Food
Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Award winners announced
With 19 entered categories celebrating excellence across the Scottish food and drink industry, the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards is considered by many to be the ‘Oscars’ of the sector. The awards include nine retail and foodservice product categories judged mainly by taste plus a wide range of business awards, which include Environmental Sustainability, Scottish Sourcing and Investing in People, in addition to a new award introduced during the Year of Food and Drink recognising Young Talent in the industry.
The winners were announced by broadcaster Kaye Adams at a ceremony at Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland on 27 May with more than 800 guests attending on the night.
See the full list of winners here
Crail Food Festival 2015 programme is announced
Food and drink lovers are anticipating a true banquet as the Crail Food Festival 2015 programme is announced with a line up that contains a unique chocolate larder, a series of street food pop-ups, producers’ markets, top chefs including Michelin-starred Geoffrey Smeddle, and the iconic lunch at the harbour festival.
The festival, which is in its fifth year, brings the picturesque Fife coastal village alive with a full weekend of activities designed to showcase the very best in outstanding local produce with over 80 participants taking part.
Burger Meats Bun hosts its 5th Meat Up
Burger Meats Bun will host its 5th Meat Up at their Edinburgh venue on Monday 8th June. Meat Ups are a chance for burger-lovers to enjoy a one-off burger menu devised and cooked by some of Scotland’s best chefs.
Fraser Allan, executive chef at Edinburgh’s The Pompadour by Galvin and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe will take over the reigns of the BMB kitchen on the 8th of June, preparing his own take on the ultimate 3-course burger menu, a fusion of fine dining and street food.
You can find out more information and buy your ticket here
Drink
Ardbeg celebrate Ardbeg day with Perpetuum release
Ardbeg Perpetuum, exclusively launched to mark the distillery's bicentenary, will be available to purchase from 30 May 2015 at Ardbeg Embassies* for a two-week exclusive period and will be available at Ardbeg Embassies, Whisky specialists and department stores from 13 June.
Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “Ardbeg’s character has endured 200 years and we hope it will continue for centuries to come.
“The 2015 Ardbeg Day anniversary bottling, Ardbeg Perpetuum, celebrates this milestone year with a recipe that includes some very old and young Ardbeg, silky Ardbeg from bourbon barrels and some spicy Ardbeg from sherry casks. The resulting expression combines classic notes of dark chocolate and treacle with sea-spray, peat smoke, vanilla and a hint of sherry casks, to create an unforgettable single malt with an aftertaste that is never-ending.”
Arran Distillery Reveals Online Community Selected Bottling
The Isle of Arran Distillery has today announced the release of its first White Stag bottling. Chosen by a panel comprised of White Stag members, only 214 bottles are available worldwide.
In January of this year, a panel of White Stag members gathered in Oran Mor in Glasgow to taste five cask samples. The 10 members of the panel selected the cask without any input from the Distillery team, with their comments forming the tasting notes for the malt. After a spirited evening, the Sherry Hogshead 97/737 was selected. Turning 18 Years old on the 23rd May, this first White Stag bottling will be available online from the 15th June.
Events:
Crail Food Festival - Crail
(12 – 14 June 2015)
The festival, which is in its fifth year, brings the picturesque Fife coastal village alive with a full weekend of activities designed to showcase the very best in outstanding local produce with over 80 participants taking part.
Ginomics for Generation Gin – Glasgow
(Thursday, 4th June)
Discover the science of gin with Ewan Henderson of Scotch Broth Events, Dr Richard Burchmore, Dr Isabel Vincent, Dr Stefan Weidt and the team from the University of Glasgow Polyomics. Explore the chemistry of botanicals with taste tests & science experiments. This with 5 delicious gin cocktails over 4 courses and a multi-sensory jazz pairing element.
Royal Highland Show – Edinburgh
(Thursday 18th June – Sunday 21st June)
2015 is Scotland’s Year of Food & Drink and the Royal Highland Show, Scotland’s largest food and drink event, plans to celebrate by launching a brand new food offering, ‘Scotland’s Larder Live!’ the ultimate celebration of Scottish produce. Featuring over 150 Scottish food and drink exhibitors there will be live cooking experiences, an opportunity to have taste buds tickled at every step and hundreds of products on sale, from Orkney artisan cheese to botanical gin from Angus.
Whisky Fringe 2015 – Edinburgh
(7th,8th & 9th August – 2pm to 6pm)
Now in its 14th year, Royal Mile Whiskies annual Whisky Fringe tasting event attracts people from all over the world to Edinburgh.
Come along to the beautiful Mansfield Traquair (a former church with magnificent murals by Phoebe Anne Traquair) to sample some of the best whiskies around. Over 25 distillers will be on show with a total of more than 250 drams available to taste.
Summer Beer & Food Fest – Edinburgh
(August 1st)
Summer Beer & Food Fest is Edinburgh’s first collaboration festival taking place on Saturday 1st August at Stewart Brewing. Rather than hosting an event by themselves, the local craft brewery wanted to organise a real celebration and as such, have decided to team up with local & likeminded food and drink producers and industry specialists. Emily Gray, Marketing & Communications at Stewart Brewing explains that, “the day will triumph all of the incredible, local and high quality produce that is available in Edinburgh and further afield. It is certainly the biggest scale event that our team have tackled and I imagine the largest food and drink festival to set foot on Midlothian soils”.
Recipe of the week:
Tom Kitchin Recipe: Mackerel with beetroot salad
Tom Kitchin's mouth-watering recipe for mackerel and beetroot salad.
Picture: Marc Millar
Feature of the week:
10 things you (probably) didn’t know about Irn Bru
As iconic as whisky and as famous as haggis, Scotland’s other national drink is widely enjoyed not just in the land of its birth but also across the globe. Synonymous with Scottish culture, most Scots claim they couldn't live without it while others claim it is the best hangover cure around. Here's 10 things you (probably) didn't know about Irn-Bru.
Restaurant review of the week:
Great service, lovely food and great value - Lynn O'rourke finds Edinburgh's Yeni Meze Bar to be her kind of place.
