savourAutumn 2012

03Welcome to

savourA celebration of North-east food and drinkAUTUMN 2012 ISSUE

We should be bemoaning the end ofpleasant summer weather as the air beginsto cool, but, let’s face it, the seasons arebecoming less defined and it has not exactlybeen a summer of sunshine. However, asthe crisp leaves fall, covering the garden,there is a treat in store for the taste buds.Autumn brings with it a vast variety ofseasonal fruit and vegetables which are notonly delicious in soups and stews but theyalso help boost your immune system beforethe cold weather bites.

Game is readily available including grouse,partridge, venison, wood pigeon and wildtrout. Restaurants throughout Aberdeenshirewill be serving up a huge range of locally

sourced produce in a varied and imaginativeway. In this issue we talk to two successfuland entertaining lads ‘The Two Fat Laddies’and one of the North-east’s most respectedchefs Craig (The Tartan Chef) Wilson from‘Eat on the Green’. We profile Prue Leith,judge on The Great British Menu and one ofthe country’s most respected restaurateursand writers and in our Break-Away pages wefocus on the rich diversity of produce andaccommodation in the Highlands andIslands.

Our local ‘News Bites’ will keep youinformed of what’s happening on ourdoorstep and of course, there are moredelicious recipes for you to try at home.

FROM THE EDITOR

contactswww.savour.co.uk

MACKINTOSH MEDIASavour is produced by Mackintosh Media

Ltd. Regent Quay House, Regent Quay,

Aberdeen AB11 5BE.

EDITORIAL

Eric Farquharson

T: +44 (0) 7730133036

E: eric@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTION

Calum Farquhar

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E: calum@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

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Steve Mackintosh

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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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04

Vodka Eton Mess with passion fruitThe Arch, Fettercairn

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

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.

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A celebration of North-east food and drinkAUTUMN 2012 ISSUE

CONTENT

ingredients

The Two Fat Laddies’ p11Chatting to the North-east’s twocharitable characters

Farmers Market p12Find your local farmer’smarket

Wines Uncorked p19In Search of thePerfect Pinot

Dram Fine Idea p21Dram good news for thewhisky industry

True Prue p28/29A profile of a most loved author,broadcaster and restaurateur

Craig Wilson p36/37This Tartan Chef isRather Special

Break-away p39-43 Take a Break-away to theHighlands and Islands

48 17 20

40

26 28

27

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06

Ola Oils, Scotland’s Original producersof cold pressed rapeseed oil have wonfurther accolades for their products.

In the 2012 Great Taste Awards, run bythe Guild of Fine Foods, Ola ColdPressed Rapeseed Oil and Ola ChilliJam both scooped Gold Awards.

John Sorrie of Ola Oils said: “We’redelighted with our two Gold Awardsand this adds to our two gold GreatTaste awards from last year.

“Ola Oil is a healthier alternative toolive oil and has less than half thesaturated fat. Additionally, Ola has no

trans fats but is very high in Omega3,6 & 9 and Vitamin E.

“Ola is ideal for all types of cookingand has a very high smoke pointwhich makes it ideal for hightemperature cooking such as stirfrying and roasting.

“We grow all our own rapeseed andpress, bottle, label and cap our oil onthe farm – we use no heat orchemicals in the process.

“Our Chilli Jam has proved extremelypopular since it was launched at Tasteof Grampian in 2011 both in retail jarsand also the catering packs we offerto hotels and restaurants.”

Ola Oils are available fromindependent outlets and the companyhave a no-supermarket policy. JohnSorrie added: “We’ve had a few peoplequestion why we don’t supplysupermarkets but with the recent milkprice outrage we’re finding more andmore people turning againstsupermarkets and looking to smallerindependent outlets.”

NewsBites...Prime Time Upstairs

If you’re looking for a relaxedenvironment, somewhere to enjoy a glassof wine, a rare whisky or a classic cocktail- all in the heart of Aberdeen, things arelooking up – UPSTAIRS.

Located on Crown Terrace, UPSTAIRS iswhere you can find one of the best wineselections in the city. Thanks to a uniquepreservation technique, UPSTAIRS offers awide selection of delicious wines,available by the glass so it’s perfect if youwant to try something a bit different orcompare wines.

For those who enjoy the water of lifethere are plenty of unusual and rarewhiskies, best enjoyed relaxing on thecomfortable couches and seats whileletting the stress and strains of the daymelt away.

Located above The Prime Cuts Restaurant,private dining rooms and conferencingfacilities are also available with allcatering being provided by The PrimeCuts.

www.theupstairswinebar.co.uk

Ola Strike GoldOnce Again!

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Chippy Raises Fundsfor Good CauseThe Bay Fish and Chips ofStonehaven held a fish and wineevening at its local yacht club tohelp raise awareness of sustainablelocal produce whilst raising funds forthe unit, which is close to theirhearts.

The evening at the Aberdeen andStonehaven Yacht Club was a jointevent teaming up seafood specialsfrom The Bay and finely matchedwine from New Zealand sustainableWine.

The Bay is run by husband and wifeteam Calum and Lindsay Richardson,who decided to support theneonatal unit after one of their twinswas cared for there after being bornprematurely three years ago.

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s neonatalunit has been providing care for ill orpremature newborn babies for morethan 20 years and provide expert,round-the-clock care for newbornbabies who are ill or bornprematurely.

King of the CastleNorth-east branch members of theCampaign for Real Ale Good BeerGuide chose Archibald Simpson inAberdeen’s Castle Street to be listedin the 2013 guide. Following regularvisits to the pub they took intoaccount the décor, atmosphere andcustomer service. A spokesman said“The Archibald Simpson deserves itsplace in the Good Beer Guide 2013.It is our belief that if a licensee servesan excellent pint of real ale, theneverything else in the pub, includingcustomer service, quality of food andatmosphere, is likely to be of anequally high standard.”

An Aberdeen village offering residenceand support to adults with special needshas received a £500 donation from a localconvenience store.

Newton Dee, located in Bieldside,received the donation from a local branchof Scotmid Co-operative via money raisedthrough carrier bag sales within the store.Scotmid had selected Newton Dee as itschosen charity to receive the bagdonations earlier this year.

Colin Haldane, a senior co-worker atNewton Dee, said: “We are extremelygrateful to Scotmid for choosing us astheir charity and for making this generousdonation. This money will be a great helpto 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.

North-east chefs and culinary students atAberdeen College got the chance to sharethe kitchen with a world-class chocolatierand patissier as part of roadshowdemonstrations organised by UK awardwinning food suppliers, Braehead Foods.

The world’s largest chocolatemanufacture, Barry Callebaut, has beenrunning chocolate workshops inassociation with Braehead Foods, open toall levels of chefs hoping to improve theirproduct knowledge and skills.

Leading the demonstration was WillTorrent, the award-winning MasterChocolatier and consultant chef forWaitrose supermarket group. Will’s firstforay into the world of high-class cuisinecame 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 VillageReceives Donation

World-classChocolatier

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In 2007, James and Julie Haig createdHAIGS, an independent family ownedbusiness and earlier this year openedtheir new food hall in Aberdeen’sSchoolhill. Run with passion,commitment and drive it is all aboutsupplying fresh local produce, coupledwith good value and outstandingservice. ‘Savour’ met with this highlyregarded couple to find out moreabout them and their successfulbusiness.

Q: Why did you and James feel thetime was right to make a move back toAberdeen when you had a thrivingbusiness in Coventry?

A: Although our business was thrivingwe wanted to expand and had somegreat ideas but the premises we hadwas just too small. We were mainly abutcher and baker and we wanted totake the shop further. We had beenlooking in Aberdeen for premises forabout a year when we found a vacantpossession in the city centre we felt hadgreat potential. Although there aresome great farm shops in thecountryside here there is not really agreat food hall in the city centre. Wewanted to bring back four importantretailers into the heart of the city – thegreengrocer, fishmonger, baker andbutcher all under one roof. The pace oflife today is so fast customers are moredemanding and want the best possibleproduce without having to shoparound for it. That’s why HaigsAberdeen was born!

Q: What makes Haigs different fromother food stores?

A: It’s a family run business and there isalways at least one of us in the foodhall. James is a Master Butcher withmany years’ experience having workedwith customers such as Harrods, Harvey

Nichols, Spencer House and Claridges.We have a Q Guild Butchery on site andwe have been awarded an Eat SafeAward on our first inspection. However,it is our passion for fresh local qualityfood and our desire to serve a uniqueexperience to the Aberdeen publicwhich sets us apart.

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

A: James previously managed anorganic abattoir and butcherywholesale business so had lots ofknowledge to bring to the butchery. Ithas been purpose built to comply withnew legislation with hygiene at thehighest standard and segregatingmanufacturing from cutting. There aretwo viewing windows where customerscan watch the team in action and givethem confidence in the products theyare buying. Someone is always on handto offer advice on cuts and cookinginstructions. Obviously James buys onlythe best possible local meats.

Q: Is it important to you to buy local oris it rather a question of buying thebest irrespective of where it comesfrom?

A: Even when we lived and worked inCoventry we bought Aberdeenshirebeef. It simply is the best. We do buythe highest quality meat, vegetables,berries and fish and are incredibly luckyas it is all local. We are fortunate to bein Aberdeenshire as it is blessed withthe best produce in the country.

Q: So who are your customers?

A: We have a real mix from officeworkers popping in for a coffee andcroissant for breakfast, shoppers andstudents popping in for lunch totourists who want to take a gift backhome and those finishing work and

requiring something for dinner. Wehave young parents, ‘foodies’, peoplefrom all walks of life. We also have anincreasing number of customers whocome in for a weekly shop.

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

A: That’s hard but I think I’d go forrustic bread with pate as a starterfollowed by sirloin steak (medium rare)in pepper sauce with roastedvegetables and to finish fresh fruitsalad, strawberries and cream. All localof course and straight from Haigs FoodHall.

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

A: Such was our reputation in Coventrywe still have customers from theMidlands and inside the M25. Theyhave found our products and ourservice so good we have managed tohold on to their custom. We’ve alsofound people have come into the foodhall here, had a look around thenordered on-line from home whenthey’ve had more time.

Q: What next for Haigs?

A: We’d like to work even more withlocal producers and increase ourproduct range. We would like to supplycorporate events. Introduce our platterswith hams, cheeses and chutneys tolocal businesses and we’d like to workon education initiatives with localschools where we could invite pupils toour premises and educate them on thesource of what they eat andunderstanding the food chain. I’m surewe’re going to be very busy!!

ButcherBaker, Business Maker

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Method1. Cut open the chicken supreme on the underside until a small pocket is created and place the sundried tomato andmozzarella 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 aovenproof dish and in to a preheated oven approx 180/200 degrees, after 10/15 mins add the seasoned vegetablesand 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 warmedplate, cut chicken supreme on a slant and place on top of vegetables, then drizzle some Basil oil around the chickenand vegetables.

6. Garnish with a sprig of Basil

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

Supreme of Chicken filled withsundried tomato and freshmozzarellaThe Two Fat Laddies

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Doric Duo DelightSandy Greig and Robert Bruce, betterknown as ‘The Two Fat Laddies’, havebeen entertaining local audiences foryears. Regular faces at ‘A Taste ofGrampian’, they might be classed asthe North-east’s answer to ‘The HairyBikers’, with a quirky mix of banter andcookery demonstrations. However, thelads over the years, have raised hugesums of money for local charities.‘Savour’s’ editor threw caution to thewind and met with the lads to ascertainthe future of this rather iconic duo.

Q: Your blend of cooking andhumorous chat has entertained theNorth East for years. How did you firstmeet?

A: Robert was my Lecturer at AberdeenCollege and took me under his wing.He took me off for a two week trial atThe Waterside Inn in Peterhead and wehave been friends ever since. Some saylike 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 RuralInstitute and one dear lady was sittingsleeping so Robert suggested I tell ajoke. She woke up, I told a few morejokes 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 fund-

raising 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 you attend events in

Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Banff, and

everywhere between Aboyne and

Arbroath but 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 anadult audience as I can tell betterjokes!!!!

Q: Have you a signature dish you bothlike to demonstrate?

A: Robert is very good with fish but cando everything really. I like beef but wehave no real preferences really andboth enjoy what we do. We try to uselocal, seasonal produce if possible or ifsomething has been donated by asupplier. We each produce two platesof each course, usually a starter, maincourse and dessert - so 6 differentdishes on the night. We recently startedauctioning off the food after we havecooked it with the money raised goingto the fundraisers.

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

A: We still have demos to do this yearin Fraserburgh, Banchory, Arbroath,Culter and Alford. No doubt next yearwe will return to’ Taste of Grampian’. Iwould like to do a BIG showsomewhere, such as the Music Hall inAberdeen - possibly with Guest Chefsand Break through the £200,000fundraising mark.

Photos courtesy of Taste of Grampian

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Inverurie Farmers’ MarketSince 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, FoveranThe 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

Method1. 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

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)

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savourAutumn 2012

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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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 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

the new partnership Caber Coffee's

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,

especially given how young we are as a

charity. Initially our aim was to help

around 60 people in the first year and

already that has grown to over 100. “

Caber CoffeeLaunch Mission Motorsport Brand

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savourAutumn 2012

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!

In Season

September

October

November

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,

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.

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.

MEAT & POULTRY - Goose, Hill Lamb.

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Making jam is set to be a popular activity in the kitchen thisautumn with the increasing trend in home growing andbaking. Jam isn’t just great to eat, making it yourself providesa beautiful fragrance throughout the house, is entertainingfor friends and family and a great way to involve the kids,especially when the jam labels need decorating! Gettingstarted couldn’t be easier.

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

making homemade jam. Strawberries aren’t just forWimbledon – our customers are using the summer pastimeof fruit picking to make preserves that they can enjoy all yearround or give to friends and family as gifts.”

To ensure you are fully prepared you can choose from arange of jam making equipment at John Lewis, includingeverything from funnels to jars and covers. The John Lewispreserving sets start from £25 and individual preservingessentials start from £2.

Method1. Wash the strawberries and remove all stalks and leaves (remove pips, pith and skin as needed with your chosenfruit). Dry on kitchen paper and place into the preserving pan 2. Mash the fruit to your preference. If you like lots oflumps them leave some whole; if you like it super smooth then use a hand blender. 3. Bring the mixture to the boiland then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the fruit/vegetables have softened. 4. Add the jamsugar to the mixture and stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved, then bring the mixture back to the boil5. 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 mixturefrom the heat and carefully ladle the jam while still hot into sterile jars, using the jam funnel. 8. Add wax circles (helpto 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 withapples, pears, blackcurrants or oranges? Or even make it savoury with mint, jalepenos or chilli?

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)

‘Jammin’with John Lewis

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savourAutumn 2012

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.

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.

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 searchof perfect

Pinot

“

”

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According to official figures, £5.4bn worth of food anddrink products were exported in 2011, surpassingindustry targets six years ahead of schedule and whiskyexports breaking new records, increasing in value by23% to £4.23bn. Scotland's top food and drink exportmarkets were France and the US, with strong growth inSingapore and China.

The full-year figures for food and drink exports publishedby HM Revenue and Customs are said to "exceed allexpectations", with the industry having already met its10-year target to increase exports to £5.1bn by 2017. TheUS remained the biggest single market by value forwhisky exports, with a 31% increase to £655m butFrance remained the biggest market measured byvolume - 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 infruit and vegetables, which increased by 62.4% to £62m.

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

Whisky exports reachedrecord highs in 2011rising to £4.23bn

This demonstrates that people around the worldare appreciating the high quality and deliciousproducts that Scotland's larder has to offer.

"With exports increasing by more than a fifth, thewhisky industry has seen hugely impressive year-on-year growth, while Scotland's iconic seafoodremains at the heart of our food exports offering.It's also heartening to see a substantial 60%boost in fruit and vegetable exports." JamesWithers, chief executive of Scotland Food andDrink, said: "Our food and drink industry isScotland's biggest growth story right now.Thesenew figures mean that the 10 year target industryset itself in 2007 - to grow our total exports by38% - has been achieved six years early.

"Whisky has been a trailblazer across the globe.But our food sector is now following its lead, withexports up a staggering 62% in just four years, asour reputation as a land of food and drink growsday-by-day."

Export-led recovery

For whisky exports some markets saw decline,including Spain and South Korea, but there wasgrowth of more than 40% to Brazil, Taiwan andSingapore, which serves as a distribution pointfor much of East Asia.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the ScotchWhisky Association, said: "Despite continuingeconomic uncertainty, Scotch whisky continuesto meet increasing demand from all corners ofthe globe. It continues to appeal to consumers incountries such as the USA and France and isbeing enjoyed by younger professionals in newermarkets in Asia and Latin America. Exports haveincreased for seven years running contributing todelivering an export-led recovery, a focus forboth the UK and Scottish governments."

WhiskyGrowth

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Is this the beginning of a new golden age for thescotch whisky industry after the drinks giantDiageo unveiled plans to pour more than £1bninto building new distilleries and extra stills as itcranks up production to slake the world'sgrowing thirst?

Last year, whisky exports broke through £4bn, asthe drink cemented its position as a statussymbol for the growing middle classes of theemerging economies of China, south Asia andSouth America.

Diageo, owner of Johnnie Walker and Bell'swhiskies, said it was already scoutinglocations in Speyside – known as thewhisky triangle because the ruggedlandscape is home to more than half ofScotland's distilleries – and theHighlands for the first of potentiallythree new malt distilleries.

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

"Scotch is resonating with consumersfrom Boston to Beijing," he said. "Weexpect that success to continue,particularly in high-growth markets."

Diageo said the plan would create 110new jobs aimed at young peopleincluding apprentice coopers andcoppersmiths. The building projectswill create around 250 constructionjobs each year and an estimated 500jobs in the wider economy, thecompany said.

The promise of new jobs marks aturning point for the industry, saidCampbell Evans of the Scotch WhiskyAssociation (SWA), because while manyproducers have been increasing

production – including reopening mothballeddistilleries – it has so far not particularly boostedemployment. About 10,000 people, many ineconomically deprived parts of Scotland, areemployed directly by the industry.

"The scotch whisky industry has been enjoying arenaissance for several years," said Evans. "Ihesitate to use the term 'golden age' but thisinvestment takes us beyond renaissance."

With annual sales of nearly £10bn, Diageoowns a bar-full of drinks brands including

Buchanan's, Smirnoff vodka, Baileys andGuinness.

Half the pot of money is earmarked tobuild two distilleries and a newwarehouse to store the maturingspirit.

Whisky is Scotland's biggest export.John Swinney, the Scottish financesecretary, said Diageo's investmentshowed the industry had a strongfuture: "The investment in newdistilleries and warehousing capacityis a vivid illustration of the positiveand optimistic outlook for demand."

Diageo said it would considerbuilding a third distillery if whiskysales continued to grow at more than10% a year.

Walsh said three sites had beenidentified for the first new distillery,including Inchgower and Glendullan inSpeyside, and Teaninich slightly furthernorth, while nearly half of its existing28 malt distilleries were set to expand.

The industry is riding high as a drambecomes the status drink of choice incountries such as Brazil, Russia andChina. This year it is predicted morescotch will be consumed in emergingmarkets than in the developed world,for the first time.

A DramFine Idea!

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Mix itupA new generation of sprit drinks createdby Glenglassaugh Distillery, Scotland’smost coastal mainland distillery, isrevolutionising the whisky drinking scene.The youthful range of sprits are shakingoff the traditional image of whisky asbeing an old man’s drink and opening upa fresh, young market.

Spirit drinks are not quite old enough tobe classed as a whisky, as they are onlymatured in casks for a matter of monthsrather than years. Despite this, they sharethe same heritage as the other membersof the Glenglassaugh whisky family; madefrom natural ingredients and producedusing the same traditional methods.

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

with each having a very different taste.Clearac, with its notes of sweet hay andfreshly cut grass, makes a cool mix to avibrant summer cocktail, and similarlyBlushes, with tastes of summer berriesand sweet jam, blends well for arefreshing drink. The Peated sprit drinkleaves a trace of sweet red liquorice onthe tongue, while Fledging, which ismatured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels,tastes of vanilla and creamy toffee, is bestmixed for a sweet drink.

Although whisky purists believe thatwhisky should be enjoyed straight or withice, these spirit drinks, thanks to creativemixologists, have found a new home inthe fast-growing cocktail market.

Glenglassaugh Distillery managing

director Stuart Nickerson says, “Our spiritdrinks range make a refreshing change totraditional whiskies. The spirits come in anumber of flavours and are ready to beenjoyed over ice or in a cocktail – theperfect drink for summer parties andbarbecues.

“The spirit drinks are very versatile andcan be used in a number of differentcocktails to create a wide range ofdifferent tastes. The blushes sprit drink isvery popular with females as the drinkcontains notes of cranberry and raspberryand can be mixed to produce a slightlysweeter taste. When you begin toexperiment with flavours you can easilyadd in any ingredient and create yourown signature drink.”

With Glenglassaugh Spirit Drinks

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Liz’s LarderGlen 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 home-

made 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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CelebrateSeafood

National Seafood Fortnight 2012 ranfrom September 4-20, with an aim toget the British public falling hook, lineand sinker for fish landed fresh on ourshores. It is hoped that the annualcelebration of seafood will persuadehouseholds to start consuming therecommended two portions of fishevery week as part of a healthy,balanced diet.

Haddock and cod are staple speciesserved up in many Scottish homes andrestaurants, but there are actually over100 varieties of fish in UK waters, fromsea bass to salmon and halibut toherring. Not only does seafood offerexcellent value for money, it is alsoquick to prepare and the healthbenefits are huge.

Seafood is a great addition to the diet:rich and bursting with omega 3 fattyacids, fish can help to maintain a strongheart and is packed with all thevitamins, minerals, and nutrients thatthe body needs to stay healthy. Eating

fish has also been proven to increasebrain function, boost memory, delayageing and help guard against sundamage.

A restaurant with a proud reputationfor serving delicious seafood is TheShip Inn in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.Located on the harbour side in thepicturesque seaside town in the NorthEast of Scotland, the chefs at The ShipInn use fresh, locally caught seafood toproduce mouth-watering dishes.

Fallon Oilveria, head chef at The ShipInn, says, “As we are in a small seasidetown, fish is a staple on our menu. Wework with local fishermen to make surethat we offer our diners the very bestquality fish. Seafood is versatile and canbe matched with many flavours, so it isalways exciting preparing our daily fishspecials.

“I think that people are sometimes alittle bit scared to experiment withdifferent fish and stick to species that

they know well, like haddock, cod andlemon sole, when there is actually ahuge variety, all with different tastesand textures.

“Seafood Fortnight is a great campaignto showcase the variety of fish on offerin the UK and the health benefits ofeating fish, so there is no better time totry something different. We’re alwaysproud to support this event at The ShipInn, and fly the flag for the greatseafood that we’re renowned for.”

Built in 1771 The Ship Inn is a cosycoastal haven offering a warm friendlyatmosphere with fine dining andexceptional service. The seaside townof Stonehaven is situated on Scotland'snorth east coast, 15 miles south ofAberdeen.

To book a table at The Captain’s Tableor for further information on The ShipInn log onto shipinnstonehaven.com orcall 01569 762617

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King Prawn LinguineThe Ship Inn, Stonehaven

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.

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.

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Do you know why garlic makes your

breath smell bad?

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.

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.

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.

Did you knowthat the word ‘Dinner’

used to refer to breakfast?

The origins of the word dinner come

from the French word “disnar”, which

in fact means “breakfast”.

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.

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.

Did You Know ?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.

Caulifloweris indeed aflower!!!

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

Prue Leith is famous for her wide rangingimpact on cookery in Britain both insideand outside the home. Despite herattempts to persuade the world that she’sno longer a cook or restaurateur but anestablished novelist she still receives morerequests for recipes than questions abouther novels. Perhaps her appearance in thehugely popular TV series ‘The Great BritishMenu’ alongside fellow judges MathewFort and Oliver Paton has fuelled oncemore the British public’s belief in herculinary skills. In the latest series aired onBBC Two the contestants brief was to taketheir lead from our Olympic athletes, andto push the bounds of gastronomy to thelimits and beyond. Like the Olympic idealit was all about performance, aboutbeating your personal best and driving upstandards. Prue and her fellow judgesselected dishes from Colin McGurran, Phil

Howard, Daniel Clifford and Simon Roganto be cooked at an Olympic feast forBritish sporting heroes hosted by Sir SteveRedgrave.

The Great British Menu is now in its sixthyear, and Prue cannot believe how muchshe still enjoys it. She always thought shewould detest doing telly (she says she isso vain and hates how she looksspending all day filming for 20 usableminutes, in studios which are alwaysfreezing or stifling etc), but she just lovesthe GBM. She finds Oliver and Matthew,her fellow judges are a hoot, the crewmembers are funny and delightful andnever snappy or precious. But she says:“How long can an old duck like me (I am70 for Pete’s sake) go on doing this?”

So how did Prue achieve such status andher deserved popularity with an adoringpublic?

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Her first job was as a cook for a firm ofsolicitors, confidently graduating tocooking dinner parties for the partners’wives and then catering for biggerfunctions such as weddings, parties andballs. In 1969 she opened the Michelinstarred ‘Leiths’ restaurant in KensingtonPark Road which earned rave reviews. Thisaccording to Prue was down to the factrestaurant food in London at that timewasn’t very good and simply serving freshfood, nothing frozen or in cans, proved amassive hit. This was followed in 1974 bythe opening of the prestigious ‘LeithsSchool of Food and Wine’ and thepublishing of the kitchen bookshelf staple‘Leith’s Cookery Bible’.

Prue Leith is also a campaignerdetermined to promote healthy food. Shedescribes the four years she spent as chairof the School Food Trust as the mostimportant of her career, pioneering thegovernment’s campaign to replace foodshigh in salt, sugar and fat with freshlycooked healthy food.

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

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

Her first novel, Leaving Patrick , appearedin 1995, followed by Sisters in 2001, andA Lovesome Thing in 2004, published byPenguin.

Her last two books have been publishedby the relatively new and very dynamicpublisher, Quercus. Choral Society is stillselling well, especially in paperback.Waitrose knocked out over 7,000 of themand WHS gave them all sorts ofpromotions. It is about the lives and loves(and fears and dreams) of three women intheir late fifties who meet in a singinggroup.

A Serving of Scandal, her latest, now outin paperback, is a novel about love andscandal (and the difficulty of sticking tohonourable principles in the spin-controlled Westminster political village)and is selling very well. Maybe all thecoverage of MPs expenses has helped!

Prue has received many honours,including the Veuve Cliquot BusinessWoman of the Year in 1990, and elevenhonorary degrees or fellowships from UKuniversities. She was appointed OBE in1989 and CBE in the 2010 BirthdayHonours.

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

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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

their own coffee shops, to take them to

the next level.

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.

Their ethos is creating high quality and

delicious goods that the company and

the consumer can enjoy and be proud of.

Integrated business values will only allow

them to be part of a supply chain that

offers fair sustainable prices to the

growers and they take great heart in this

ethical stance. The caring and generous

personality of the company is unbridled,

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 alongside charitable

organisations with social enterprise

schemes.

thenakedbean are rapidly growing their

range of services and gaining clients

throughout the UK including London. By

early next year they plan to have their

own branded retail store in Aberdeen.

A warm welcome awaits at TheAtholl Hotel in Aberdeen.Offering professional butfriendly service whilst boasting34 en-suite bedrooms and twoconference rooms, The Athollreally is deserving of its four staraward from VisitScotland. Thehotel also offers the best inbusiness facilities, with freebroadband internet access in allbedrooms and both functionrooms. As an added advantage,there is a large private car parkat the rear of the hotel which

can accommodate up to 60 cars.With a solid, proven reputationearned in its many years as abusy Aberdeen hotel, TheAtholl is held in great affectionby the people of The GraniteCity. Renowned as the place tocome for consistent service,value for money and a good old-fashioned approach wherenothing is ever too muchtrouble. Privately owned andlocated in the west end, TheAtholl truly is 'in a class of itsown'.

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Young Butcheris a cut above

A 20-year-old butcher from Oldmeldrumis flying the flag for Scotland bysuccessfully becoming one of only 3 UKfinalists in a national competition.

Andrew Peter, who works at DavidsonsButchers in Inverurie, began hisapprenticeship there less than 3 years agoand last week was announced as a finalistin The Meat Trade Journal’s UK YoungButcher of the Year.

Andrew first began working for JohnDavidson as a Saturday boy back in 2007,and in 2010, eight months after leavingto begin his studies in Social Work, herealised that butchery was exactly whathe wanted to do and went back toDavidsons to begin his Apprenticeship.

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

passion for perfection that is paramountto every aspect of Davidsons – and Imissed the banter! I’ve learned so muchso quickly here, and I think being a finalistin this competition shows how far I’vecome in a relatively short space of time.

Confirmation of Andrews’s top 3 place inthe awards came last Friday and JohnDavidson was delighted to make theannouncement to Andrew and the rest ofthe team.

He said: “Andrew has excelled beyond allexpectations in his time here so far. Hisdrive for excellence is outstanding and fitsextremely well with the whole ethos atDavidsons. His enthusiasm and sense ofhumour is extremely infectious and keepsmorale high during our exceptionallylong and busy days.

The Meat Trade Journal awards recogniseand reward the top butcher’s shopsacross 6 regions in the UK, as well ascrowning one as the overall UK Butcher’sShop of the Year. They also includeYoung Butcher of the Year, Farm Shop ofthe Year, Halal Butcher’s Shop of the Yearand Innovation of the Year. Having wonthe top accolade in 2011, John Davidsonstepped down from the competition thisyear and was honoured to then be invitedto be one of the Judges in this year’s UKButcher Shop of the Year category.

The venue for this year’s prestigiousawards will take place at The LandmarkLondon Hotel in Marylebone on Thursday,November 22.

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

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

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

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

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

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

add the thyme and remove from the heat and allow

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

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

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.

IngredientsHare Saddle - Serves 4 - • 2 boned hare saddles • 50g hare

sausage mix • Seasoning • 4 sheets Parma ham

MethodPlace a sheet of cling film on a bench and top with two

pieces of ham. Place the saddle on the top and spread

with sausage mixture, season lightly and roll into a tight

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

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

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

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

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

medallions and place onto the plate with a filo.

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

• 50g butter. • Salt and pepper

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

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

golden and tender for 20 minutes. Remove the seeds

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

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

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

required.

IngredientsBrussels Sprouts - • 10 sprouts • 10g butter • 20g water

MethodRemove 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.

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

• 1 thyme sprig • 10g pickled walnut

MethodReduce the port with the garlic and thyme until syrupy.

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

the walnuts and spoon around the plates.

Roast HareSaddle,ButternutSquash, Brusselssprouts andpickled walnutsThe Foyer, Aberdeen

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Cooking Upa Good Book

The Little Scottish Cookbook - Paul HarrisScotland's abundance of Venison, Pheasant, Grouse andSalmon is reflected here in luxurious dishes such as RoastPheasant, Salmon Steaks and Grouse and Steak Pudding.This collection of the author's favourite and typicallyScottish recipes also offers traditional, more commonplace(while nonetheless delicious) dishes - Herrings in Oatmealand Stovies and Oatcakes.

A Cook’s Tour of Scotland - Sue Lawrence Award-winning food writer Sue Lawrence has taken up thebaton in praise of Scotland's produce. Travelling the lengthand breadth of Scotland, she seeks out all the great rawingredients Scotland has to offer. From cockles harvested onBarra and venison from the Highlands, to seaweed pickedon Auchmithie beach and lamb from Shetland, Sue’scelebration of Scottish produce reveals a cornucopia ofculinary delights. She has journeyed all over the country tomeet the people who farm and produce its food. An Orkneybarley miller, a Stornoway black pudding butcher, an Isle ofMull cheese producer, a Dundee sausage-maker and a Brorajam-maker are just a few of the many Scottish food heroesshe meets.A celebration of the Scottish landscape and history, as wellas its food, A Cook’s Tour of Scotland contains 120 deliciousrecipes and is not only a must for anyone visiting Scotland'sshores but deserves a place on the cookery shelves ofanyone who loves seasonal, healthy, freshly grown, caughtor farmed food.

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

have become the favourites of the whole Broon familywhen they escape from town to visit the’ but an' ben forholidays and weekends.This is a funny, charming and nostalgic book full of realBroon’s humour. It’s jam-packed with good old-fashionedrecipes, images captured from old note books and foodpackets, jokes and cuttings. Great for some ‘braw’ Scottishcooking and ideal as a gift for expatriate Scots.

New Scottish Cookery - Nick Nairn In the culinary world, Scotland is renowned for the qualityof its ingredients. Whether its wild salmon, organicallyreared beef, raspberries, shellfish or even whisky, Scottishproduce is full of depth and flavour. Combine theseingredients with Scotland’s top chef Nick Nairn and theresults are outstanding. A self-taught cook, Nick has been along-time champion of fresh Scottish produce, but hiscooking also takes its influences from all over the world. InNew Scottish Cookery, Nick combines the very best freshScottish ingredients with a myriad of international flavours,to create a mouth-watering collection of recipes destined tobecome the Scottish classics of the future. Containing thesignature dishes that have made Nicks reputation from hisbestselling Wild Harvest books, as well as over 80 newrecipes, the book is a celebration of good quality, great-tasting food. Beautifully illustrated with 100 colour photosand including a useful guide to where to buy the bestScottish ingredients, Nick Nairns New Scottish Cookery willdelight food lovers everywhere.

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Method1. 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.

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

Herrings with Mustard SauceMary Berry

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In 2004, Craig Wilson bought a small localpub in Udny Green, and set aboutconverting it into one of the bestrestaurants in the North-east. He hascreated a high quality fine diningexperience, gaining many accolades astestament to his success. ‘Savour’s’ editormet with Craig to chat about the successof ‘Eat on the Green’, his passion for foodand his amazing charity work.

Q: ‘Eat on the Green’ has gained areputation as being one ofAberdeenshire’s best restaurants. Whatdo you think makes it so special?

A: I often have to work away from therestaurant and when I return I see whatmakes it so special. It’s a balanced recipeof the people, the ambience and greatfood. I’m incredibly proud of my teamand what they have achieved and thiscomes through in their work. I also findwe pick up on little details I often thinkother restaurants lack and it is these bitsand pieces that make a difference.

Q: Tell us about your highly acclaimedTasting Room.

A: : Our Tasting Room is just off the mainrestaurant and it is my ambition tobecome the premier dining choice in theNorth East. The Tasting Menu is agourmet experience that will take you ona culinary journey like no other. Thisspecially created, elaborate 10 courseTasting Menu (which can be enjoyed withor without matched wines)showcases thebest of what Aberdeenshire’s larder has tooffer and can also cater for any dietaryrequirements. It is the ultimate 'foodie'experience for diners, offering Five StarPlus food for that special occasion.Already, we have received rave reviewsand I would like to slowly build on this,by offering something extra special to thenormal menu. Whilst I appreciate thatthis is a niche market, I really want tobuild on the success of the tasting roomto date.

Q: You are well known for your charitywork. Have you any interesting venturesat the moment?

A: I have had the busiest year ever andhave found it hard to balancedemonstrations, educational work, charityevents and of course running thebusiness. I know I bewilder some peoplebut I feel I have been blessed with a skillbase which I can use to make peoplehappy. My chosen charities are BreastCancer Care and Maggie’s Care Centre.Stewart Spence of the Marcliffe, who isheld in high esteem within the hospitalityindustry, has helped launch ‘What theFork?’ in Aberdeen (a concept thought upto raise funds for Maggie's) and he isencouraging city restaurateurs to get

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involved through various events andthrough their diners giving donations. Iwill be continuing to help support andpromote this, as it is a fantastic idea.

I was also involved with the ‘Over 50’sFestival’ where I held demonstrations, achef’s surgery and made canapés forTwiggy to promote the festival. I’m alsoabout to embark on cookerydemonstrations in care homes. By helpingothers I find myself in very interestingcompany and crazy situations and Ibelieve doing good is infectious.

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

A: I created this concept two years agoand I’m very proud of it. It has come justat the right time with people’s increasedinterest in food and how it is prepared.You arrive at 10am and we all get toknow each other. This is a real lifesituation and a day ‘behind the scenes’ ofa restaurant, warts and all! It is not a CookSchool. It is a full on day, but oneeveryone remembers. We really try toconnect with our guests and after a glassof wine in the herb garden you are partof the evening brigade. You get to feelthe buzz and can take pictures. We willhave a ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ type cook-offalthough every ‘Chef for a Day’ isdifferent. As part of the 50+ Festival I rana ‘Chefs Surgery’ where I answeredculinary questions for an enthralledaudience. This was so popular I’vedecided to make it a regular event, as isour extremely popular corporate days‘Cook on the Green’ , a team-building daywhere participants are very hands-on andnot only work in the kitchen but, if theychose, can learn to fold napkins or learnabout silver service. The entire day isbespoke to suit the requirements of theteam but all have a fun element and isenjoyed enormously.

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

A: : I am a consultant to Inverurie GardenCentre which is an excellent daytimebusiness. I assist with the food conceptand customer service. On the back of oursuccess, we were also approached toassist in launching and managing CocoaBar and Bistro in Market Street inAberdeen, which brings a bit of ‘Eat onthe Green’ into the city. Part of thesuccess of all our businesses is theincredibly loyal customer base we have. Ihave some other exciting prospects in thepipeline but it’s too early to divulge theseso, watch this space!

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

A: You certainly can! There is no bettertime. We now have three private rooms,all are different and you can have anumber of guests ranging from six totwenty two. We have had a visitationfrom Hungarian T.V. and had a host ofcelebrities christen our newest room.

Q: On a personal note, you are a familyman yet the hospitality industry isnotorious for long hours. How do youget the work/family balance right?

A: Actually, I don’t think I do! This yearhas made me realise exactly howimportant it is to have the support of yourfamily in a business like ours. Being afamily business, everyone's involved.Yasmin has helped me in recent cookingdemonstrations and Zak can often beseen cutting the grass or polishing doorhandles. My wife Lindsay plays a hugepart in striving to make the businessbetter. It is a really hard balance.

If too much focus is spent on one withoutthe other, something will suffer. But, likeany good recipe, it is about endeavouringto get the balance just right.

Q: What next for the’ Kilted Chef’?

A: I’m really focused on adding newdimensions to ‘Eat on the Green’ andmake it world class. No matter wherepeople come from I’d like to make it‘Rather Special’. I work with other qualitylocal businesses and I find that successbreeds success. I’m excited about newopportunities but will continue my charitywork with Maggie’s and others who areclose to my heart. I really enjoy thecharity work as you find yourself comingup with crazy ideas to raise money.Whatever I am involved with, it has to betrue to my roots and the very best. Onething‘s for sure …. life won’t be dull andI’ll keep on enjoying what I do.

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Method1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Slit diagonally the skin of the Seabass & place on a baking tray. Drizzle the skin withrapeseed 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 redonion, 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 mostof the stock has evaporated. This should take roughly 10 – 15 minutes. 4. Mix the fresh mint into the yoghurt and setaside. 5. Put the vegetable bhuna onto the centre of a large, hot, dish & then gently place the Seabass on top. Finishby pouring over some of the minted natural yoghurt & sprinkle with a few leaves of coriander.

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.

Baked Seabass with Vegetable& Chick Pea BhunaEat on the Green, Udny Green

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In each issue of ‘Savour’ magazine we explore an areaof Scotland with an outstanding reputation for greatfood and hospitable accommodation. In the followingpages we venture to the remote Outer Hebridesrenowned for its high quality produce with lots oftalented local producers delivering premiumHebridean fare, including smoked salmon, freshshellfish, and succulent beef and lamb.

The Hebridean larder consists of fresh ingredients, withrestaurant menus kept local and seasonal. Freshwatersalmon and trout feature regularly, as does exquisitelocal shellfish like lobster, scallops and crabs.

Highly recommended is a visit to one of severalHebridean smokehouses, such as HebrideanSmokehouse on North Uist and Salar Smokehouse onSouth Uist.

And no visit to the Outer Hebrides is complete withouttrying Stornoway kippers or Stornoway black pudding.

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

In addition to the fish and red meat, there are plentyof artisan cheeses and homemade pates and, for thosewith a sweet tooth, try the luxury Scottish tablet madeby Barra-based Hebridean Toffee.

Round off the day with a bottle of award-winning craftbeer from the Hebridean Brewery in Stornoway or adram of single malt whisky from the Abhainn DeargDistillery in Uig on the Isle of Lewis.

Eating and drinking the quality local produce availablein the Outer Hebrides will only enhance yourenjoyment of these islands, and even more so whenthose preparing and serving the food have areputation second to none.

Here we review two of the best known restaurants inLewis and Harris which have made a deservedly solidreputation for themselves over the years.

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Nestled between two beautiful whitesandy beaches on the west coast ofHarris and looking out across the baysto an expanse of ever-changingAtlantic Ocean sits Scarista House -the perfect place to experience somereal Hebridean hospitality.

The Grade B listed Georgian Mansehas been lovingly adapted to offercomfortable accommodation to allcomers – continuing centuries oftradition of a home that has longhosted weary travellers. With its sixbedrooms and self-contained cottage,this award-winning self-styled “smallhotel” is the perfect spot for a touchof island-life immersion.

Because, in spite of its remotelocation, Scarista House and its ownermanagers Tim and Patricia Martin areat the heart of an island idyll that hasto be experienced to be understood.

One of the best illustrations of this istheir critically acclaimed diningrooms, whose daily set menus are theculmination of the work of an entirecommunity – from fishermen andcrofters to ghillies and growers.

With a strong focus on local, seasonalproduce, husband and wife team Timand Patricia pride themselves onproviding their guests with a good,honest island food experience everyday. Set menus offer guests nochoice, but are perfectly balanced to

ensure optimum enjoyment of eachelement – giving a great opportunityfor diners to discover delightful dishesthat might pass them by in anothersetting where they could be seducedby other offerings. The dishes changedaily, and menus are driven by theavailability of ingredients – which areserved simply with a focus on flavour– a fact recognised by the fact thatthey are the only Outer Hebrideanestablishment included in AlastairSawday’s Eat Slow Britain.

“The most complex piece ofequipment in our kitchen is an icecream maker,” Patricia reveals with atouch of pride. “We know that youdon’t need a lot of technology tomake food taste good – it’s just greatingredients cooked carefully.”

And of course, each serving comeswith its own story. Fish, for example,is sourced from a friendly fishmongerin Stornoway, who selects the creamof the catch and packs it in ice beforeloading it onto the island bus to bedropped at Scarista House’s door.

Seafood comes from local waters andguests can watch from their windowsas local lobster boats pull their potsfrom the bay, while specialities suchas scallops are hand dived just off thesame shore.

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

from local estates, while specialistitems are sourced from local supplierssuch as Stornoway’s Good FoodBoutique delicatessen, where ownerEmma helps steer Scarista’s stafftowards incoming specialitiesincluding artisanal cheeses.

A small on-site market gardenprovides a selection of fruit and veg,which are supplemented by otherindependent growers across theisland, where possible.

“We try to source as much as we canfrom across the islands,” explainedPatricia. “But obviously there areexceptions, especially with our remotelocation.” That remote location is, ofcourse, a huge part of the hotel’sallure – with no television on thepremises, guests are encouraged toindulge in other pursuits fromexploring the spectacular surroundsto relaxing in good company with aglass of wine from the extensiveselection of old and new worldofferings and practising their swing atthe nearby Harris Golf Course tosharing the craic over a dram ofspecially selected whiskies.

“The most popular activities atScarista are eating, drinking, loungingaround and walking, all of which wecater for adequately!” the ownerscheerfully 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 ofBack on the Isle of Lewis, just yardsfrom a stunning sandy beach withamazing views across the Minchtowards the mainland, sits Broad BayHouse – one of the most excitingestablishments the Outer Hebrideshas to offer.

Purpose built six years ago, this five-star, four-bedroom guest houserepresents the fulfilment of a lifelongdream for proprietors Ian and MarionFordham – whose desire not only tolive in the amazing Outer Hebrides,but also to share the area’s uniqueappeal with a discerning audience hasseen them create something trulyspecial.

Just a short hop from the travel hubof Stornoway, Broad Bay House enjoysan easily accessible yet utterlyunspoiled island setting and, withgreat restaurant credentials andstunning contemporaryaccommodation, offers an excitingflavour of island life in the 21stCentury.

With three Silver Awards from EatScotland, and a true passion for local,seasonal produce, the guesthouseoffers fantastically fresh authenticisland fare with just the lightest touchof modern foodie flair.

Chef proprietor Ian Fordhamexplained: “When you are surroundedby such a natural bounty it is really allabout letting the ingredients speak forthemselves.”

In addition to a daily breakfast, dinner

is served four nights a week in thestunning vaulted dining room, whichoffers a three-sided panorama overthe surrounding seascape andscenery, allowing diners to immersethemselves in their island setting andcreating a truly multi-sensory eatingexperience.

“It’s wall to wall sand, sea and surf,”explains Ian. “A real dining experienceis partly about what you are eatingand partly about what you are seeing– the design of the dining room withits amazing views really adds to thatfor our guests.”

The dinner menus, which offer achoice of 3-4 dishes for each course,vary with every meal. They areproduce led – with Ian using his localcontacts to source the bestingredients as they become availableand then creating dishes around whatis on offer – from local Lewis lambreared in the crofting tradition on thegrasses of the machair to the smallyearly crop of sweet Stornowaystrawberries.

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

“We are so lucky here,” he enthuses.“We have great suppliers on ourdoorstep, with a fishing fleet stillworking out of Stornoway harbourand the easy availability of specialshellfish such as hand dived scallops.

“We are excited by the immediacy ofour ingredients, often our fish waslanded just that morning – you canreally taste the difference. You’venever truly tasted fish until you’vetasted truly fresh fish.”

At Broad Bay House fish is also servedsmoked (in tribute to the localtradition, which sees the Stornowayair regularly tinged with the sweetsmell of oak smoke). A selection ofofferings from the area’s handful ofartisanal smokehouses isrecommended as a great way to startthe day including a trio of islandsmoked salmons or a pair of oven-baked Stornoway kippers.

Of course, all of the establishment’sculinary creations are also informedby availability – with local estatesbeing a source of game includingvenison, grouse and woodcock duringthe season, and locally grown fruitand vegetables always carefullyselected to complement the stars ofthe show.

In spite of their exclusive size and theintimate dining experience they offer,Broad Bay House also gives diners alist of around 25 carefully selected oldand new world wines to choose from,as well as around a dozen finewhiskies, including an excitingselection of rare cast strength maltsfrom the islands’ world famousdistilleries.

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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HighlandNews BitesAward Recognition

for JAMstudio

Architectural design consultancy

JAMstudio is in line for a national award

for its work in revitalising the visitor

centre at a famous Highland distillery.

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.”

Scrabster Shellfishbreaks into new markets

A Caithness based processor and

supplier of locally sourced shellfish is

to expand its operations and break

into new international markets.

Based on Scrabster Harbour's new

Seafood Park, JPL Shellfish have been

serving customers across the UK and

Europe for nearly 20 years.

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.

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

international programmes to help

drive the business forward into new

global markets.

John Logue owner of JPL Shellfish,

said: "We have been receiving

enquiries from all around the world.

When the expansion is complete, we

will be able to concentrate our efforts

on these new markets which will in

turn increase our turnover. We have

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."

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savourAutumn 2012

NOT TO BEMISSED!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.

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 bannock-

making 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.

Tastes and Trails of Scotland is a newtour from H&I Tours. It features some ofthe Highlands’ most renownedrestaurants and food producers.

The concept is simple – work up anappetite cycling through stunningHighland scenery and sample delectableregional delicacies including Scotland’sworld-renowned seafood, sumptuouscheeses, Scotch Beef and local meats aswell as a few drams of great Scottishwhisky. We’re guessing you will not beon your bike for long after thatcombination.

Designed for beginners and intermediatecyclists, you will experience some of themore remote corners of Scotland’s westcoast. But not just by bike. Highlights of

the tour include a ride on the JacobiteExpress steam train, made famous in theHarry Potter movies, and voted byNational Geographic magazine as one ofthe best train journeys in the world.

Lunch at the Michelin-starred KinlochLodge on Skye and accommodation isprovided at 3-star and 4-star guesthouses.

So what are you waiting for…on yerbike!

www.mountainbikeworldwide.com/bike-tours/scotland/tastes-and-trails-of-scotland

Highland and Island AdventuresWorldwide

Call on +44 (0)1463 239716

On Your Bikefor a Taste of Scotland

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savourAutumn 2012

Highlands & Islands Food &Drink Awards Finalists 2012

BEST DRINK AWARD

Black Isle BreweryBlonde, Black Isle, Ross-shireBruichladdich DistilleryBruichladdich Islay Barley Series,Isle of IslayCairngorm Brewery CompanyBlack Gold, AviemoreTomatin DistilleryTomatin Distillery Highland SingleMalt Whisky, Tomatin, Inverness-shire

BEST MARKETINGINITIATIVE AWARD

Great Glen GameRoyBridgeBalblair DistilleryTain, Ross-shireMacbeth’s ButchersForres, MorayOrkney Fisherman’sSociety LtdStromness

Shetland LivestockMarketing GroupLerwickSpirit of SpeysideWhisky FestivalSpeyside

DEVELOPMENT OF EXPORTMARKETS AWARDsponsored by JBT Transport & parcelinQ)

Keltic Seafare (Scotland) LtdDingwall, Ross-shire

Awards FinalistsAnnounced

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

The judges had a tough job sifting through dozens ofquality entries. But finally 44 businesses - fromHamnavoe in Shetland to Lochcarron in Ross-shire toLochaline in Argyll - have been shortlisted for the elevenavailable awards. It will now be an agonising wait forthese businesses who will finally learn whether they havewon the ultimate accolade of a prestigious Highlands &Islands Food & Drink Award at the 2012 awardsceremony on Friday, 19th October.

Organised by the Highlands & Islands Food & DrinkForum and supported by Highlands and IslandsEnterprise (HIE), the awards showcase the wide range ofdiverse products and businesses operating in the region,celebrating their achievements in innovation, forwardplanning and collaboration.

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

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

“The shortlisted businesses are companies who havedemonstrated a commitment to developing theirproducts and services to a very high standard.

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

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

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

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

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savourAutumn 2012

Lossie Seafoods LtdBuckie, MorayOrkney Fishermen’s SocietyStromnessReids of CaithnessThursoTomatin DistilleryTomatin, Inverness-shire

ENVIRONMENT AWARD(sponsored by Tio Ltd)

Böd Ayre Products LtdHamnavoe, ShetlandKnockfarrel ProduceDingwallRed Roof Café GalleryGlendale, Isle of SkyeSKY DelightsNairn

HEALTHIER FOOD & DRINKAWARDAngelic Gluten FreeInvernessAquascotAlnessRoss-shireBöd Ayre Products LtdHamnavoe, ShetlandReids of CaithnessThursoCullisse Highland Rapeseed OilTain, Ross-shire

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

Connage Highland DairyArdersier, InvernessGordon & MacPhailElgin, MoraySKY DelightsNairnThe Tobermory Fish CompanyTobermory, Isle of Mull

NEW BUSINESS AWARD(sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink)

Angelic Gluten FreeInvernessCullisse Highland Rapeseed OilTain, Ross-shireLochcarron BistroLochcarron, Ross-shireRed Roof Café GalleryGlendale, Isle of SkyeSpainSun Delicatessen ProductsDingwall

The Forest KitchenLochend, Inverness

NEW PRODUCT AWARD(sponsored by Polaris Learning Ltd)

Angelic Gluten FreeCookie RangeInvernessDry Island ShellfishSquat Lobster TailsDryIsland, Gairloch, Ross-shireReids Highland FareRange of PiesInvergordon, Ross-shireReids of Caithness – HealthyRange of Groatie Oatcake BiscuitsThursoSimpsons Buckie Limited125ml Vanilla, Strawberry &Chocolate Ice CreamBuckie, MorayCullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil –Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil &Cullisse Mixed Pepper and SpiceMarinadeTain, Ross-shireThe Forest Kitchen – HandmadeWhisky FudgeLochend, Inverness

RESTAURANT OF THE YEARAWARD(sponsored by Swansons Fruit Companyand Speyside Specialities)

Creelers of SkyeBroadfordIsle of Eriska HotelBenderloch, ArgyllKylesku HotelKylesku, SutherlandSummer Isles HotelAchiltibuie, Ross-shireBaltasound HotelUnst, ShetlandThe GlenviewCulnacnoc, Staffin, Isle of SkyeThe Whitehouse RestaurantLochaline, Argyll

BEST OTHER EATERYAWARDApplecross WalledGardenApplecross, Ross-shireKishorn Seafood BarStrathcarron, Ross-shireRed Roof Café GalleryGlendale, Isle of Skye

The Old School BeaulyBeauly, Inverness-shireThe Pier CaféLochside, Lairg, SutherlandThe Puffer Bar & RestaurantEasdaleIsland, Argyll

YOUNG SHINING STARAWARD(sponsored by The Full RangePurchasing Ltd)

Alexander MacLeodSummer Isles Hotel,Achiltibuie, Ross-shireAndrew WhitehouseCafé Artysans, InvernessCarlyn KearneyFrankies Fish & Chip Café &Takeaway, Brae, ShetlandLisa Marie IrelandRoute 66, InvernessMichael ScottMike’s Filling StationAlness, Ross-shireSally SwinbanksThe Tobermory Fish Company,Tobermory, Isle of MullTammy RendallReids of Caithness, Thurso

AMBASSADOR OF THEYEAR AWARD(sponsored by The Storehouse and TheDores Inn)

The winner will be announced at theawards ceremony

EXCELLENCE AWARDThis special award is reserved by thejudging panel to recognise andreward excellence in any category oron one particular entry. The winnerwill be announced at the awardsceremony.

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savourAutumn 2012

Fresh PickingsForaging the Scottish countryside for afantastic variety of wild ingredients isgaining in popularity and a topic notdisregarded in previous issues of ‘Savour’.Now, with the help of a new guide whichhas just been published, you can foragefor your own ingredients, the freshestfrom Scotland’s wild larder, and learn touse them to cook Scottish fare.

The new guide to sustainable responsibleforaging, A Handbook of Scotland’s WildHarvests, is bursting with top tips andknow-how on how to harvest some ofScotland’s natural wild resources. It haseven caught the attention of the country’sMichelin-starred chefs.

Andrew Fairlie, whose restaurant AndrewFairlie at Gleneagles is the only one inScotland to be awarded two Michelinstars, is particularly excited about the

number of unusual flavours and speciesthe book highlights. “We are lucky tohave such a fantastic variety of ediblewild mushrooms, plants and seaweeds inScotland, making us the envy of topchefs around the world, and, with theresurgence of interest in sustainability,this inspiring resource comes at theperfect time.”

The handbook, published in August2012, provides information aboutScotland’s edible plants including fungi,berries and seaweeds and gives the besttried and tested Scottish recipes to usethem in. Try recreating authentic andtraditional dishes, such as nettle broth, ormodern favourites with a Scottish twist,such as blackberry muffins.

The book also gives details on differentmosses and woods which can be usedfor firewood, craft materials or naturalremedies and homemade wines.

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savourAutumn 2012

Executive Chef Kevin Dalgleish haslaunched his first A la Carte menu forAberdeen landmark Simpson’s,putting the restaurant among thearea’s top eateries.

Having trained at The Savoy inLondon and worked as Executive Chefat renowned luxury retreat AckergillTower, Kevin’s new menu showcasesthe best of Scottish produce, some ofit available in the Granite City, for thefirst time.

Dishes include Kevin’s trademarkstarter of Duck Tartare served withBelhaven Cured Venison and a main

course of Roast Rack of Dornoch Lambwith Slow Cooked Shoulder.

The menu also features locally landedlobster.

Simpson’s steaks will be provided byrenowned, Perthshire-based SimonHowie Butchers – a first for Aberdeen.Also making its debut in the city ishalibut from the Isle of Gigha.

Head of Group Operations RoryMacAleece said: “Kevin is a fantasticaddition to the team and the initialchanges he has made to our breakfastand lunch menus have provenextremely popular.

“This A la Carte menu really gives ataste of Kevin’s talents and we lookforward to our diners enjoying hiscooking.”

Executive Chef Kevin Dalgleish added:“My cooking is all about creatingsimple, elegant dishes by using thebest possible produce. Thankfully, wedon’t have to travel far for them inScotland.”

Simpson’s Restaurant was bought byhoteliers Graham and Gillian Woodearlier this year and is run as a familybusiness.

NewsBites...Money for

Scottish foodand drink firms One million pounds of Scottishgovernment money will be used to helppromote food and drink firms before aseries of showcase events in 2014. TheCommonwealth Games, Ryder Cup andthe second Year of Homecoming are allbeing held in Scotland that year. Thegovernment wants food and drinkproducers to use the events to promotetheir produce around the world.

Funding will support the implementationof the Food and Drink 2014 Action Plan,a partnership with industry groups. Thegovernment is working with enterpriseagencies, Event Scotland and industrybody Scotland Food and Drink.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochheadsaid: "There will be unprecedentedopportunities to showcase themagnificent produce Scotland has tooffer. "However, it's vital that companiesprepare in advance to give themselvesthe best possible opportunity to reap therewards on offer."

Scotland Food and Drink chief executiveJames Withers said: "This funding is apivotal step towards achieving ourambitions for 2014. Our showcasing ofScottish food and drink at the Olympicslast month was an insight into what wecan achieve. However, the hard work for2014 starts now. We are developing aprogramme of work with food and drinkbusinesses of all sizes so they can seizethe opportunities over the next twoyears."

Kevin puts Simpson’son Dining Map

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Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is rolling-outa new Scotch Lamb campaign whichbuilds on the success of the “ScotchLamb, Buy Local” campaign developedlast year.

This year’s campaign, which urgesconsumers to “Buy Local” when makingtheir purchase decisions, will temptconsumers with a tantalising dish ofScotch Lamb cutlets served with aMoroccan-style chickpea salad.

The four week campaign, which aims toreach 88.9% of the target market inScotland, features print advertising as wellas digital display panels in GlasgowUnderground. The activity also includesan on-line TV advert plus a presence onkey cooking and recipe websites.

“The “Buy Local” campaign is aimed atencouraging consumers to buy ScotchLamb when it’s at its most plentiful,” saidSuzie Carlaw, Marketing Controller, QMS.

“Scotch Lamb stands out from itscompetitors because of its unique taste,

plus the fact, it’s a natural product whichis born and reared on farms in Scotlandmeeting the highest quality standards.

“Consumers have every reason to feelvery proud of the product produced ontheir doorstep.”

QMS-commissioned research, which wascarried out by IGD, reveals that Scottishconsumer recognition in Scottish targetmarkets of the Scotch Lamb brand isalready strong at 85%.

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

Additionally, around 52% of targetmarkets surveyed agree they are willingto pay more for Scotch Lamb.

“The research figures are veryencouraging and high consumerawareness is a great foundation to buildon,” said Ms Carlaw.

Two new schemes aim to breathe life

back into our beleaguered high streets.

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

works more like a supermarket, but allowscustomers to search for specific productsand compare prices locally.

The glossy site features photos anddetailed descriptions of products. A majorplus is that even if you buy from differentshops, there's only one checkout and asingle delivery charge (£5). Deliveriescontinue until 9pm or you can click andcollect.

Neil Powell, a butcher who has listed hisshop on Openhighstreet says he took 30orders in the first week after the sitelaunched. "That's 30 orders that wewouldn't have got otherwise," he says:"This is helping people who can't make itto the high street."

BrandingScottish Lamb

Easier Accessfor Local Shops

New EatingExperience Aberdeen diners will be able to taste

something new to the city when

Tony Renda and Nikos Spathis, the

team behind the hugely successful

‘Rustico’ restaurant, open ‘Aperitivo’

this month. Customers can enjoy a

light lunch, dinner, coffee, drinks or a

fresh sandwich to take away. The

new eating venue is situated in the

unit previously occupied by ‘Pancho

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

in Union Square offering you, among

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

is a stunning selection of chocolates

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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The Ship Inn5 Shorehead, Stonehaven, AB39 2JY Tel: 01569 762617

Dine and Reclinewith a Click Online

“We had one of the best meals inScotland at this delightfulharbourfront restaurant. Excellentvalue, delicious steak and Guinnesspie with locally producedvegetables and excellent servicefrom Carol who was extremelyhelpful in recommending touringitineraries. She also moved us to awindow table for the view. Highlyrecommended; great value”

“Superb Scottish foodand service.”

The quaint harbour town of Stonehavenserves up a quiet slice of North-eastcoastline and the picturesque harbour,sheltered by towering cliffs and calmingsea walls is worth a visit at any time ofyear. However, the gem in this postcard-worthy setting is The Ship Inn, a cosy andcharacterful hostelry snuggling into theShorehead.

Owner Simon Cruickshank has superviseda recent refurbishment and modernisationof the bar and lounge area which hasseen an increase in floor space whilstretaining the character and charm whichis synonymous with this popularestablishment. Fresh new toilets, withdisabled patrons catered for and babychanging facilities have been installed.The bar has a wide range of draughtbeers including real ales which changeregularly and there are over 100 differentmalt whiskies available.

This majestic building is also home to theCaptain’s Table restaurant, servingScottish produce with the emphasis on

locally caught seafood, but there issomething for everyone. The everchanging seasonal menu ensures only thebest locally caught and producedingredients are used in the chef’s creativedishes.

Stay a few nights in one of elevencomfortable bedrooms, all with modernfacilities including Wi-Fi access. A freshlydesigned website allows you to checkavailability and book online.(wwwshipinnstonehaven.com). Enjoy theearly morning panorama as you tuck intoa hearty Scottish breakfast before the dayunfolds.

Stonehaven’s shopping area is only a fewminutes’ walk away and there are noparking restrictions in the vicinity of theinn. The rugged coastline awaits yourexploration as does Deeside, particularlyresplendent in its autumnal glory andonly a short 20 minute drive away.

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

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A North-east fish and chip shop which isdriven to becoming moreenvironmentally efficient has battered offcompetition to be named a finalist in oneof Scotland’s most prestigiousenvironmental awards. The Bay Fish and

Chips of Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, hasbeen announced as one of four finalists atthis year’s Scottish Green Awards in thecategory for Best Green Small Company.

The Green Awards recognises theachievements of individuals andbusinesses that have shown initiative inthe reduction of their carbon andenvironmental footprints, which has hada positive effect on their surroundingsand their business.

The multi-award winning chippy, whichcurrently holds the crown as Scotland’sNo1 fish & chip shop, has been highlyrecognised in the last year for its pledgetowards sustainability and theenvironment. The Bay has a three starrating from the Sustainable RestaurantAssociation (SRA) placing them as one ofthe highest rated restaurants in the UKand earlier this year scooped the

Environmental and Sustainability award atthe Scotland Food and Drink Excellenceawards.

Owner of The Bay, Calum Richardson said:“We are delighted to have made it as afinalist at this year’s Green Awards as ittruly affirms our drive to showcase thefish and chip industry in a positivemanner. We’ve made a lot of effort toensure we source the best produce forour customers, manage energy and wastethe best we can, and play our part in thelocal community. We want The Bay tostand out in the industry so that othersimilar businesses can learn and follow inour footsteps to help work towards amore sustainable future.”

The winners of the awards will beannounced at a dinner on Thursday 4October at the Science Centre in Glasgowat a ceremony hosted by BBCbroadcaster, Jackie Bird.

Green’s the way

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Prego – All wraps available here are on warmed floured tortillas and toasted onrequest. With such delights as ‘crispy sweet tuna’ and the charmingly named ‘heypesto’ (chicken with green pesto mayo, sliced tomato and fresh basil) it’s a highlyrated venue for a lunchtime visit. All have a side of hand-cooked crisps, tossed saladand 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). Itwas 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 leavewithout 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 worknearby, pop along to 210 Bistro in South Market Street. It looks so contemporaryand 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 placeto relax and watch the world go buy.

Books and Beans in Belmont Street, Aberdeen have some great panini’s. I love theFrench brie, bacon and cranberry filling but if you’re an early bird you should try thebreakfast panini with bacon, egg and tomato. As the name implies this is more thana 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 theMains of Drum restaurant. They have a selection of mouth-watering wrapsincluding smoked salmon and cream cheese and warmed Hoisin duck with spring onionand cucumber. Leave plenty of time as there is lots to see at this impressive gardencentre.

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One of the little joys of life is sitting with a coffee on a side street watching the worldgo 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 foundin the freshly made, delicious bakes and steaming coffees.

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Method1. Preheat the oven to 150c/fan 140c gas mark 2. 2. Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil, stirringto dissolve the sugar. 3. Once boiled add the cranberries to the pan and remove from the heat. Leave the cranberriesto cool in the syrup. 4. Using the back of a knife stretch the bacon into long pieces so that it is doubled in length. Linea deep terrine or loaf tin with the bacon, making sure that each piece overlaps the previous one and they hang overthe sides as this will cover the top. 5. Place two of the duck breasts and haggis into a food processor and blend untilsmooth. Pour the cream into the processor in a steady stream. Once all the cream has been added season well withsalt and pepper. 6. Spread a third of the mixture into the base of the lined tin and cut the remaining two duck breastsinto 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 duckstrips and the rest of the cranberries and repeat the layering. 8. Finally spread the final third of the duck paste over thetop 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 for10 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 whilecooling (cans of beans works well). Once cooled remove the weights and turn out from the tin. Slice with a sharp knifeand serve with cranberry chutney and oatcakes.

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

Duck, Haggis and Cranberry TerrineLiz's Larder, Glen Tanar Estate