leave to rise for about an hour and a half.

Bun Ingredients 7oz sachet dried yeast 125ml warm water 150ml milk 200g golden sugar 75g butter melted 1 tsp salt 1 egg 400g flour plus extra for kneading 100g butter melted 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 115g raisins and pecans mixed Glaze Ingredients 60g butter melted 250g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp milk

Punch down the dough and roll out to a rectangle approximately 15 x 9in. Spread the melted butter over the dough. In a bowl, mix together the remaining 150g sugar and the cinnamon and scatter over the dough. Sprinkle raisins and pecans over the top.

Roll up the dough along its longest side and seal the ends. Cut into 16 slices. Line a square pan with baking paper and grease with butter. Place the cinnamon rolls side by side in the pan and leave to rise further for 45 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C, and cook for 30 minutes until browned. To make the glaze, mix the melted butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Add milk tablespoon by tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency.

Glaze this over the rolls once they have cooled.

what’s cooking!

Ballintaggart A feast to remember!

Ballintaggart feast nights are passionately executed, social dining experiences. Founded on the concept of communal dining, you’re encouraged to bring all of your friends and share some of the very best ingredients the season and the area have to offer. Ballintaggart pride themselves on working with incredible local suppliers to create exciting menus with big flavours. Prepare to have your inner foodie dazzled!

Tickets: £45 www.ballintaggart.com

Loch Leven’s Festive Foodie market Tantalise your tastebuds at Loch Leven’s Larder Festive Foodie Market on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December when they will be joined by a whole host of local makers and producers of excellent Scottish produce.

Discover mouth-watering, seasonal produce, browse the stalls, scoff samples and get the inside scoop straight from the experts. Their knowledgable chefs will also be on hand to answer any festive feast questions you might have.

As an added bonus, anyone placing an order on the day will be in with a chance to win it for free!

Perth Cake Fest Budding bakers needed for an edible adventure As part of this year’s Winter Festival bakers of all abilities are being called upon to create their favourite Perth and Kinross building, landmark or attraction - in cake form! The appetising architecture will then be skillfully pulled together by Cake Fest Head Baker, Simon Preston with the grand unveiling taking place on Sunday November 19th at Horsecross Plaza. Once people have had the chance to admire it, the cake buildings will be sliced up and shared with festival goers.

Now, how to pipe the turrets of Small City HQ? visit smallcitybigpersonality.co.uk for more details

Perth Chocolate and Gin Street Festival 18th and 19th November, King Edward St Chocolate and gin - has there ever been such an indulgently paired coupling? On November 18th and 19th, you can enjoy a full-on celebration as The Chocolate and Gin Festival 2017 comes to Perth City Centre. Gin tastings, chocolate workshops for the kids and lots of tasty (read boozy!) gift ideas for Christmas make this a must-visit event!

Visit www.chocolateandgin.co.uk for more details

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Food & Drink Directory.

Perthshire is one of the country’s most exciting foodie destinations with a whole host of delis, shops, restaurants and bars for you to choose from. We’ve tracked down some of the best of the area’s chefs and producers who are committed to using local, seasonal produce and the very best in quality ingredients.

Follow Small City Food & Drink: We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Food & Drink magazine; published quarterly, our aim is to bring you seasonal recipe inspiration, foodie stories and tales from the producers and chefs. If three months at a time seems like too long a wait then why not follow us online?

Our online magazine updates daily with new recipes appearing each and every week, all featuring stunning food photography from Gill Murray and original Small City recipes. You’ll also find fascinating tales from across Perthshire’s food and drink community, restaurant reviews full of inspiration and much more.

PARKLANDS BOUTIQUE HOTEL WITH DINING

Unit 6-8, Whitefriars Street, Perth

Loved locally for its rosette standard dining, Parklands boasts two fantastic eateries in No 1 The Bank bistro and 63@Parklands restaurant where they pride themselves on creating imaginative, flavour packed menus.

A local fishmonger with a long history in sourcing sustainable Scottish fish, the George Campbell & Sons Deli offers fresh seafood, their own GCS Speciality Kitchen meals and artisan deli items from Scottish producers.

www.theparklandshotel.com

63 TAY STREET

63 Tay Street, Perth

www.georgecampbellandsons.co.uk

TABLA RESTAURANT

173 South St, Perth

www.63taystreet.com

www.tablarestaurant.co.uk

Graeme Pallister is famed for his mantra of Local, Honest, Simple. His new-look restaurant serves up a contemporary Scottish menu using fresh, seasonal ingredients, carefully prepared to create stunning, unique dishes.

Under the watchful eye of Praveen Kumar, Tabla has grown into one of the city’s most established restaurants and busiest takeaway options serving up authentic Indian cooking in Perth’s only rosette starred Indian restaurant.

THE JADE GARDEN

14 Scott St, Perth

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GEORGE CAMPBELL & SONS

2 St Leonard’s Bank, Perth

NORTH PORT

8 North Port, Perth

www.jadegardenperth.com

www.thenorthport.co.uk

Serving the people of Perth for over four decades, The Jade Garden is run by third generation restauranteur Linda ChanMalcolm. An unrivalled offering of authentic Chinese cooking makes it a much-loved local favourite.

The North Port has been transformed in recent years by Karen and Andrew Moss, and from locally foraged ingredients to a well-stocked bar, they have created an award-winning eatery in the heart of Perth.

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ROCABLU

Rocablu, Speygate, Perth

THE VENUE

38 St John St, Perth

www.rocablu.co.uk

www.thevenueperth.co.uk

Perth’s most stylish cocktail bar awaits you for weekend drinks, private parties and fun events. With friendly staff and an exciting drinks menu, the in house DJ’s complete the package for a perfect night out or special occasion.

Known for their well stocked gin bar, The Venue has now expanded into freshly prepared food and serves lunch and dinner 7 days a week. With their exciting blend of live music and regular events, they have something for everyone.

GLENDOICK GARDEN CENTRE AND FOOD HALL Glencarse, Perth glendoick.com

Glendoick’s award-winning food hall and café is a haven of wondrous ingredients and flavours from across Scotland. With frequent tastings and seasonal events you will find they offer everything a food lover could wish for.

MURRAYS BAKERS

THE BEAN SHOP

67 George St, Perth thebeanshop.co.uk

Famed for their fantastic speciality coffees which they roast on the premises in George Street, The Bean Shop offer an unrivalled choice of the world’s best grown beans and a wonderful selection of loose leaf teas.

PROVENDER BROWN

114 South St, Perth

23 George St, Perth

Scotch pies and pineapple cakes are just a few of the delicious handmade treats you’ll find in Murrays Bakers. Fourthgeneration artisan bakers, Murrays was proudly announced Scotch Pie World Champions in 2015.

Perth’s longest-standing deli is full to the brim with the very best in local, artisan produce and speciality ingredients. and boast unrivalled choice and expert knowledge. You’ll also find tasty sandwiches and soups.

murraysbakers.com

SCONE PALACE COFFEE SHOP

provenderbrown.co.uk

PROCAFFEINATE

Scone, Perth

www.scone-palace.co.uk

Anywhere you like! www.drinkthecoffee.co.uk

The Scone Palace coffee shop boasts a delicious selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and home-baking, all freshly prepared using ingredients from local Scottish producers as well as their own fruit and veg from the Kitchen Garden.

Procaffeinate Mobile Tea, Coffee and Cake Bar brings the brew to you! Delicious barista coffee, speciality tea and homemade cake delivered to office blocks, events and anywhere else you might want it. promotional feature

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Parklands Boutique Hotel and Dining

MAKE 2017 A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER

One of Perth’s favourite award-winning eateries, Parklands, has everything you could wish for this Christmas. Both restaurants are open throughout the festive period for lunch and dinner. The hotel also offers breakfasts, morning coffees and afternoon teas.

Festive Menus You will find a mouthwatering selection of festive menus over the Christmas period, created using the very best in fresh, local ingredients. As well as our chef’s lunch and dinner options we can also personalise menus to your own requirements.

Party Nights For something a bit special, why not join in the fun with your friends or colleagues at a Parklands Festive Party Night? A luxury three course dinner served in our 63@Parklands restaurant, followed by some great sounds and a dance floor waiting to be filled!

Christmas Accommodation The hotel offers accommodation up until the morning of the 25th December, you can reserve this online or by contacting the hotel on

01738 622451 2 St Leonard’s Bank, Perth, Scotland PH2 8EB info@theparklandshotel.com

www.theparklandshotel.com