SAVOUR Autumn 2012

savour Welcome to

A celebration of North-east food and drink AUTUMN 2012 ISSUE

03

contacts www.savour.co.uk

MACKINTOSH MEDIA Savour is produced by Mackintosh Media Ltd. Regent Quay House, Regent Quay, Aberdeen AB11 5BE.

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Eric Farquharson T: +44 (0) 7730133036 E: eric@mackintoshmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION

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We should be bemoaning the end of pleasant summer weather as the air begins to cool, but, let’s face it, the seasons are becoming less defined and it has not exactly been a summer of sunshine. However, as the crisp leaves fall, covering the garden, there is a treat in store for the taste buds.

Autumn brings with it a vast variety of seasonal fruit and vegetables which are not only delicious in soups and stews but they also help boost your immune system before the cold weather bites.

sourced produce in a varied and imaginative way. In this issue we talk to two successful and entertaining lads ‘The Two Fat Laddies’ and one of the North-east’s most respected chefs Craig (The Tartan Chef) Wilson from ‘Eat on the Green’. We profile Prue Leith, judge on The Great British Menu and one of the country’s most respected restaurateurs and writers and in our Break-Away pages we focus on the rich diversity of produce and accommodation in the Highlands and Islands.

Game is readily available including grouse, partridge, venison, wood pigeon and wild trout. Restaurants throughout Aberdeenshire will be serving up a huge range of locally

Our local ‘News Bites’ will keep you informed of what’s happening on our doorstep and of course, there are more delicious recipes for you to try at home.

SALES

Steve Mackintosh T: +44 (0) 1224 288981 E: steve@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

If you would like a newsletter or brochure written and designed, company re-branding, logo creation, exhibition and display graphics or menu design contact our creative team on (01224) 288982.

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Vodka Eton Mess with passion fruit The Arch, Fettercairn Ingredients • 284ml double cream. • 200ml greek yoghurt. • 4 small crushed meringues. • 8oz strawberries. • 2 tblsp lemon curd.

• 1 shot vodka. • 10 - 12 passion fruit. • 150g caster sugar.

Method 1. Line individual ramekins with cling film. 2. Lightly whip cream, fold in yogurt, add the crushed meringues & chopped strawberries. 3. Once combined fold in lemon curd & vodka. 4. Freeze 2-2.5 hours until semi frozen. 5. Unwrap 2-4mins before serving, then place onto cooled plate.

For passion fruit dressing - 1. Half and scoop the pulp of the passion fruit into a saucepan. 2. Add the sugar and simmer gently for 5 minutes. 3. Pour the passion fruit sauce into a food processor and process for about 1 minute.

4. Pass the sauce through a sieve. 5. Store in fridge, when ready dress the eton mess and serve

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ingredients A celebration of North-east food and drink AUTUMN 2012 ISSUE

CONTENT

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28

The Two Fat Laddies’

p11

Chatting to the North-east’s two charitable characters

Farmers Market

p12

Find your local farmer’s market

Wines Uncorked

p19

In Search of the Perfect Pinot

Dram Fine Idea

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40

p21

Dram good news for the whisky industry

True Prue

p28/29

A profile of a most loved author, broadcaster and restaurateur

Craig Wilson

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17

20

p36/37

This Tartan Chef is Rather Special

Break-away

p39-43

Take a Break-away to the Highlands and Islands

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Prime Time Upstairs

News Bites...

Ola Strike Gold Once Again! trans fats but is very high in Omega 3,6 & 9 and Vitamin E.

If you’re looking for a relaxed environment, somewhere to enjoy a glass of wine, a rare whisky or a classic cocktail - all in the heart of Aberdeen, things are looking up – UPSTAIRS. Located on Crown Terrace, UPSTAIRS is where you can find one of the best wine selections in the city. Thanks to a unique preservation technique, UPSTAIRS offers a wide selection of delicious wines, available by the glass so it’s perfect if you want to try something a bit different or compare wines.

For those who enjoy the water of life there are plenty of unusual and rare whiskies, best enjoyed relaxing on the comfortable couches and seats while letting the stress and strains of the day melt away.

Located above The Prime Cuts Restaurant, private dining rooms and conferencing facilities are also available with all catering being provided by The Prime Cuts. www.theupstairswinebar.co.uk

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“Ola is ideal for all types of cooking and has a very high smoke point which makes it ideal for high temperature cooking such as stir frying and roasting.

“We grow all our own rapeseed and press, bottle, label and cap our oil on the farm – we use no heat or chemicals in the process.

Ola Oils, Scotland’s Original producers of cold pressed rapeseed oil have won further accolades for their products.

In the 2012 Great Taste Awards, run by the Guild of Fine Foods, Ola Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil and Ola Chilli Jam both scooped Gold Awards.

John Sorrie of Ola Oils said: “We’re delighted with our two Gold Awards and this adds to our two gold Great Taste awards from last year.

“Ola Oil is a healthier alternative to olive oil and has less than half the saturated fat. Additionally, Ola has no

“Our Chilli Jam has proved extremely popular since it was launched at Taste of Grampian in 2011 both in retail jars and also the catering packs we offer to hotels and restaurants.”

Ola Oils are available from independent outlets and the company have a no-supermarket policy. John Sorrie added: “We’ve had a few people question why we don’t supply supermarkets but with the recent milk price outrage we’re finding more and more people turning against supermarkets and looking to smaller independent outlets.”

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World-class Chocolatier North-east chefs and culinary students at Aberdeen College got the chance to share the kitchen with a world-class chocolatier and patissier as part of roadshow demonstrations organised by UK award winning food suppliers, Braehead Foods.

The world’s largest chocolate manufacture, Barry Callebaut, has been running chocolate workshops in association with Braehead Foods, open to all levels of chefs hoping to improve their product knowledge and skills.

Leading the demonstration was Will Torrent, the award-winning Master Chocolatier and consultant chef for Waitrose supermarket group. Will’s first foray into the world of high-class cuisine came at Heston Blumenthal’s world-

renowned Fat Duck at the tender age of 16. In just a few short years, the talented pastry chef has picked up an array of awards, including Craft Guild of Chefs Young Chef of the Year 2009, the 2010 Acorn Scholar and the first Medallion of Excellence when he represented the UK at Worldskills Japan 2007.

Braehead Foods North sales manager, Kevin Shand said: “The roadshow demo days are proving to be extremely popular among North-east chefs and seem to be creating a lot of noise. We are delighted to be working with Barry Callebaut on such exciting events. Our customers and students of Aberdeen College are extremely lucky to be given the chance to learn from someone like Will Torrent.”

Special Needs Village Receives Donation An Aberdeen village offering residence and support to adults with special needs has received a £500 donation from a local convenience store.

Newton Dee, located in Bieldside, received the donation from a local branch of Scotmid Co-operative via money raised through carrier bag sales within the store.

Scotmid had selected Newton Dee as its chosen charity to receive the bag donations earlier this year.

Colin Haldane, a senior co-worker at Newton Dee, said: “We are extremely grateful to Scotmid for choosing us as their charity and for making this generous donation. This money will be a great help to the residents of Newton Dee.” Last year, North-east Scotmid stores

introduced a 2p charge for carrier bags, with all profits being pledged to charity.

The Bieldside shop selected Newton Dee due to the local connection, as many of the village’s residents are regular shoppers at the store.

Aaron Cullen, store manager of Bieldside Scotmid, said: “We are delighted to give the money raised to Newton Dee, because we feel it is a fantastic local cause worthy of donation. We were happy to get involved and give back to our community.”

Most of the Newton Dee residents work on-site. The village’s coffee and gift shop, grocery store and bakery are open to the public.

Chippy Raises Funds for Good Cause The Bay Fish and Chips of Stonehaven held a fish and wine evening at its local yacht club to help raise awareness of sustainable local produce whilst raising funds for the unit, which is close to their hearts.

The evening at the Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club was a joint event teaming up seafood specials from The Bay and finely matched wine from New Zealand sustainable Wine.

The Bay is run by husband and wife team Calum and Lindsay Richardson, who decided to support the neonatal unit after one of their twins was cared for there after being born prematurely three years ago.

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s neonatal unit has been providing care for ill or premature newborn babies for more than 20 years and provide expert, round-the-clock care for newborn babies who are ill or born prematurely.

King of the Castle North-east branch members of the Campaign for Real Ale Good Beer Guide chose Archibald Simpson in Aberdeen’s Castle Street to be listed in the 2013 guide. Following regular visits to the pub they took into account the décor, atmosphere and customer service. A spokesman said “The Archibald Simpson deserves its place in the Good Beer Guide 2013.

It is our belief that if a licensee serves an excellent pint of real ale, then everything else in the pub, including customer service, quality of food and atmosphere, is likely to be of an equally high standard.”

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Butcher

Baker, Business Maker In 2007, James and Julie Haig created HAIGS, an independent family owned business and earlier this year opened their new food hall in Aberdeen’s Schoolhill.

Run with passion, commitment and drive it is all about supplying fresh local produce, coupled with good value and outstanding service. ‘Savour’ met with this highly regarded couple to find out more about them and their successful business.

Q: Why did you and James feel the time was right to make a move back to Aberdeen when you had a thriving business in Coventry?

A: Although our business was thriving we wanted to expand and had some great ideas but the premises we had was just too small. We were mainly a butcher and baker and we wanted to take the shop further. We had been looking in Aberdeen for premises for about a year when we found a vacant possession in the city centre we felt had great potential. Although there are some great farm shops in the countryside here there is not really a great food hall in the city centre. We wanted to bring back four important retailers into the heart of the city – the greengrocer, fishmonger, baker and butcher all under one roof. The pace of life today is so fast customers are more demanding and want the best possible produce without having to shop around for it. That’s why Haigs Aberdeen was born!

Q: What makes Haigs different from other food stores?

A: It’s a family run business and there is always at least one of us in the food hall. James is a Master Butcher with many years’ experience having worked with customers such as Harrods, Harvey

Nichols, Spencer House and Claridges.

We have a Q Guild Butchery on site and we have been awarded an Eat Safe Award on our first inspection. However, it is our passion for fresh local quality food and our desire to serve a unique experience to the Aberdeen public which sets us apart.

requiring something for dinner. We have young parents, ‘foodies’, people from all walks of life. We also have an increasing number of customers who come in for a weekly shop.

Q: Tell me about the ‘state of the art’ butchery?

A: That’s hard but I think I’d go for rustic bread with pate as a starter followed by sirloin steak (medium rare) in pepper sauce with roasted vegetables and to finish fresh fruit salad, strawberries and cream. All local of course and straight from Haigs Food Hall.

A: James previously managed an organic abattoir and butchery wholesale business so had lots of knowledge to bring to the butchery. It has been purpose built to comply with new legislation with hygiene at the highest standard and segregating manufacturing from cutting. There are two viewing windows where customers can watch the team in action and give them confidence in the products they are buying. Someone is always on hand to offer advice on cuts and cooking instructions. Obviously James buys only the best possible local meats.

Q: Is it important to you to buy local or is it rather a question of buying the best irrespective of where it comes from?

A: Even when we lived and worked in Coventry we bought Aberdeenshire beef. It simply is the best. We do buy the highest quality meat, vegetables, berries and fish and are incredibly lucky as it is all local. We are fortunate to be in Aberdeenshire as it is blessed with the best produce in the country.

Q: So who are your customers?

A: We have a real mix from office workers popping in for a coffee and croissant for breakfast, shoppers and students popping in for lunch to tourists who want to take a gift back home and those finishing work and

Q: If you were to shop for tonight’s dinner, what would you buy?

Q: You have had amazing response from your website since its launch (www.haigsdirect.co.uk) so where are your customers coming from?

A: Such was our reputation in Coventry we still have customers from the Midlands and inside the M25. They have found our products and our service so good we have managed to hold on to their custom. We’ve also found people have come into the food hall here, had a look around then ordered on-line from home when they’ve had more time.

Q: What next for Haigs?

A: We’d like to work even more with local producers and increase our product range. We would like to supply corporate events. Introduce our platters with hams, cheeses and chutneys to local businesses and we’d like to work on education initiatives with local schools where we could invite pupils to our premises and educate them on the source of what they eat and understanding the food chain. I’m sure we’re going to be very busy!!

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Supreme of Chicken filled with sundried tomato and fresh mozzarella The Two Fat Laddies Ingredients • Chicken Supreme (Skin On) x 2 • Sundried tomatoes x 1 small jar • Mozzarella x1 Ball • Red, Yellow Peppers 1 x each • Red Onions x1 • Courgettes x1 • Paris Brown Mushroom x4 • Garlic 2x cloves • Rapeseed Oil x 1 small Bottle • Seasoning to taste • Fresh Basil 1x Punnet • Rapeseed Oil ( from above) • Caster Sugar 1x teaspoon • Lemon Juice

Method 1. Cut open the chicken supreme on the underside until a small pocket is created and place the sundried tomato and mozzarella in the centre, roll up the chicken keeping the skin to the top, place a cocktail stick through the chicken 2. Prepare all the vegetables and place in a roasting tray, drizzle with small amount of oil and seasoning 3. Place a small amount of oil into a sauté pan and heat, pan fry chicken skin side first and turn once, place onto a ovenproof dish and in to a preheated oven approx 180/200 degrees, after 10/15 mins add the seasoned vegetables and roast till ready.

4. Place Basil, oil, sugar and lemon juice into small blender and blend till smooth, season to taste 5. Remove Chicken from oven when ready and leave to rest for 2/3 mins, remove vegetables and spoon onto a warmed plate, cut chicken supreme on a slant and place on top of vegetables, then drizzle some Basil oil around the chicken and vegetables.

6. Garnish with a sprig of Basil

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Doric Duo Delight Sandy Greig and Robert Bruce, better known as ‘The Two Fat Laddies’, have been entertaining local audiences for years. Regular faces at ‘A Taste of Grampian’, they might be classed as the North-east’s answer to ‘The Hairy Bikers’, with a quirky mix of banter and cookery demonstrations. However, the lads over the years, have raised huge sums of money for local charities.

‘Savour’s’ editor threw caution to the wind and met with the lads to ascertain the future of this rather iconic duo.

Q: Your blend of cooking and humorous chat has entertained the North East for years. How did you first meet?

A: Robert was my Lecturer at Aberdeen College and took me under his wing.

He took me off for a two week trial at The Waterside Inn in Peterhead and we have been friends ever since. Some say like an old married couple!!!

Q: In the early days it was quite serious.

Why did you decide to add the banter?

A: We did a demo for a Women’s Rural Institute and one dear lady was sitting sleeping so Robert suggested I tell a joke. She woke up, I told a few more jokes and

the rest is History!!! She actually came up at the end to say she was going home to change as she thought she had wet herself laughing at the jokes!

Q: You do an amazing amount of charity work. What has your fundraising achieved?

A: Over the years we have raised in excess of £160,000 for various Charities and clubs throughout Grampian and we’re not finished yet. We helped send a young Football team to Barcelona to train. We have also helped with Macmillan Cancer Charities and a young girl with Cystic Fibrosis. We are delighted to have also assisted the Fraserburgh RNLI as well as many others.

Q: I know Fraserburgh, everywhere Arbroath but

you attend events in Peterhead, Banff, and between Aboyne and who is your audience?

A: Anyone who wants to come along really. We try to entertain and have recently noticed an increase in gents attending, usually leaving saying that was not what they expected from a COOKERY DEMONSTRATION!!! We have to tailor the

shows to the audience, I prefer an adult audience as I can tell better jokes!!!!

Q: Have you a signature dish you both like to demonstrate?

A: Robert is very good with fish but can do everything really. I like beef but we have no real preferences really and both enjoy what we do. We try to use local, seasonal produce if possible or if something has been donated by a supplier. We each produce two plates of each course, usually a starter, main course and dessert - so 6 different dishes on the night. We recently started auctioning off the food after we have cooked it with the money raised going to the fundraisers.

Q: Where can we next see the ‘Two Fat Laddies’?

A: We still have demos to do this year in Fraserburgh, Banchory, Arbroath, Culter and Alford. No doubt next year we will return to’ Taste of Grampian’. I would like to do a BIG show somewhere, such as the Music Hall in Aberdeen - possibly with Guest Chefs and Break through the £200,000 fundraising mark.

Photos courtesy of Taste of Grampian

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Inverurie Farmers’ Market Since their launch in Scotland over 10 years ago Farmers’ Markets have become a familiar sight on the high street. Aberdeenshire is no exception with 10 markets and over 60 producers registered with Aberdeenshire Council. Inverurie market has been running since 2003 in Market Square from 9am-1pm on the second Saturday of every month. At the market you will find fantastic produce with great provenance and traceability with many producers attending, such as The Store, Devenick Dairy, Ola Oils, Crannach Bakery, Ingram’s Homecure, Celtic Candles and many more. Ingram’s Homecure produce delicious dry cured bacon, sausages, ham and pork at their farm at East Pitscaff, Newburgh. Ola Rapeseed Oil is grown, harvested and cold pressed on a local farm near Inverurie. Ola Oils also offer a range of dressings and marinades.

Featured Producer – The Store, Foveran The Store was established in 2000, with the objective of supplying high quality, local produce direct to the customer. The farm raises quality cattle and sheep in small numbers in open fields, making best use of the natural environment. The stock is only fed on natural pastures and home-grown fodder. Traceability of the end product is completely assured by literally seeing the product through from pasture to customer. Meats are hung properly and traditionally to complete the assurance of top quality. Vegetables are grown without artificial fertilisers and pesticides and farming is carried out in a manner sympathetic to the environment, leaving as many wild areas as possible to encourage beneficial insects and wildlife. The Store supply Aberdeen's only five-star hotel, The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa as well as the excellent local restaurant, Eat on the Green at Udny Green. Meat boxes, Aberdeen Angus Beef, Homebred Lamb, chef prepared meals and much more are all available online. www.thestorecompany.co.uk

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Farmers’ Markets can be found at: 1. ABERDEEN - last Saturday of the month 9am-5pm. 2. ALFORD - 4th Saturday of the month 9am-1pm. 3. BANCHORY - 3rd Saturday of the month 9am-1pm.

4. HUNTLY - 1st Saturday of the month 9am-1pm. 5. INVERURIE - 2nd Saturday of the month 9am-1pm. 6. MACDUFF - Last Saturday of the month 9am-12.30 pm.

7. PETERHEAD - 1st Saturday of the month 10am-3pm. 8. STONEHAVEN - 1st Saturday of the month 9am-1pm. 9. TURRIFF - 3rd Saturday of the month 9am-12.30pm.

10. WESTHILL - 1st Saturday of the month 9am-1pm

Handmade Burgers with Chilli Jam Ingredients • 1 packet of Italian herb hausages from Ingram’s Homecure (Inverurie, Banchory, Aberdeen and Stonehaven markets) • 2 packets of lean steak mince from The Store (The Store at Aberdeeen, Banchory, Inverurie and Stonehaven markets) • 1 large white loaf from Crannach Bakery (Aberdeen, Alford, Banchory, Inverurie, Huntly and Stonehaven markets) • 1 egg from May Crossling (Alford and Inverurie markets)

Method 1. Take one packet (approx 400 grams) of Italian Herb Pork Sausages from Ingram’s Homecure and remove the sausage meat from skins and add to bowl. 2. Next take two packets (800 grams) of lean steak mince from the Store and add to bowl. 3. Add one egg and 4tbsp of grated bread. 4. Mix the mixture together until the ingredients are evenly distributed through the mixture. 5. Take a small handful of mixture and roll it between your palms to make a ball, then pat it down until it is burger shaped. 6. Grill or fry on a moderate to high heat until thoroughly cooked through.

7. Serve with Crannach bread and chilli jam

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The producer is central in the relationship between local products and the consumer. Whether it be a visit to a farmer’s market, farm hop or speciality retailer, you will find products that reflect the uniqueness and range of flavours that represent the North-east food scene.

In recent years we have seen a growth in the number of food producers from cheese makers, oil producers, artisan bakers, farm shops and many other food outlets providing traditional and innovative products.

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Caber Coffee Launch Mission Motorsport Brand

Aberdeen's Caber Coffee celebrated the launch of their Mission Motorsport charity Coffee in style at the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford recently, amid the presence of a Lynx army helicopter and a selection of racing and really prepared vehicles. Caber Coffee will donate £5 from every branded case sold to the remarkable Mission Motorsport, the Forces Motorsport Charity which exists to help physically and psychologically-scarred forces personnel.

the new partnership Caber Coffee's

The exceptional branded coffee made and sold by Caber Coffee is 100% Fairtrade Arabica coffees for use in pour-over style filter coffee machines. Commenting on

especially given how young we are as a

Managing Director, Findlay Leask said: "We are absolutely delighted to be joining forces with Mission Motorsport and doing what we can to help such a fantastic charity.”

Jim Cameron, Co-Founder and Director of Mission Motorsport added: "We are very grateful to have been chosen by Caber Coffee to have our own branded coffee, charity.

Initially our aim was to help

around 60 people in the first year and already that has grown to over 100. “

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In Season As the seasons turn the North-east shades of gold, red and brown, take advantage of an abundance of fruit from the autumn harvest.

Enjoy a variety of apples, as well as damsons, plums and pears, which are all wonderful as jams or an accompaniment to game.

Autumn lamb is wonderful up until the end of October, with the autumn variety more flavoursome due the maturity of the meat.

Game is readily available in autumn and includes grouse, partridge, venison, wood pigeon and wild trout. The Grampian countryside is perfect for rearing delicious game, with restaurants throughout the area serving up a huge range of locally sourced produce in varied and imaginative ways.

Oysters are best in season from October through the colder months when the sea is at its coldest. Mussels are also in season at this time - a delicious and hearty meal steamed with garlic, onion and white wine served up with fresh crusty bread!

FRUIT - Apples, Brambles, Blueberries, Damson, Plums, Figs, Pears, Plums, Raspberries, Tomatoes. VEG - Beetroot, Broccoli (green), Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Courgettes, Cucumber, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Radishes, Shallots, Spinach, Spring greens, Summer squash, Swede. GAME - Grouse, Partridge, Venison, Wild duck, Wood pigeon. FISH & SEAFOOD - Wild trout, Brown trout, Mussels, Oysters,

September

Sea bass. HERBS - Fennel, Garlic. MEAT & POULTRY - Autumn lamb.

FRUIT - Apples, Elderberries, Pears, Pumpkin, Tomatoes. VEG - Beetroot, Broccoli (green), Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Courgettes, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Radishes, Shallots, Spinach, Turnips.

GAME - Guinea fowl, Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant, Venison, Wild duck.

FISH & SEAFOOD - Wild salmon, Wild trout, Mussels, Oysters.

October

MEAT & POULTRY - Autumn lamb, Hill lamb

FRUIT - Apples, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Pears, Pumpkin, Quinces. VEG - Beetroot, Broccoli (green), Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Courgettes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Potatoes, Radishes, Shallots, Spinach, Spring greens, Swede, Turnips. GAME - Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant, Teal, Venison.

FISH & SEAFOOD - Wild salmon, Scallops, Sea bass.

November

MEAT & POULTRY - Goose, Hill Lamb.

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‘Jammin’ with John Lewis

Making jam is set to be a popular activity in the kitchen this autumn with the increasing trend in home growing and baking. Jam isn’t just great to eat, making it yourself provides a beautiful fragrance throughout the house, is entertaining for friends and family and a great way to involve the kids, especially when the jam labels need decorating! Getting started couldn’t be easier.

Mike Kemp at John Lewis, said: “Our customers want to go back to basics and are enjoying preserving summer fruits by

making homemade jam. Strawberries aren’t just for Wimbledon – our customers are using the summer pastime of fruit picking to make preserves that they can enjoy all year round or give to friends and family as gifts.”

To ensure you are fully prepared you can choose from a range of jam making equipment at John Lewis, including everything from funnels to jars and covers. The John Lewis preserving sets start from £25 and individual preserving essentials start from £2.

Easy Strawberry Jam Ingredients • 1 kg of fruit or vegetables of your choice such as strawberries, blackberries, plums, peaches, pineapple.

• 1 kg of jam sugar • Knob of butter (optional)

Method 1. Wash the strawberries and remove all stalks and leaves (remove pips, pith and skin as needed with your chosen fruit). Dry on kitchen paper and place into the preserving pan 2. Mash the fruit to your preference. If you like lots of lumps them leave some whole; if you like it super smooth then use a hand blender. 3. Bring the mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the fruit/vegetables have softened. 4. Add the jam sugar to the mixture and stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved, then bring the mixture back to the boil 5. Boil the jam, stirring continuously to avoid burning until the jam reaches 104-105°C. 6. When it comes to the boil, you can either skim off any scum with the ladle or add the knob of butter which will clear it 7. Remove the mixture from the heat and carefully ladle the jam while still hot into sterile jars, using the jam funnel. 8. Add wax circles (help to prevent spillages - optional), and put the lids on quickly as you fill each jar. 9. Once jars are cool enough to touch, add labels. 10. Store the jam in a cool dark cupboard. Once opened, keep in the fridge. 11. Why not try it with apples, pears, blackcurrants or oranges? Or even make it savoury with mint, jalepenos or chilli?

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“In search of perfect Pinot ” Pinot noir is one of the few red grapes that prefers a cool climate hence it’s one of the key ingredients in many a Champagne and English Sparkling wine. When grown in too warm conditions, it can become jammy and loose its freshness. It can be a difficult grape to raise needing nurturing and patience but it’s worth it.

Pinot is about perfume. In youth (and a lot of examples are made for youthful drinking) red fruit characters abound with cherry, raspberry and redcurrant. With maturity, earthy, gamey characters can develop. As it has a thin skin, tannins are often soft and with that in mind, I find it a good grape for white wine drinkers who want move on to red wines.

Across in New Zealand, Pinot Noir has been making big waves for a number of years. Pinot Noir was initially planted in Martinborough in the North Island and there are now plantings in Marlborough and in the world’s most southerly vineyards at Central Otago, an area which often produces the fullest, most complex styles.

In other New World countries, Pinot performs well in ocean cooled coastal areas such as Casablanca in Chile and Walker Bay in South Africa and Tasmania. In North America, try wines from Oregon and California’s Russian River Valley.

Pinot Noir just happens to be a great accompaniment to autumnal game such as grouse, partridge, pheasant, wild duck and venison. It also works well with wild mushrooms and aubergines.

Carol Brown is an Aberdeen based Member of the Association of Wine Educators and the Circle of Wine Writers. She runs a range of courses, workshops, certified WSET training and corporate wine events. www.wineuncorkededucation.co.uk

In Burgundy, it’s the grape behind the label of many recognisable villages and vineyards such as Nuits St George and Gevrey Chambertin. Burgundy’s continental climate does mean vintage variations and simply crossing the road can mean a change of terroir and therefore wine style. In the fragmentation of Burgundies vineyards it’s worth trying different producers who will also make their mark on the final style.

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Whisky

Growth Whisky exports reached record highs in 2011 rising to £4.23bn According to official figures, £5.4bn worth of food and drink products were exported in 2011, surpassing industry targets six years ahead of schedule and whisky exports breaking new records, increasing in value by 23% to £4.23bn. Scotland's top food and drink export markets were France and the US, with strong growth in Singapore and China.

The full-year figures for food and drink exports published

by HM Revenue and Customs are said to "exceed all expectations", with the industry having already met its 10-year target to increase exports to £5.1bn by 2017. The US remained the biggest single market by value for whisky exports, with a 31% increase to £655m but France remained the biggest market measured by volume - up by more than 25% to £535m.

Food exports increased 9% year-on-year, to a record £1.16bn, with fish and shellfish accounting for 56%, whilst the fastest growth in the food sector was seen in fruit and vegetables, which increased by 62.4% to £62m.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "Scotland is rightly hailed as a land of food and drink, which is underpinned by the record exports achieved in 2011.

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This demonstrates that people around the world are appreciating the high quality and delicious products that Scotland's larder has to offer.

"With exports increasing by more than a fifth, the whisky industry has seen hugely impressive yearon-year growth, while Scotland's iconic seafood remains at the heart of our food exports offering.

It's also heartening to see a substantial 60% boost in fruit and vegetable exports." James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food and Drink, said: "Our food and drink industry is Scotland's biggest growth story right now.These new figures mean that the 10 year target industry set itself in 2007 - to grow our total exports by 38% - has been achieved six years early.

"Whisky has been a trailblazer across the globe.

But our food sector is now following its lead, with exports up a staggering 62% in just four years, as our reputation as a land of food and drink grows day-by-day."

Export-led recovery For whisky exports some markets saw decline, including Spain and South Korea, but there was growth of more than 40% to Brazil, Taiwan and Singapore, which serves as a distribution point for much of East Asia.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: "Despite continuing economic uncertainty, Scotch whisky continues to meet increasing demand from all corners of the globe. It continues to appeal to consumers in countries such as the USA and France and is being enjoyed by younger professionals in newer markets in Asia and Latin America. Exports have increased for seven years running contributing to delivering an export-led recovery, a focus for both the UK and Scottish governments."

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A Dram Fine Idea!

Is this the beginning of a new golden age for the scotch whisky industry after the drinks giant Diageo unveiled plans to pour more than £1bn into building new distilleries and extra stills as it cranks up production to slake the world's growing thirst?

Last year, whisky exports broke through £4bn, as the drink cemented its position as a status symbol for the growing middle classes of the emerging economies of China, south Asia and South America.

Diageo, owner of Johnnie Walker and Bell's whiskies, said it was already scouting locations in Speyside – known as the whisky triangle because the rugged landscape is home to more than half of Scotland's distilleries – and the Highlands for the first of potentially three new malt distilleries.

Diageo's boss, Paul Walsh, said the five-year investment marked a pivotal moment for its scotch whisky business, which he said had achieved "remarkable, sustained global growth" in recent years.

"Scotch is resonating with consumers from Boston to Beijing," he said. "We expect that success to continue, particularly in high-growth markets."

Diageo said the plan would create 110 new jobs aimed at young people including apprentice coopers and coppersmiths. The building projects will create around 250 construction jobs each year and an estimated 500 jobs in the wider economy, the company said.

The promise of new jobs marks a turning point for the industry, said Campbell Evans of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), because while many producers have been increasing

production – including reopening mothballed distilleries – it has so far not particularly boosted employment. About 10,000 people, many in economically deprived parts of Scotland, are employed directly by the industry.

"The scotch whisky industry has been enjoying a renaissance for several years," said Evans. "I hesitate to use the term 'golden age' but this investment takes us beyond renaissance."

With annual sales of nearly £10bn, Diageo owns a bar-full of drinks brands including Buchanan's, Smirnoff vodka, Baileys and Guinness.

Half the pot of money is earmarked to build two distilleries and a new warehouse to store the maturing spirit.

Whisky is Scotland's biggest export.

John Swinney, the Scottish finance secretary, said Diageo's investment showed the industry had a strong future: "The investment in new distilleries and warehousing capacity is a vivid illustration of the positive and optimistic outlook for demand."

Diageo said it would consider building a third distillery if whisky sales continued to grow at more than 10% a year.

Walsh said three sites had been identified for the first new distillery, including Inchgower and Glendullan in Speyside, and Teaninich slightly further north, while nearly half of its existing 28 malt distilleries were set to expand.

The industry is riding high as a dram becomes the status drink of choice in countries such as Brazil, Russia and China. This year it is predicted more scotch will be consumed in emerging markets than in the developed world, for the first time.

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22

Mix it up With Glenglassaugh Spirit Drinks A new generation of sprit drinks created

by Glenglassaugh Distillery, Scotland’s most coastal mainland distillery, is revolutionising the whisky drinking scene.

The youthful range of sprits are shaking off the traditional image of whisky as being an old man’s drink and opening up a fresh, young market.

Spirit drinks are not quite old enough to be classed as a whisky, as they are only matured in casks for a matter of months rather than years. Despite this, they share the same heritage as the other members of the Glenglassaugh whisky family; made from natural ingredients and produced using the same traditional methods.

The spirit drinks come in four flavours: Clearac, Blushes, Peated and Fledging,

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with each having a very different taste.

Clearac, with its notes of sweet hay and freshly cut grass, makes a cool mix to a vibrant summer cocktail, and similarly Blushes, with tastes of summer berries and sweet jam, blends well for a refreshing drink. The Peated sprit drink leaves a trace of sweet red liquorice on the tongue, while Fledging, which is matured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels, tastes of vanilla and creamy toffee, is best mixed for a sweet drink.

Although whisky purists believe that whisky should be enjoyed straight or with ice, these spirit drinks, thanks to creative mixologists, have found a new home in the fast-growing cocktail market.

Glenglassaugh

Distillery

managing

director Stuart Nickerson says, “Our spirit drinks range make a refreshing change to traditional whiskies. The spirits come in a number of flavours and are ready to be enjoyed over ice or in a cocktail – the perfect drink for summer parties and barbecues.

“The spirit drinks are very versatile and can be used in a number of different cocktails to create a wide range of different tastes. The blushes sprit drink is very popular with females as the drink contains notes of cranberry and raspberry and can be mixed to produce a slightly sweeter taste. When you begin to experiment with flavours you can easily add in any ingredient and create your own signature drink.”

Liz’s Larder

23

Glen Tanar Estate is situated in a beautiful glen at the heart of Royal Deeside. You can experience true Scottish hospitality here by staying in one of the self-catering cottages on the estate where you’re really made to feel at home. To really fulfil a relaxing break, why not call on the assistance of Liz Peck who is Housekeeper here. Liz runs a venture called ‘Liz’s Larder’ especially for holiday cottage guests, offering them the opportunity to enjoy the true taste of Royal Deeside with homemade bread, baking, jams and chutneys plus a range of oven-ready meals.

All Liz’s dishes are prepared with seasonal produce sourced locally and from organic suppliers where possible.

“The variety of the meals was out of this world (we all tried a different dish). The idea of coming in from the outside world soaking wet and finding food ready to place in the oven was most comforting. Being able to cook the food without the preparation was also convenient. We look forward to the next time we return to the cottages when we will continue to try more meals prepared by yourself.” – Mr & Mrs Mash November 2009

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24

Celebrate Seafood

National Seafood Fortnight 2012 ran from September 4-20, with an aim to get the British public falling hook, line and sinker for fish landed fresh on our shores. It is hoped that the annual celebration of seafood will persuade households to start consuming the recommended two portions of fish every week as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Haddock and cod are staple species served up in many Scottish homes and restaurants, but there are actually over 100 varieties of fish in UK waters, from sea bass to salmon and halibut to herring. Not only does seafood offer excellent value for money, it is also quick to prepare and the health benefits are huge.

Seafood is a great addition to the diet: rich and bursting with omega 3 fatty acids, fish can help to maintain a strong heart and is packed with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. Eating

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fish has also been proven to increase brain function, boost memory, delay ageing and help guard against sun damage.

they know well, like haddock, cod and lemon sole, when there is actually a huge variety, all with different tastes and textures.

A restaurant with a proud reputation for serving delicious seafood is The Ship Inn in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.

Located on the harbour side in the picturesque seaside town in the North East of Scotland, the chefs at The Ship Inn use fresh, locally caught seafood to produce mouth-watering dishes.

“Seafood Fortnight is a great campaign to showcase the variety of fish on offer in the UK and the health benefits of eating fish, so there is no better time to try something different. We’re always proud to support this event at The Ship Inn, and fly the flag for the great seafood that we’re renowned for.”

Fallon Oilveria, head chef at The Ship Inn, says, “As we are in a small seaside town, fish is a staple on our menu. We work with local fishermen to make sure that we offer our diners the very best quality fish. Seafood is versatile and can be matched with many flavours, so it is always exciting preparing our daily fish specials.

Built in 1771 The Ship Inn is a cosy coastal haven offering a warm friendly atmosphere with fine dining and exceptional service. The seaside town of Stonehaven is situated on Scotland's north east coast, 15 miles south of Aberdeen.

“I think that people are sometimes a little bit scared to experiment with different fish and stick to species that

To book a table at The Captain’s Table or for further information on The Ship Inn log onto shipinnstonehaven.com or call 01569 762617

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26

King Prawn Linguine The Ship Inn, Stonehaven Ingredients • 180gms of chopped tomatoes. • Half a stem of finely chopped ginger. • Half an onion, chopped. • 20g butter. • 50ml white wine. • 800g linguine. • 100g king prawns. • Salt and pepper to taste.

Method 1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add chopped onions and sweat without letting them colour. Add in the ginger, white wine and chopped tomatoes. 2. In a separate large saucepan, blanch the linguine in salted boiling water. 3. Over a high heat, sauté the prawns in olive oil before adding the cooked and drained linguine. Stir in the sauce, check the seasoning and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley or mixed herbs.

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Did You Know

Do you know why garlic makes your breath smell bad?

Did you knowthat the word ‘Dinner’ used to refer to breakfast?

There are a few things going on to cause this bad smell, but principally the root cause is various sulphuric compounds from the garlic. Initially, most of the bad breath resulting from eating garlic comes directly from the sulphuric compounds introduced into your mouth. Not only that, but garlic actually promotes the growth of some of the microbes in your mouth that already cause bad breath, which further exacerbates the problem.

The origins of the word dinner come from the French word “disnar”, which in fact means “breakfast”.

You may have noticed that even if you brush your teeth, rinse with mouthwash, and other such methods to clean out these compounds and various microbes from your mouth, the bad breath caused by garlic still remains to some extent. This has to do with the fact that some of these sulphuric compounds get metabolized, eventually making their way into your blood stream.

So how did this word that meant breakfast end up being pushed back in the day to describe the meal latest in the day?

Traditionally dinner (meaning ‘breakfast’) was the first meal of the day, eaten around noon.

It also happened to be the biggest meal of the day, with a lighter meal coming later known as supper.

Eventually, more meals started being added to the day with people eating meals before the large noon meal of dinner.

Rather than calling these earlier meals that broke the fast by the word that means breakfast (dinner), the name “dinner” now stuck as meaning the largest meal of the day.

Because of the fact that the smelly sulphuric compounds from the garlic are in your blood, there is little you can do to immediately get rid of the smell from eating garlic, other than to mask it with a stronger smell.

However, many people swear by parsley and sprigs for getting rid of garlic breath, which is why particularly parsley is often included in many dishes that contain significant amounts of garlic. Another popular cover up is to drink hot mint tea.

Further, drinking milk while eating something garlicky has been shown to reduce bad breath and does an even better job if you drink the milk while the garlicky item is still in your mouth and swish it around.

As time has passed, in most cultures that use these words to describe their meals, the largest meal of the day gradually got moved later and later in the day until its meal time was around the time we used to have supper (which used to be a light meal). So gradually this meal that bears the name (translated) “breakfast” is now the meal we eat before we start the fast and the literal translation of “dinner” is now the word we used to describe our early morning meal of breakfast. In most cultures where this shift has happened, “supper” is now considered to be the proper name for a midnight snack.

?

27

Cauliflower is indeed a flower!!!

Cauliflower is a member of the noble Cruciferae family, which includes broccoli, cabbage, arugula, collards, watercress, horseradish, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga and turnips. As its name suggest, cauliflower is indeed a flower. The creamy white, crunchy stems and head of the cauliflower plant, which we eat, are actually the undeveloped stems and buds of a flower.

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28

True Prue One of our finest restaurateurs, writers and broadcasters.

Prue Leith is famous for her wide ranging impact on cookery in Britain both inside and outside the home. Despite her attempts to persuade the world that she’s no longer a cook or restaurateur but an established novelist she still receives more requests for recipes than questions about her novels. Perhaps her appearance in the hugely popular TV series ‘The Great British Menu’ alongside fellow judges Mathew Fort and Oliver Paton has fuelled once more the British public’s belief in her culinary skills. In the latest series aired on BBC Two the contestants brief was to take their lead from our Olympic athletes, and to push the bounds of gastronomy to the limits and beyond. Like the Olympic ideal it was all about performance, about beating your personal best and driving up standards. Prue and her fellow judges selected dishes from Colin McGurran, Phil

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Howard, Daniel Clifford and Simon Rogan to be cooked at an Olympic feast for British sporting heroes hosted by Sir Steve Redgrave.

The Great British Menu is now in its sixth year, and Prue cannot believe how much she still enjoys it. She always thought she would detest doing telly (she says she is so vain and hates how she looks spending all day filming for 20 usable minutes, in studios which are always freezing or stifling etc), but she just loves the GBM. She finds Oliver and Matthew, her fellow judges are a hoot, the crew members are funny and delightful and never snappy or precious. But she says: “How long can an old duck like me (I am 70 for Pete’s sake) go on doing this?”

So how did Prue achieve such status and her deserved popularity with an adoring public?

29 Her first job was as a cook for a firm of solicitors, confidently graduating to cooking dinner parties for the partners’ wives and then catering for bigger functions such as weddings, parties and balls. In 1969 she opened the Michelin starred ‘Leiths’ restaurant in Kensington Park Road which earned rave reviews. This according to Prue was down to the fact restaurant food in London at that time wasn’t very good and simply serving fresh food, nothing frozen or in cans, proved a massive hit. This was followed in 1974 by the opening of the prestigious ‘Leiths School of Food and Wine’ and the publishing of the kitchen bookshelf staple ‘Leith’s Cookery Bible’.

to sell her business, stop writing about food, and write that novel.

Prue Leith is also a campaigner determined to promote healthy food. She describes the four years she spent as chair of the School Food Trust as the most important of her career, pioneering the government’s campaign to replace foods high in salt, sugar and fat with freshly cooked healthy food.

A Serving of Scandal, her latest, now out in paperback, is a novel about love and scandal (and the difficulty of sticking to honourable principles in the spincontrolled Westminster political village) and is selling very well. Maybe all the coverage of MPs expenses has helped!

Prue has always wanted to write novels, but did not dare confess the fact, even to her husband. She satisfied the writing bug by writing cookbooks and journalism (and poems which she shows no-one) until in her early fifties when she decided

Her first novel, Leaving Patrick , appeared in 1995, followed by Sisters in 2001, and A Lovesome Thing in 2004, published by Penguin.

Her last two books have been published by the relatively new and very dynamic publisher, Quercus. Choral Society is still selling well, especially in paperback.

Waitrose knocked out over 7,000 of them and WHS gave them all sorts of promotions. It is about the lives and loves (and fears and dreams) of three women in their late fifties who meet in a singing group.

Prue has received many honours, including the Veuve Cliquot Business Woman of the Year in 1990, and eleven honorary degrees or fellowships from UK universities. She was appointed OBE in 1989 and CBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours.

Prue with Matthew & Oliver, Judges on “Great British Menu” savour

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30

The Bare Truth

thenakedbean brand is more than just an alternative to the market leaders. They are totally committed to taking the coffee shop experience business to business, plus expanding with the introduction of

A warm welcome awaits at The Atholl Hotel in Aberdeen.

Offering professional but friendly service whilst boasting 34 en-suite bedrooms and two conference rooms, The Atholl really is deserving of its four star award from VisitScotland. The hotel also offers the best in business facilities, with free broadband internet access in all bedrooms and both function rooms. As an added advantage, there is a large private car park at the rear of the hotel which

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their own coffee shops, to take them to the next level.

growers and they take great heart in this

From the loyalty they show to their growers and suppliers, to the full coffee experience of the customer, everything about thenakedbean is fundamentally different from anything in the current UK market. Their large portfolio of premium teas, coffees and chocolates offer customers variety and new tastes that bring a breath of fresh air into the market.

personality of the company is unbridled,

Their ethos is creating high quality and delicious goods that the company and the consumer can enjoy and be proud of.

schemes.

Integrated business values will only allow them to be part of a supply chain that offers fair sustainable prices to the

throughout the UK including London. By

ethical stance. The caring and generous as they place great emphasis on their links with producers and suppliers.

Not only do they feel the importance of working with their supply chain, but they feel it is vital they put back into the local communities. They are committed to working organisations

alongside with

social

charitable enterprise

thenakedbean are rapidly growing their range of services and gaining clients early next year they plan to have their own branded retail store in Aberdeen.

can accommodate up to 60 cars.

With a solid, proven reputation earned in its many years as a busy Aberdeen hotel, The Atholl is held in great affection by the people of The Granite City. Renowned as the place to come for consistent service, value for money and a good oldfashioned approach where nothing is ever too much trouble. Privately owned and located in the west end, The Atholl truly is 'in a class of its own'.

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Young Butcher is a cut above

A 20-year-old butcher from Oldmeldrum is flying the flag for Scotland by successfully becoming one of only 3 UK finalists in a national competition.

Andrew Peter, who works at Davidsons Butchers in Inverurie, began his apprenticeship there less than 3 years ago and last week was announced as a finalist in The Meat Trade Journal’s UK Young Butcher of the Year.

Andrew first began working for John Davidson as a Saturday boy back in 2007, and in 2010, eight months after leaving to begin his studies in Social Work, he realised that butchery was exactly what he wanted to do and went back to Davidsons to begin his Apprenticeship.

Andrew commented: “I really missed the customer interaction, the job variety, the

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passion for perfection that is paramount to every aspect of Davidsons – and I missed the banter! I’ve learned so much so quickly here, and I think being a finalist in this competition shows how far I’ve come in a relatively short space of time.

Confirmation of Andrews’s top 3 place in the awards came last Friday and John Davidson was delighted to make the announcement to Andrew and the rest of the team.

He said: “Andrew has excelled beyond all expectations in his time here so far. His drive for excellence is outstanding and fits extremely well with the whole ethos at Davidsons. His enthusiasm and sense of humour is extremely infectious and keeps morale high during our exceptionally long and busy days.

The Meat Trade Journal awards recognise and reward the top butcher’s shops across 6 regions in the UK, as well as crowning one as the overall UK Butcher’s Shop of the Year. They also include Young Butcher of the Year, Farm Shop of the Year, Halal Butcher’s Shop of the Year and Innovation of the Year. Having won the top accolade in 2011, John Davidson stepped down from the competition this year and was honoured to then be invited to be one of the Judges in this year’s UK Butcher Shop of the Year category.

The venue for this year’s prestigious awards will take place at The Landmark London Hotel in Marylebone on Thursday, November 22.

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Roast Hare Saddle, Butternut Squash, Brussels sprouts and pickled walnuts The Foyer, Aberdeen Ingredients

Ingredients

Hare filo - Serves 4 - • 2 sheets filo pastry cut in half length

Butternut squash - • 1 butternut squash. • 50ml olive oil

ways • 200g hare leg meat and liver minced and finely

• 50g butter. • Salt and pepper

chopped • 10g thyme chopped • 1 onion diced • 2 garlic

Method

cloves chopped • 1tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp French mustard

Cut the butternut in half and peel. Dice the thin part and

• 50g suet • 25g truffle oil • Salt and pepper • 1 egg

toss with the oil and seasoning. Roast in the oven until

Method

golden and tender for 20 minutes. Remove the seeds

Cook the onions and garlic with the olive oil. Once soft

from the round part, grate and place in a pan with the

add the thyme and remove from the heat and allow

butter and seasoning. Cover and cook on a low heat until

cooling. Mix the suet, mince, onion mixture and season as

soft. Puree in a food processor until smooth and season if

required. (Keep 50g for the saddles). Wet your hands

required.

slightly and roll the mixture into 4 even sized cylinders.

Place into the centre of the filo sheet and roll tightly. Fold in the edges and brush with egg to seal.

Ingredients Hare Saddle - Serves 4 - • 2 boned hare saddles • 50g hare sausage mix • Seasoning • 4 sheets Parma ham

Method Place a sheet of cling film on a bench and top with two pieces of ham. Place the saddle on the top and spread

Ingredients Brussels Sprouts - • 10 sprouts • 10g butter • 20g water

Method Remove the cores from sprouts and pick the leaves of with the tip of a knife, rinse and pat dry. Bring the water and butter to the boil, add the leaves and cook for 4mins till done. Drain and serve.

with sausage mixture, season lightly and roll into a tight

Ingredients

round. Use the cling film to help hold the shape. Repeat

Sauce - • 1lt chicken stock • 100ml port • 1 garlic clove

with the next saddle. Pre heat the oven 180c. Place the

• 1 thyme sprig • 10g pickled walnut

filos on a oiled oven tray and bake for 15minutes. Pan fry

Method

the saddle and place in the oven for 6 mins. Remove and

Reduce the port with the garlic and thyme until syrupy.

rest for 4 mins. To serve - carve each into 4 even

Add the stock and reduce again to about 250mls. Add

medallions and place onto the plate with a filo.

the walnuts and spoon around the plates.

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34

Cooking Up a Good Book

The Little Scottish Cookbook - Paul Harris Scotland's abundance of Venison, Pheasant, Grouse and Salmon is reflected here in luxurious dishes such as Roast Pheasant, Salmon Steaks and Grouse and Steak Pudding.

This collection of the author's favourite and typically Scottish recipes also offers traditional, more commonplace (while nonetheless delicious) dishes - Herrings in Oatmeal and Stovies and Oatcakes.

A Cook’s Tour of Scotland - Sue Lawrence Award-winning food writer Sue Lawrence has taken up the baton in praise of Scotland's produce. Travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, she seeks out all the great raw ingredients Scotland has to offer. From cockles harvested on Barra and venison from the Highlands, to seaweed picked on Auchmithie beach and lamb from Shetland, Sue’s celebration of Scottish produce reveals a cornucopia of culinary delights. She has journeyed all over the country to meet the people who farm and produce its food. An Orkney barley miller, a Stornoway black pudding butcher, an Isle of Mull cheese producer, a Dundee sausage-maker and a Brora jam-maker are just a few of the many Scottish food heroes she meets.

A celebration of the Scottish landscape and history, as well as its food, A Cook’s Tour of Scotland contains 120 delicious recipes and is not only a must for anyone visiting Scotland's shores but deserves a place on the cookery shelves of anyone who loves seasonal, healthy, freshly grown, caught or farmed food.

Maw Broon’s But an’ Ben Cookbook These are the very recipes, gathered over the years, that

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have become the favourites of the whole Broon family when they escape from town to visit the’ but an' ben for holidays and weekends.

This is a funny, charming and nostalgic book full of real Broon’s humour. It’s jam-packed with good old-fashioned recipes, images captured from old note books and food packets, jokes and cuttings. Great for some ‘braw’ Scottish cooking and ideal as a gift for expatriate Scots.

New Scottish Cookery - Nick Nairn In the culinary world, Scotland is renowned for the quality of its ingredients. Whether its wild salmon, organically reared beef, raspberries, shellfish or even whisky, Scottish produce is full of depth and flavour. Combine these ingredients with Scotland’s top chef Nick Nairn and the results are outstanding. A self-taught cook, Nick has been a long-time champion of fresh Scottish produce, but his cooking also takes its influences from all over the world. In New Scottish Cookery, Nick combines the very best fresh Scottish ingredients with a myriad of international flavours, to create a mouth-watering collection of recipes destined to become the Scottish classics of the future. Containing the signature dishes that have made Nicks reputation from his bestselling Wild Harvest books, as well as over 80 new recipes, the book is a celebration of good quality, greattasting food. Beautifully illustrated with 100 colour photos and including a useful guide to where to buy the best Scottish ingredients, Nick Nairns New Scottish Cookery will delight food lovers everywhere.

35

Herrings with Mustard Sauce Mary Berry Ingredients • 4 x 175–250 g (6–8 oz) herrings, cleaned, heads removed, and filleted. • Salt and black pepper. • Butter for greasing.

• Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs to garnish • Mustard sauce: • 30 g (1 oz) butter. • 30 g (1 oz) plain flour. • 300 ml (1⁄2 pint) milk. • 2 tsp mustard powder. • 1 tsp caster sugar. • 2 tsp white wine vinegar

Method 1. Season the herrings inside and out with salt and black pepper, fold the fish over, and place in a single layer in a buttered ovenproof dish. 2. Cover and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (180°C fan, Gas 6) for 12 minutes or until the fish is opaque and the flesh flakes easily. 3. Meanwhile, make the mustard sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 2–3 minutes. Add the mustard powder, sugar, and vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a further minute. 4. To serve - garnish the herrings with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs, and serve the mustard sauce separately.

Healthy note: Instead of the mustard sauce, make a quick “dip” by mixing a teaspoonful or two of Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice into your favourite reduced-calorie mayonnaise or low-fat creme fraiche.

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36 In 2004, Craig Wilson bought a small local pub in Udny Green, and set about converting it into one of the best restaurants in the North-east. He has created a high quality fine dining experience, gaining many accolades as testament to his success. ‘Savour’s’ editor met with Craig to chat about the success of ‘Eat on the Green’, his passion for food and his amazing charity work.

Q: ‘Eat on the Green’ has gained a reputation as being one of Aberdeenshire’s best restaurants. What do you think makes it so special?

A: I often have to work away from the restaurant and when I return I see what makes it so special. It’s a balanced recipe of the people, the ambience and great food. I’m incredibly proud of my team and what they have achieved and this comes through in their work. I also find we pick up on little details I often think other restaurants lack and it is these bits and pieces that make a difference.

Q: Tell us about your highly acclaimed Tasting Room.

A: : Our Tasting Room is just off the main restaurant and it is my ambition to become the premier dining choice in the North East. The Tasting Menu is a gourmet experience that will take you on a culinary journey like no other. This specially created, elaborate 10 course Tasting Menu (which can be enjoyed with or without matched wines)showcases the best of what Aberdeenshire’s larder has to offer and can also cater for any dietary requirements. It is the ultimate 'foodie' experience for diners, offering Five Star Plus food for that special occasion.

Already, we have received rave reviews and I would like to slowly build on this, by offering something extra special to the normal menu. Whilst I appreciate that this is a niche market, I really want to build on the success of the tasting room to date.

Q: You are well known for your charity work. Have you any interesting ventures at the moment?

A: I have had the busiest year ever and have found it hard to balance demonstrations, educational work, charity events and of course running the business. I know I bewilder some people but I feel I have been blessed with a skill base which I can use to make people happy. My chosen charities are Breast Cancer Care and Maggie’s Care Centre.

Stewart Spence of the Marcliffe, who is held in high esteem within the hospitality industry, has helped launch ‘What the Fork?’ in Aberdeen (a concept thought up to raise funds for Maggie's) and he is encouraging city restaurateurs to get

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37 involved through various events and through their diners giving donations. I will be continuing to help support and promote this, as it is a fantastic idea.

I was also involved with the ‘Over 50’s Festival’ where I held demonstrations, a chef’s surgery and made canapés for Twiggy to promote the festival. I’m also about to embark on cookery demonstrations in care homes. By helping others I find myself in very interesting company and crazy situations and I believe doing good is infectious.

Q: I’ve had a friend attend your ‘Chef for a Day’ class which he loved. What does the day entail?

A: I created this concept two years ago and I’m very proud of it. It has come just at the right time with people’s increased interest in food and how it is prepared.

You arrive at 10am and we all get to know each other. This is a real life situation and a day ‘behind the scenes’ of a restaurant, warts and all! It is not a Cook School. It is a full on day, but one everyone remembers. We really try to connect with our guests and after a glass of wine in the herb garden you are part of the evening brigade. You get to feel the buzz and can take pictures. We will have a ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ type cook-off although every ‘Chef for a Day’ is different. As part of the 50+ Festival I ran a ‘Chefs Surgery’ where I answered culinary questions for an enthralled audience. This was so popular I’ve decided to make it a regular event, as is our extremely popular corporate days ‘Cook on the Green’ , a team-building day where participants are very hands-on and not only work in the kitchen but, if they chose, can learn to fold napkins or learn about silver service. The entire day is bespoke to suit the requirements of the team but all have a fun element and is enjoyed enormously.

Q: You have interests in other businesses. Can you tell us about those?

A: : I am a consultant to Inverurie Garden Centre which is an excellent daytime business. I assist with the food concept and customer service. On the back of our success, we were also approached to assist in launching and managing Cocoa Bar and Bistro in Market Street in Aberdeen, which brings a bit of ‘Eat on the Green’ into the city. Part of the success of all our businesses is the incredibly loyal customer base we have. I have some other exciting prospects in the pipeline but it’s too early to divulge these so, watch this space!

Q: Can I book ‘Eat on the Green’ for a private function?

A: You certainly can! There is no better time. We now have three private rooms, all are different and you can have a number of guests ranging from six to twenty two. We have had a visitation from Hungarian T.V. and had a host of celebrities christen our newest room.

Q: On a personal note, you are a family man yet the hospitality industry is notorious for long hours. How do you get the work/family balance right?

A: Actually, I don’t think I do! This year has made me realise exactly how important it is to have the support of your family in a business like ours. Being a family business, everyone's involved.

Yasmin has helped me in recent cooking demonstrations and Zak can often be seen cutting the grass or polishing door handles. My wife Lindsay plays a huge part in striving to make the business better. It is a really hard balance.

If too much focus is spent on one without the other, something will suffer. But, like any good recipe, it is about endeavouring to get the balance just right.

Q: What next for the’ Kilted Chef’?

A: I’m really focused on adding new dimensions to ‘Eat on the Green’ and make it world class. No matter where people come from I’d like to make it ‘Rather Special’. I work with other quality local businesses and I find that success breeds success. I’m excited about new opportunities but will continue my charity work with Maggie’s and others who are close to my heart. I really enjoy the charity work as you find yourself coming up with crazy ideas to raise money.

Whatever I am involved with, it has to be true to my roots and the very best. One thing‘s for sure …. life won’t be dull and I’ll keep on enjoying what I do.

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38

Baked Seabass with Vegetable & Chick Pea Bhuna Eat on the Green, Udny Green Ingredients • I Whole Seabass, Gutted. • 2 Red Chillies, de-seeded & diced. • 1 Clove Garlic, crushed. • 2 Cardamom Pods, crushed. • 25g Fresh Ginger, peeled & sliced. • Small Bunch Coriander, roughly chopped. • 1 Red Onion, roughly chopped. • 1 Courgette, diced. • 1 Chopped Tomato. • 50g Spinach. • 200g Tinned Chick Peas. • 1 tbsp Hot Curry Powder. • 1 tbsp Cumin. • 1 tbsp Ground Coriander. • 1 tsp Turmeric. • 1 tsp Hot Chilli Powder. • 1/2 pint Vegetable Stock. • Sea Salt . • Rapeseed Oil. • Natural Yoghurt. • Fresh Mint, chopped.

Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Slit diagonally the skin of the Seabass & place on a baking tray. Drizzle the skin with rapeseed oil & rub in some sea salt & half of the red chillies. Put into the pre-heated oven and baked for 10 -12 minutes, until the flesh is firm. 3. Whilst the fish is baking, heat some rapeseed oil in a frying pan until piping hot. Place the red onion, chillies, ginger, crushed cardamom pods, garlic into the pan and cook for a few minutes, until they are softened.

Then, stir in all the remaining ingredients to the pan & add the stock. Cover with a lid and slowly simmer until most of the stock has evaporated. This should take roughly 10 – 15 minutes. 4. Mix the fresh mint into the yoghurt and set aside. 5. Put the vegetable bhuna onto the centre of a large, hot, dish & then gently place the Seabass on top. Finish by pouring over some of the minted natural yoghurt & sprinkle with a few leaves of coriander.

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Autumn 2012

39

In each issue of ‘Savour’ magazine we explore an area of Scotland with an outstanding reputation for great food and hospitable accommodation. In the following pages we venture to the remote Outer Hebrides renowned for its high quality produce with lots of talented local producers delivering premium Hebridean fare, including smoked salmon, fresh shellfish, and succulent beef and lamb.

The Hebridean larder consists of fresh ingredients, with restaurant menus kept local and seasonal. Freshwater salmon and trout feature regularly, as does exquisite local shellfish like lobster, scallops and crabs.

Highly recommended is a visit to one of several Hebridean smokehouses, such as Hebridean Smokehouse on North Uist and Salar Smokehouse on South Uist.

And no visit to the Outer Hebrides is complete without trying Stornoway kippers or Stornoway black pudding.

There is a long tradition of cattle and sheep rearing in the Outer Hebrides, resulting in the high quality of local beef and lamb.

In addition to the fish and red meat, there are plenty of artisan cheeses and homemade pates and, for those with a sweet tooth, try the luxury Scottish tablet made

by Barra-based Hebridean Toffee.

Round off the day with a bottle of award-winning craft beer from the Hebridean Brewery in Stornoway or a dram of single malt whisky from the Abhainn Dearg Distillery in Uig on the Isle of Lewis.

Eating and drinking the quality local produce available in the Outer Hebrides will only enhance your enjoyment of these islands, and even more so when those preparing and serving the food have a reputation second to none.

Here we review two of the best known restaurants in Lewis and Harris which have made a deservedly solid reputation for themselves over the years.

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Nestled between two beautiful white sandy beaches on the west coast of Harris and looking out across the bays to an expanse of ever-changing Atlantic Ocean sits Scarista House the perfect place to experience some real Hebridean hospitality.

The Grade B listed Georgian Manse has been lovingly adapted to offer comfortable accommodation to all comers – continuing centuries of tradition of a home that has long hosted weary travellers. With its six bedrooms and self-contained cottage, this award-winning self-styled “small hotel” is the perfect spot for a touch of island-life immersion.

Because, in spite of its remote location, Scarista House and its owner managers Tim and Patricia Martin are at the heart of an island idyll that has to be experienced to be understood.

One of the best illustrations of this is their critically acclaimed dining rooms, whose daily set menus are the culmination of the work of an entire community – from fishermen and crofters to ghillies and growers.

With a strong focus on local, seasonal produce, husband and wife team Tim and Patricia pride themselves on providing their guests with a good, honest island food experience every day. Set menus offer guests no choice, but are perfectly balanced to

ensure optimum enjoyment of each element – giving a great opportunity for diners to discover delightful dishes that might pass them by in another setting where they could be seduced by other offerings. The dishes change daily, and menus are driven by the availability of ingredients – which are served simply with a focus on flavour – a fact recognised by the fact that they are the only Outer Hebridean establishment included in Alastair Sawday’s Eat Slow Britain.

“The most complex piece of equipment in our kitchen is an ice cream maker,” Patricia reveals with a touch of pride. “We know that you don’t need a lot of technology to make food taste good – it’s just great ingredients cooked carefully.”

And of course, each serving comes with its own story. Fish, for example, is sourced from a friendly fishmonger in Stornoway, who selects the cream of the catch and packs it in ice before loading it onto the island bus to be dropped at Scarista House’s door.

Seafood comes from local waters and guests can watch from their windows as local lobster boats pull their pots from the bay, while specialities such as scallops are hand dived just off the same shore.

In season, game including venison, grouse and woodcock is acquired

from local estates, while specialist items are sourced from local suppliers such as Stornoway’s Good Food Boutique delicatessen, where owner Emma helps steer Scarista’s staff towards incoming specialities including artisanal cheeses.

A small on-site market garden provides a selection of fruit and veg, which are supplemented by other independent growers across the island, where possible.

“We try to source as much as we can from across the islands,” explained Patricia. “But obviously there are exceptions, especially with our remote location.” That remote location is, of course, a huge part of the hotel’s allure – with no television on the premises, guests are encouraged to indulge in other pursuits from exploring the spectacular surrounds to relaxing in good company with a glass of wine from the extensive selection of old and new world offerings and practising their swing at the nearby Harris Golf Course to sharing the craic over a dram of specially selected whiskies.

“The most popular activities at Scarista are eating, drinking, lounging around and walking, all of which we cater for adequately!” the owners cheerfully proclaim.

Rooms at Scarista House start at £210 per night, with discounts available from longer stays. Dinner costs £43 for a three course set menu – non-residents are welcome to book for dinner. For more information visit www.scaristahouse.com

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In the small crofting community of Back on the Isle of Lewis, just yards from a stunning sandy beach with amazing views across the Minch towards the mainland, sits Broad Bay House – one of the most exciting establishments the Outer Hebrides has to offer.

Purpose built six years ago, this fivestar, four-bedroom guest house represents the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for proprietors Ian and Marion Fordham – whose desire not only to live in the amazing Outer Hebrides, but also to share the area’s unique appeal with a discerning audience has seen them create something truly special.

Just a short hop from the travel hub of Stornoway, Broad Bay House enjoys an easily accessible yet utterly unspoiled island setting and, with great restaurant credentials and stunning contemporary accommodation, offers an exciting flavour of island life in the 21st Century.

With three Silver Awards from Eat Scotland, and a true passion for local, seasonal produce, the guesthouse offers fantastically fresh authentic island fare with just the lightest touch of modern foodie flair.

Chef proprietor Ian Fordham explained: “When you are surrounded by such a natural bounty it is really all about letting the ingredients speak for themselves.”

In addition to a daily breakfast, dinner

is served four nights a week in the stunning vaulted dining room, which offers a three-sided panorama over the surrounding seascape and scenery, allowing diners to immerse themselves in their island setting and creating a truly multi-sensory eating experience.

“It’s wall to wall sand, sea and surf,” explains Ian. “A real dining experience is partly about what you are eating and partly about what you are seeing – the design of the dining room with its amazing views really adds to that for our guests.”

The dinner menus, which offer a choice of 3-4 dishes for each course, vary with every meal.

They are produce led – with Ian using his local contacts to source the best ingredients as they become available and then creating dishes around what is on offer – from local Lewis lamb reared in the crofting tradition on the grasses of the machair to the small yearly crop of sweet Stornoway strawberries.

Seafood, of course, features heavily, with Ian making the most of the island offerings all year round.

“We are so lucky here,” he enthuses.

“We have great suppliers on our doorstep, with a fishing fleet still working out of Stornoway harbour and the easy availability of special shellfish such as hand dived scallops.

“We are excited by the immediacy of our ingredients, often our fish was landed just that morning – you can really taste the difference. You’ve never truly tasted fish until you’ve tasted truly fresh fish.”

At Broad Bay House fish is also served smoked (in tribute to the local tradition, which sees the Stornoway air regularly tinged with the sweet smell of oak smoke). A selection of offerings from the area’s handful of artisanal smokehouses is recommended as a great way to start the day including a trio of island smoked salmons or a pair of ovenbaked Stornoway kippers.

Of course, all of the establishment’s culinary creations are also informed by availability – with local estates being a source of game including venison, grouse and woodcock during the season, and locally grown fruit and vegetables always carefully selected to complement the stars of the show.

In spite of their exclusive size and the intimate dining experience they offer, Broad Bay House also gives diners a list of around 25 carefully selected old and new world wines to choose from, as well as around a dozen fine whiskies, including an exciting selection of rare cast strength malts from the islands’ world famous distilleries.

Rooms at Broad Bay House cost £179 per night, Dinner is £35 per person for three courses.

More information can be found at www.broadbayhouse.co.uk

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Highland

Award Recognition for JAMstudio

News Bites Scrabster Shellfish breaks into new markets

To lead on promotion of the new global markets, a new international marketing manager, Roberta Gasterini, has been recruited by the company.

She is working closely with HIE and attending a number of the agency's Architectural

design

consultancy

international programmes to help

JAMstudio is in line for a national award

drive the business forward into new

for its work in revitalising the visitor

global markets.

centre at a famous Highland distillery.

John Logue owner of JPL Shellfish, The business has been shortlisted in one of the categories in the 2012 AJ Retrofit Awards, which champion the best examples of the creative re-use of buildings.

The Aberdeenshire-based specialist is among the finalists in the public building (excluding

educational

or

cultural)

category in the awards programme run by the magazine, The Architects’ Journal.

JAMstudio’s

expert

design

team

conceived and project managed the successful £1m refurbishment of The Dalmore

Visitor

Experience

at

the

distillery, just north of Inverness.

Marie-Louise

Dunk,

a

director

at

JAMstudio, said: “We’re thrilled that our Dalmore project has been shortlisted in these prestigious UK-wide awards.”

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Autumn 2012

said:

"We

have

been

receiving

A Caithness based processor and supplier of locally sourced shellfish is to expand its operations and break into new international markets.

enquiries from all around the world.

Based on Scrabster Harbour's new Seafood Park, JPL Shellfish have been serving customers across the UK and Europe for nearly 20 years.

turn increase our turnover. We have

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is supporting the company with £53,535 which will enable it to develop further and double their workforce by creating an additional five jobs.

A recent increase in requests to export live shellfish to new international markets including Asia has resulted in an expansion of their current premises in order to meet the high demand.

When the expansion is complete, we will be able to concentrate our efforts on these new markets which will in been working closely with HIE to develop this expansion project over the last few months."

HIE account manager Laura Gunn said: "We are very pleased to support the expansion

of

this

vibrant

local

business, especially as they are breaking into new, international markets and showing the world the quality of our shellfish. This is proving once again that the Highlands of Scotland really has some of the finest food and drink products in the world."

43

NOT TO BE MISSED! Golden Spurtle Porridge Making Championships Carrbridge, Inverness-shire 7th October A day of family filled activities celebrating Scotland's national dish with porridge enthusiasts competing to become World Porridge Making Champion.

On Your Bike for a Taste of Scotland

Tastes and Trails of tour from H&I Tours. the Highlands’ restaurants and food

Scotland is a new It features some of most renowned producers.

The concept is simple – work up an appetite cycling through stunning Highland scenery and sample delectable regional delicacies including Scotland’s world-renowned seafood, sumptuous cheeses, Scotch Beef and local meats as well as a few drams of great Scottish whisky. We’re guessing you will not be on your bike for long after that combination.

Designed for beginners and intermediate cyclists, you will experience some of the more remote corners of Scotland’s west coast. But not just by bike. Highlights of

the tour include a ride on the Jacobite Express steam train, made famous in the Harry Potter movies, and voted by National Geographic magazine as one of the best train journeys in the world.

Lunch at the Michelin-starred Kinloch Lodge on Skye and accommodation is provided at 3-star and 4-star guest houses.

So what are you waiting for…on yer bike! www.mountainbikeworldwide.com/biketours/scotland/tastes-and-trails-ofscotland Highland and Island Adventures Worldwide

Shetland Food Festival Shetlands Islands 2 - 11 November Shetland is renowned for its top quality produce including unusual specialities like black potatoes and seawater oatcakes.

This year’s Shetland food spectacular will include a food theatre with professional and novice chefs cooking up a variety of dishes using local produce, a producers’ market featuring local produce, morning fish market tours to see the huge array of freshly landed catch at Shetland's biggest fish auction, and bannockmaking workshops for visitors to try their hand at making the traditional Shetland dish.

Throughout the festival a number of eateries across the islands will be putting on daily specials and creating special menus.

Call on +44 (0)1463 239716

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Awards Finalists Announced The search for the top food and drink businesses in the Highlands and Islands is one step closer as the shortlist for the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards 2012 was recently unveiled.

across all categories. It has been wonderful to see the diverse range of quality businesses across the Highlands and Islands offering a superb range of products and services using locally sourced food and drink.

The judges had a tough job sifting through dozens of quality entries.

But finally 44 businesses - from Hamnavoe in Shetland to Lochcarron in Ross-shire to Lochaline in Argyll - have been shortlisted for the eleven available awards. It will now be an agonising wait for these businesses who will finally learn whether they have won the ultimate accolade of a prestigious Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Award at the 2012 awards ceremony on Friday, 19th October.

“The shortlisted businesses are companies who have demonstrated a commitment to developing their products and services to a very high standard.

Organised by the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Forum and supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the awards showcase the wide range of diverse products and businesses operating in the region, celebrating their achievements in innovation, forward planning and collaboration.

Penny Ellis, Chair of this year’s judging panel said: “This year we have seen a substantial increase in entrants

“It is encouraging to see local food and drink businesses both large and small working hard to bring prosperity to the Highlands and Islands.”

Iain Sutherland, senior development manager for food and drink at HIE commented: "We are proud to continue our support of the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards. They represent a superb opportunity to shine a spotlight on our food and drink industry's finest people, products and businesses.

Congratulations to each of the finalists and we wish them the very best on the night."

Tickets are £70 and can be purchased online at www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com

Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards Finalists 2012 BEST DRINK AWARD Black Isle Brewery Blonde, Black Isle, Ross-shire Bruichladdich Distillery Bruichladdich Islay Barley Series, Isle of Islay Cairngorm Brewery Company Black Gold, Aviemore Tomatin Distillery Tomatin Distillery Highland Single Malt Whisky, Tomatin, Inverness-shire

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Autumn 2012

BEST MARKETING INITIATIVE AWARD Great Glen Game RoyBridge Balblair Distillery Tain, Ross-shire Macbeth’s Butchers Forres, Moray Orkney Fisherman’s Society Ltd Stromness

Shetland Livestock Marketing Group Lerwick Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Speyside

DEVELOPMENT OF EXPORT MARKETS AWARD sponsored by JBT Transport & parcelinQ)

Keltic Seafare (Scotland) Ltd Dingwall, Ross-shire

45 Lossie Seafoods Ltd Buckie, Moray Orkney Fishermen’s Society Stromness Reids of Caithness Thurso Tomatin Distillery Tomatin, Inverness-shire

ENVIRONMENT AWARD (sponsored by Tio Ltd)

Böd Ayre Products Ltd Hamnavoe, Shetland Knockfarrel Produce Dingwall Red Roof Café Gallery Glendale, Isle of Skye SKY Delights Nairn

HEALTHIER FOOD & DRINK AWARD Angelic Gluten Free Inverness Aquascot AlnessRoss-shire Böd Ayre Products Ltd Hamnavoe, Shetland Reids of Caithness Thurso Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil Tain, Ross-shire

INDEPENDENT FOOD & DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD (sponsored by J D Cowper Ltd)

Connage Highland Dairy Ardersier, Inverness Gordon & MacPhail Elgin, Moray SKY Delights Nairn The Tobermory Fish Company Tobermory, Isle of Mull

NEW BUSINESS AWARD (sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink)

Angelic Gluten Free Inverness Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil Tain, Ross-shire Lochcarron Bistro Lochcarron, Ross-shire Red Roof Café Gallery Glendale, Isle of Skye SpainSun Delicatessen Products Dingwall

The Forest Kitchen Lochend, Inverness

NEW PRODUCT AWARD (sponsored by Polaris Learning Ltd)

Angelic Gluten Free Cookie Range Inverness Dry Island Shellfish Squat Lobster Tails DryIsland, Gairloch, Ross-shire Reids Highland Fare Range of Pies Invergordon, Ross-shire Reids of Caithness – Healthy Range of Groatie Oatcake Biscuits Thurso Simpsons Buckie Limited 125ml Vanilla, Strawberry & Chocolate Ice Cream Buckie, Moray Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil – Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil & Cullisse Mixed Pepper and Spice Marinade Tain, Ross-shire The Forest Kitchen – Handmade Whisky Fudge Lochend, Inverness

The Old School Beauly Beauly, Inverness-shire The Pier Café Lochside, Lairg, Sutherland The Puffer Bar & Restaurant EasdaleIsland, Argyll

YOUNG SHINING STAR AWARD (sponsored by The Full Range Purchasing Ltd)

Alexander MacLeod Summer Isles Hotel, Achiltibuie, Ross-shire Andrew Whitehouse Café Artysans, Inverness Carlyn Kearney Frankies Fish & Chip Café & Takeaway, Brae, Shetland Lisa Marie Ireland Route 66, Inverness Michael Scott Mike’s Filling Station Alness, Ross-shire Sally Swinbanks The Tobermory Fish Company, Tobermory, Isle of Mull Tammy Rendall Reids of Caithness, Thurso

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR AWARD

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

(sponsored by Swansons Fruit Company and Speyside Specialities)

(sponsored by The Storehouse and The Dores Inn)

Creelers of Skye Broadford Isle of Eriska Hotel Benderloch, Argyll Kylesku Hotel Kylesku, Sutherland Summer Isles Hotel Achiltibuie, Ross-shire Baltasound Hotel Unst, Shetland The Glenview Culnacnoc, Staffin, Isle of Skye The Whitehouse Restaurant Lochaline, Argyll

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony

EXCELLENCE AWARD This special award is reserved by the judging panel to recognise and reward excellence in any category or on one particular entry. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.

BEST OTHER EATERY AWARD Applecross WalledGarden Applecross, Ross-shire Kishorn Seafood Bar Strathcarron, Ross-shire Red Roof Café Gallery Glendale, Isle of Skye

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47

Fresh Pickings Foraging the Scottish countryside for a fantastic variety of wild ingredients is gaining in popularity and a topic not disregarded in previous issues of ‘Savour’.

Now, with the help of a new guide which has just been published, you can forage for your own ingredients, the freshest from Scotland’s wild larder, and learn to use them to cook Scottish fare.

number of unusual flavours and species the book highlights. “We are lucky to have such a fantastic variety of edible wild mushrooms, plants and seaweeds in Scotland, making us the envy of top chefs around the world, and, with the resurgence of interest in sustainability, this inspiring resource comes at the perfect time.”

The new guide to sustainable responsible foraging, A Handbook of Scotland’s Wild Harvests, is bursting with top tips and know-how on how to harvest some of Scotland’s natural wild resources. It has even caught the attention of the country’s Michelin-starred chefs.

The handbook, published in August 2012, provides information about Scotland’s edible plants including fungi, berries and seaweeds and gives the best tried and tested Scottish recipes to use them in. Try recreating authentic and traditional dishes, such as nettle broth, or modern favourites with a Scottish twist, such as blackberry muffins.

Andrew Fairlie, whose restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles is the only one in Scotland to be awarded two Michelin stars, is particularly excited about the

The book also gives details on different mosses and woods which can be used for firewood, craft materials or natural remedies and homemade wines.

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48

Money for Scottish food and drink firms One million pounds of Scottish government money will be used to help promote food and drink firms before a series of showcase events in 2014. The Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and the second Year of Homecoming are all being held in Scotland that year. The government wants food and drink producers to use the events to promote their produce around the world.

News Bites...

Kevin puts Simpson’s on Dining Map course of Roast Rack of Dornoch Lamb with Slow Cooked Shoulder.

The menu also features locally landed lobster.

Funding will support the implementation of the Food and Drink 2014 Action Plan, a partnership with industry groups. The government is working with enterprise agencies, Event Scotland and industry body Scotland Food and Drink.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "There will be unprecedented opportunities to showcase the magnificent produce Scotland has to offer. "However, it's vital that companies prepare in advance to give themselves the best possible opportunity to reap the rewards on offer."

Scotland Food and Drink chief executive James Withers said: "This funding is a pivotal step towards achieving our ambitions for 2014. Our showcasing of Scottish food and drink at the Olympics last month was an insight into what we can achieve. However, the hard work for 2014 starts now. We are developing a programme of work with food and drink businesses of all sizes so they can seize the opportunities over the next two years."

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Simpson’s steaks will be provided by renowned, Perthshire-based Simon Howie Butchers – a first for Aberdeen.

Also making its debut in the city is halibut from the Isle of Gigha.

Executive Chef Kevin Dalgleish has launched his first A la Carte menu for Aberdeen landmark Simpson’s, putting the restaurant among the area’s top eateries.

Having trained at The Savoy in London and worked as Executive Chef at renowned luxury retreat Ackergill Tower, Kevin’s new menu showcases the best of Scottish produce, some of it available in the Granite City, for the first time.

Dishes include Kevin’s trademark starter of Duck Tartare served with Belhaven Cured Venison and a main

Head of Group Operations Rory MacAleece said: “Kevin is a fantastic addition to the team and the initial changes he has made to our breakfast and lunch menus have proven extremely popular.

“This A la Carte menu really gives a taste of Kevin’s talents and we look forward to our diners enjoying his cooking.”

Executive Chef Kevin Dalgleish added: “My cooking is all about creating simple, elegant dishes by using the best possible produce. Thankfully, we don’t have to travel far for them in Scotland.”

Simpson’s Restaurant was bought by hoteliers Graham and Gillian Wood earlier this year and is run as a family business.

49

Branding Scottish Lamb Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is rolling-out a new Scotch Lamb campaign which builds on the success of the “Scotch Lamb, Buy Local” campaign developed last year.

This year’s campaign, which urges consumers to “Buy Local” when making their purchase decisions, will tempt consumers with a tantalising dish of Scotch Lamb cutlets served with a Moroccan-style chickpea salad.

The four week campaign, which aims to reach 88.9% of the target market in Scotland, features print advertising as well as digital display panels in Glasgow Underground. The activity also includes an on-line TV advert plus a presence on key cooking and recipe websites.

“The “Buy Local” campaign is aimed at encouraging consumers to buy Scotch Lamb when it’s at its most plentiful,” said Suzie Carlaw, Marketing Controller, QMS. “Scotch Lamb stands out from its competitors because of its unique taste,

plus the fact, it’s a natural product which is born and reared on farms in Scotland meeting the highest quality standards.

“Consumers have every reason to feel very proud of the product produced on their doorstep.”

QMS-commissioned research, which was carried out by IGD, reveals that Scottish consumer recognition in Scottish target markets of the Scotch Lamb brand is already strong at 85%.

Openhighstreet.com and Myhigh.St both allow customers to shop locally on their mobile, PC or tablet. Customers can either click and collect, or have purchases delivered to their door.

"A big criticism of local shops is that they're always closed when people want to shop," says Loaye Agabani, co-founder of Myhigh.St. "For too long, independent retailers have lagged behind online retailers. Our aim is for every independent to be as easy to access as Amazon."

Openhighstreet, keeps things local: shops only deliver within certain postcodes. It

Aberdeen diners will be able to taste something new to the city when Tony Renda and Nikos Spathis, the

More than half of Scots (62%) surveyed in October 2011 rate Scotch Lamb as the “best available” and 74% agree that it is produced with “higher standards”.

team behind the hugely successful

Additionally, around 52% of target markets surveyed agree they are willing to pay more for Scotch Lamb.

light lunch, dinner, coffee, drinks or a

“The research figures are very encouraging and high consumer awareness is a great foundation to build on,” said Ms Carlaw.

unit previously occupied by ‘Pancho

Easier Access for Local Shops Two new schemes aim to breathe life back into our beleaguered high streets.

New Eating Experience

works more like a supermarket, but allows customers to search for specific products and compare prices locally.

‘Rustico’ restaurant, open ‘Aperitivo’ this month. Customers can enjoy a fresh sandwich to take away. The new eating venue is situated in the Villa’ in the Galleria Centre.

Sweet Dreams There’s a new hotel in town offering a totally unique experience. You may get odd glances if you ask to stay the night but what you will get is irresistible chocolate specialities. The Chocolat Hotel has recently opened

The glossy site features photos and detailed descriptions of products. A major plus is that even if you buy from different shops, there's only one checkout and a single delivery charge (£5). Deliveries continue until 9pm or you can click and collect.

in Union Square offering you, among

Neil Powell, a butcher who has listed his shop on Openhighstreet says he took 30 orders in the first week after the site launched. "That's 30 orders that we wouldn't have got otherwise," he says: "This is helping people who can't make it to the high street."

is a stunning selection of chocolates

others, a Winter Warmer Sleekster, just the ticket to take the edge off those

chilly

North-east

gusts,

warming you through and through.

They’re also great for sharing. There which, if you can part with them, make

great gifts for special

occasions or a perhaps just a simple ‘thank you’.

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50

Dine and Recline with a Click Online

“Superb Scottish food and service.”

“We had one of the best meals in Scotland at this delightful harbourfront restaurant. Excellent value, delicious steak and Guinness pie with locally produced vegetables and excellent service from Carol who was extremely helpful in recommending touring itineraries. She also moved us to a window table for the view. Highly recommended; great value”

The quaint harbour town of Stonehaven serves up a quiet slice of North-east coastline and the picturesque harbour, sheltered by towering cliffs and calming sea walls is worth a visit at any time of year. However, the gem in this postcardworthy setting is The Ship Inn, a cosy and characterful hostelry snuggling into the Shorehead.

Owner Simon Cruickshank has supervised a recent refurbishment and modernisation of the bar and lounge area which has seen an increase in floor space whilst retaining the character and charm which is synonymous with this popular establishment. Fresh new toilets, with disabled patrons catered for and baby changing facilities have been installed.

The bar has a wide range of draught beers including real ales which change regularly and there are over 100 different malt whiskies available.

This majestic building is also home to the Captain’s Table restaurant, serving Scottish produce with the emphasis on

locally caught seafood, but there is something for everyone. The ever changing seasonal menu ensures only the best locally caught and produced ingredients are used in the chef’s creative dishes.

Stay a few nights in one of eleven comfortable bedrooms, all with modern facilities including Wi-Fi access. A freshly designed website allows you to check availability and book online. (wwwshipinnstonehaven.com). Enjoy the early morning panorama as you tuck into a hearty Scottish breakfast before the day unfolds.

Stonehaven’s shopping area is only a few minutes’ walk away and there are no parking restrictions in the vicinity of the inn. The rugged coastline awaits your exploration as does Deeside, particularly resplendent in its autumnal glory and only a short 20 minute drive away.

The welcoming staff, fresh, quality food, real ales and comfortable rooms make The Ship Inn an ideal place to visit this autumn.

The Ship Inn 5 Shorehead, Stonehaven, AB39 2JY Tel: 01569 762617 savour

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Green’s the way Chips of Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, has been announced as one of four finalists at this year’s Scottish Green Awards in the category for Best Green Small Company.

The Green Awards recognises the achievements of individuals and businesses that have shown initiative in the reduction of their carbon and environmental footprints, which has had a positive effect on their surroundings and their business.

A North-east fish and chip shop which is driven to becoming more environmentally efficient has battered off competition to be named a finalist in one of Scotland’s most prestigious environmental awards. The Bay Fish and

The multi-award winning chippy, which currently holds the crown as Scotland’s No1 fish & chip shop, has been highly recognised in the last year for its pledge towards sustainability and the environment. The Bay has a three star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) placing them as one of the highest rated restaurants in the UK and earlier this year scooped the

Environmental and Sustainability award at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence awards.

Owner of The Bay, Calum Richardson said: “We are delighted to have made it as a finalist at this year’s Green Awards as it truly affirms our drive to showcase the fish and chip industry in a positive manner. We’ve made a lot of effort to ensure we source the best produce for our customers, manage energy and waste the best we can, and play our part in the local community. We want The Bay to stand out in the industry so that other similar businesses can learn and follow in our footsteps to help work towards a more sustainable future.”

The winners of the awards will be announced at a dinner on Thursday 4 October at the Science Centre in Glasgow at a ceremony hosted by BBC broadcaster, Jackie Bird.

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Prego – All wraps available here are on warmed floured tortillas and toasted on request. With such delights as ‘crispy sweet tuna’ and the charmingly named ‘hey pesto’ (chicken with green pesto mayo, sliced tomato and fresh basil) it’s a highly rated venue for a lunchtime visit. All have a side of hand-cooked crisps, tossed salad and Prego couscous. It’s well worth the trip to Fountainhall Road.

One of Aberdeen’s best loved coffee shops (and mine!) is Rocksalt and Snails.

The panini’s will not disappoint nor will the po boys (open-topped sandwiches). It was a lovely day when I visited, which enabled me to enjoy some al fresco nibbling.

It’s always such a nice atmosphere too but the only down-side is I can’t leave without visiting the deli……it’s so irresistible! They always have such delightful, local, great quality artisan foods available.

St Swithin Street, Aberdeen.

If you are enjoying some retail therapy at Union Square or are lucky enough to work nearby, pop along to 210 Bistro in South Market Street. It looks so contemporary and inviting. I tried the Cajun chicken Caesar salad wrap with kettle chips and salad.

Just delicious! There’s a great value soup and panini offer too. This is the perfect place to relax and watch the world go buy.

Books and Beans in Belmont Street, Aberdeen have some great panini’s. I love the French brie, bacon and cranberry filling but if you’re an early bird you should try the breakfast panini with bacon, egg and tomato. As the name implies this is more than a café and you can browse, and indeed buy, second hand books here.

If you are heading out of town on the Deeside road, make sure you stop at the Mains of Drum restaurant. They have a selection of mouth-watering wraps including smoked salmon and cream cheese and warmed Hoisin duck with spring onion and cucumber. Leave plenty of time as there is lots to see at this impressive garden centre.

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One of the little joys of life is sitting with a coffee on a side street watching the world go by. Aberdeen has a thriving café culture so, as much as we love the national coffee giants, it’s time to explore the quirky cafés this cosmopolitan city has to offer.

From beachfront baps to West- end patisseries there’s lots of individuality to be found in the freshly made, delicious bakes and steaming coffees.

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Duck, Haggis and Cranberry Terrine Liz's Larder, Glen Tanar Estate Ingredients • 4oz fresh cranberries • 4oz caster sugar • 3.5 fl oz water • Approx 15 rashers streaky bacon (unsmoked) • 4 large duck breasts, skin and sinew removed • 5 oz haggis • 3.5 fl oz double cream

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 150c/fan 140c gas mark 2. 2. Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 3. Once boiled add the cranberries to the pan and remove from the heat. Leave the cranberries to cool in the syrup. 4. Using the back of a knife stretch the bacon into long pieces so that it is doubled in length. Line a deep terrine or loaf tin with the bacon, making sure that each piece overlaps the previous one and they hang over the sides as this will cover the top. 5. Place two of the duck breasts and haggis into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the cream into the processor in a steady stream. Once all the cream has been added season well with salt and pepper. 6. Spread a third of the mixture into the base of the lined tin and cut the remaining two duck breasts into five long thin strips each. Place the five strips on top of the mixture in the tin. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle over half the cranberries and season again. 7. Cover with another third of the duck & haggis mixture, the duck strips and the rest of the cranberries and repeat the layering. 8. Finally spread the final third of the duck paste over the top and wrap the bacon over, making sure the duck mixture is completely covered and you have a good overlap.

9. Place the terrine in a roasting tray. Pour boiling water into the tray so that it is halfway up the sides of the terrine.

Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes. To check that the terrine is cooked place a skewer into the centre for 10 seconds and if it comes out hot the terrine is cooked. 9. Remove the terrine from the baking tray, pour off any liquid.

Cover with a piece of greaseproof paper, place second tin on top and fill this with weights to press the terrine while cooling (cans of beans works well). Once cooled remove the weights and turn out from the tin. Slice with a sharp knife and serve with cranberry chutney and oatcakes.

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