Savour mag issue 03/2014 by Mackintosh Media

EXPERIENCE FORMARTINE’S… SET IN STUNNING WOODLAND, DISCOVER THE RICH SIGHTS, TASTES AND SOUND OF THE HEART OF ABERDEENSHIRE

SHOP

EAT

If you are interested in Formartine's After Hours, please sign up to our events mailing list! Send a blank email to: contactus@formartines.com. See you soon!

SHOP The food hall is packed with the best artisan products from local suppliers, including their very own Smokehouse. Browse jars of award-winning preserves, sauces and oils or peruse the selection of gourmet biscuits and pastas. The deli counter is stocked with chilled meats, cheeses, olives and antipasti to please every palate and the knowledgeable staff will be able to guide you in your choices. The food hall also boasts a selection of gourmet ready meals prepared in the Formartine’s kitchen, using only carefully selected ingredients and seasonal produce. Not just for food, the shop also stocks a beautiful range of gifts and homewares, and toys and games for the kids.

EAT The eatery promises the best in local and seasonal ingredients cooked by Matt and the talented kitchen team. Enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea or just relax with a coffee and cake after a walk in the woods. Sit in the stunning eatery or go al fresco with a glass of wine and deli-board on the deck. You could grab a favourite from the Smokehouse or you may be lucky enough to enjoy some of their own Haddo venison. An ever-changing and exciting menu awaits, showcasing the very best of seasonal and local produce. It’s great value for quality food! Taste the best that Scotland has to offer, in a relaxed family environment offering excellent value, quality and friendly service. Enjoy a cracking good Sunday roast from noon on Sundays. Local beef and pork, cooked to perfection with roasted rooster tatties, root veg and Yorkshire puds. Lots of specials, soups and freshly baked cakes. No need to book, but sometimes a short wait is necessary.

WALK Perfectly located in the heart of Aberdeenshire’s rich countryside with a backdrop of woodlands, guests are encouraged to explore at their leisure some picturesque walks through stunning woodland and around the Haddo Trout Lake. Stroll through the inviting landscape with plenty to discover at every turn in the rich diversity of trees and wildlife, including red squirrels, herons, osprey and deer. Guests can pick up a picnic from the shop and relish the outdoors for as long as they please. You are even encouraged to report any wildlife sightings, interesting plants and fungi so they can be recorded in the wildlife diary.

PLAY It is almost unfortunate there is a closing time, as children will want to stay outside until all hours on the woodland trails and outdoor adventure playground. The trails are inviting in rain or shine – just be sure to bring the wellies – and Formartine's provides a great space for children to explore and learn. The playground allows children to climb, jump, swing and explore to their heart’s content. The secure play area features a treehouse with a telescope and periscope – all accessible by rock wall or ladder, slides and monkey bars. The little ones will also adore the funky tyre swings, made in animal shapes. If you look hard enough, there are lots to play on in the woods as well.

WALK

PLAY

Open 7 days a week - 9.30am to 5.30pm Nr. Tarves on the B999, Aberdeenshire AB41 7NU E:contactus@formartines.com | T: 01651 851123 www.formartines.com

Tomato and Chilli Jam This tomato jam is like a grown-up version of tomato ketchup, but so much better! Great for using up a tomato glut and makes a lovely homemade present too. It’s perfect with some cheese and biscuits. Ingredients • 2 red onions, finely chopped • 400g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved • 400g ripe plum tomatoes, quartered • 3 large mild red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped • 5cm piece fresh root ginger, grated • 1 star anise • 250ml white wine vinegar • 300g soft light brown sugar • 2 tsp fish sauce (substitute soy sauce for vegetarians)

Method 1: Sterilise the jars by washing in very hot water or on the hot cycle of a dishwasher. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. 2: Place the jars upside down on a baking tray and dry in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 3: Heat the red onion and chopped tomatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. 4: Add the chillies, ginger, star anise, vinegar and sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes or until very thick and you can draw a wooden spoon across the base of the pan so that it leaves a channel behind it that does not immediately fill with liquid. 5: Add the fish sauce and cook for 2-3 more minutes, then spoon into sterilised jars.

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Issue 03 2014

savour Welcome to

A celebration of north-east food and drink ISSUE 03, 2014

FROM THE EDITOR

contacts issuu.com/savour Savour is produced by Mackintosh Media Ltd., PO Box 11966 Westhill AB32 9AL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Steve MacKintosh T: +44 (0) 7967106803 E: steve@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

EDITORIAL

Eric Farquharson T: +44 (0) 7730133036

Summer and picnics go together and there’s nothing quite as much fun as a picnic in the sunshine. Food always seems to taste so good when eaten outdoors. It’s a time for vibrant salads and light main meals, all best eaten al fresco. Not forgetting, of course, the barbecue! But this year, ditch the sausages and supermarket burgers and try a dazzling array of fish, veggies and mouth-watering meats. Your local farmers’ market can provide all the produce you’ll need for a great picnic or sizzling barbecue. Speaking of which, check out The Food Guru’s page inside with some great barbecue products that are a little bit different and also a very healthy option. We also have some great summer picnic and barbecue recipes inside for you to try at home. Read about life in the

bakery with the hugely successful team at J.G. Ross, Inverurie, and catch-up with my rants from the allotment where slugs, bugs and birds are causing mayhem. Our front cover and main story features the popular Aussie and MasterChef judge, John Torode, whilst, nearer home, Julie McNeil talks of life in her new eatery, The Merchant Bistro. Our ‘Breakaway’ choice in this issue is the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond, where we feature two outstanding and very different venues. It’s a great time of year to dine and drink outdoors in Aberdeen and the surrounding towns, so get those shorts on and enjoy the great local produce we have on our doorstep. Have a great summer!

E: eric@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTION

Calum Farquhar E: calum@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

ACCOUNTS & DISTRIBUTION E: accounts@mackintoshmedia.co.uk

@SavourMag

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Veggie Bean Burger for Kids Ingredients • 1 x 400g tin chickpeas or beans such as borlotti, kidney or butterbeans, drained and rinsed • 300g cooked, mashed vegetables such as carrot, squash, potato, sweet potato or parsnip • 1 garlic clove, crushed by an adult or using a garlic press • 1 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or olive oil • squeeze of lemon juice • a pinch of ground cumin, coriander or paprika, mild chilli flakes, to taste • freshly ground black pepper • 1 tbsp tahini (optional) • 4 tbsp sesame seeds, breadcrumbs or crushed crackers, for coating (optional)

Method 1: Adult’s job: Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 2: Kid’s job: Mash the beans or chickpeas as much as you can, either with a potato masher in a bowl or with a hand mixer (supervised). Alternatively, you could make the mix in a food processor, if you have one. 3: Kid’s job: Add the mashed vegetables and garlic and any herbs, spices or tahini that you want to use. 4: Kid’s job: Mix well and the kids can taste and add lemon juice, spices or pepper to their taste. 5: Kid’s job: The mixture then needs to be rolled into four burger-sized balls with wet hands, or make 12 smaller ‘falafels’ kids have the perfect sized hands for this. Flatten the balls slightly. If you like, you can coat them with sesame seeds, crushed crackers or breadcrumbs for extra crunch. 6: Kid’s job: Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on a baking tray and place the ‘falafels’ or bean burgers on top, and then turn them all over so that they have a coating of a little oil on each side. 7: Adult’s job: Place the baking tray in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning the burgers over midway through cooking. Allow to cool a little before serving.

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ingredients A celebration of north-east food and drink ISSUE 03, 2014 CONTENT

Farmers’ Markets

p14/15

What’s Fresh in Our Local Farmers’ Markets

Fancy a Piece

p16/17

A Fly-On-The-Wall Interview with Award-Winning Bakery

Rhubarb Patch

p18/19

More Rants from the Rhubarb Patch

Summer Breeze

p25

Wine Suggestions Uncorked with Carol Brown

A Clear View

p40/41

Peter Sangster Airs His Views on Ardoe

Wynd Your Way

p44/45

Change of Career Was Correct Choice for Julie

Breakaway

p52/53

Auchrannie Resort and Boath House

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News Bites... Daniela’s husband’s restaurant gets star billing Actress Daniela Nardini was back on stage for her most unusual role - collecting the trophy for Scotland’s best new restaurant. The This Life and Waterloo Road TV star received the Best Restaurant Newcomer prize at the Catering in Scotland Excellence Awards on behalf of husband, Ivan Stein, co-owner of Glasgow restaurant, The Gannet. While more than 520 guests celebrated at the hospitality industry’s big night out at Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel, Stein had to remain at work at The Gannet, which he and fellow chef, Peter McKenna opened last October after transforming it from a derelict tenement in Finnieston. “There’s no secret to winning the award and getting good reviews - just hard work from morning to night,” said McKenna, whose wife, Chala, joined Nardini on stage. He added: “Ivan and I share the same ethos - simple, solid French-style cookery using great Scottish-sourced ingredients. But it takes a lot of techniques to get to the end product.”

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Michelin Star Chef takes over Mither Tap Restaurant “I can see it before I do it” is how Graham Campbell describes his experimental approach to cuisine. “I can even smell if a dish needs salt.” As recently appointed executive chef at the newly overhauled Mither Tap Restaurant at Pittodrie House Hotel, Graham has the opportunity to give full rein to his uniquely creative, if not radical, take on Scottish produce. Graham comes to Pittodrie House after a stellar career both in Scotland and south of the border. After starting out at the Caledonian Hotel in his native Oban at 16, he was thrown in at the deep end at Andrew Nutter’s restaurant in Rochdale before joining Paul Heathcote’s team near Preston. A spell at the Ballachulish Hotel in 2008 led to him becoming the youngest ever chef to be awarded a Michelin star. Stints at The Lake of Menteith Hotel and the Monastery in Manchester followed, sealing his reputation as one of Britain’s most interesting young gastronomic talents. As you might expect from someone who has collected accolades so relatively early in their career, and in such a

competitive arena, he is hugely focused and doesn’t mince his words. “It doesn’t really matter what I like, it’s what the customer likes that matters. I don’t have a favourite ingredient, I will work with anything, seafood, all meats, anything. As long as it is good quality, I’ll find a way to bring something new to it. I suppose that’s why my cooking has been dubbed ‘weird science’; I take traditional ingredients and create the unexpected.” Under Campbell’s leadership, the kitchen at Pittodrie House Hotel has just won the two AA Rosette award in recognition of its fine dining and quality of service. The appointment of Graham Campbell offers diners in the North East the chance to sample gastronomic excellence in one of Aberdeenshire’s most breathtaking locations. “Two Rosettes is an achievement, but it’s only the start,” says Graham. “I’m not one for chasing recognition – if it comes, it comes. What matters to me is that we create a one-of-a-kind restaurant hotel where people come to enjoy superb food.”

A north-east restaurant cooks up a new look for its customers An Aberdeenshire restaurant has recently completed a five-figure refurbishment of its award-winning bistro. Fennel Restaurant, which is based in Inverurie, has invested £15,000 to transform its ground floor restaurant, offering customers a more relaxed and social dining experience. The top floor of Fennel Restaurant, which was launched in 2007, remains tailored for more formal dining, whilst downstairs will serve Fennel’s signature dishes and cocktails in an informal atmosphere. The renovation includes two bespoke booths and two seating areas with exclusive champagne tables. There are also two large bench tables to cater for large parties, with stylish, modern tartan fabrics throughout to remain true to the Scottish ethos of the restaurant, whilst enhancing the overall décor of the restaurant. The refurbishment took 12 weeks to complete and further complements the restaurant’s character and its passion to support local businesses. Inverurie-based interior designer Ashley Wilson consulted on the project, which was created by Will’s Restoration. Owner of Fennel Restaurant, William Bird,

said: “Following several customer requests and comments, we noticed that many people were looking for an area to simply enjoy a few drinks and nibbles with their friends and family, so we wanted to create a space where they could do this. “With large tables and bespoke booths, people can come in for a less formal style of dining but still enjoy and share Fennel’s delicious food and cocktails. We are also planning to host afternoon teas, so the larger tables will be great for this type of occasion, and we can now offer more flexibility for larger parties. The areas also allows dinner guests to enjoy some aperitifs and after dinner drinks.”

News Bites Paul Loves Local Oatcakes North-east oatcake connoisseurs will already know about the merits of Mitchells wholesome products, which have been further enhanced by an appearance on an episode of BBC One’s Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds. Viewers saw the oatcakes being traditionally hand-baked on an open girdle at their premises in Inverurie followed by owner, Judy Whyte, making an easy cranachan in the studio, while Paul made a cranachan

The restaurant, which is renowned for its modern twist on Scottish food, is already receiving positive feedback from customers and the booths already have a waiting list for the next few weekends.

cheesecake using Mitchells oatcakes as a base. The delicious oatcakes are made with locally grown oats and a splash of

Fennel Restaurant, which has 25 employees, is open six days a week, and also offers bespoke outside catering for offices, private celebrations and corporate events.

Mitchells milk, from a recipe first used

To find out more about Fennel Restaurant or to book a table, call (01467) 670065 or visit www.fennelrestaurant.co.uk

online at

by Great Granny Mitchell in the 1920s. Simply delicious with honey, jam, your favourite cheese or stovies, they can be bought in the shop or www.mitchells-scotland.com

savour Issue 03 2014

Meet the Big Green Egg®, the most unique barbecue product on the market, with unmatched flexibility and capabilities that surpass all other conventional cookers combined. It’s a smoker, a grill, an oven and a pizza oven – you can literally cook any food you choose at any time of the year in any weather. No more rusty one-year-old barbecues, no more flare-ups – just compliments on how good everything tastes!

minutes because of its patented airflow draft system - much like a wood burner. Using all-natural lump charcoal and fire starters – never use lighter fluid – ensures that your food isn't tainted by nasty chemicals. It couldn't be simpler to set up and start cooking. A full set of instructions is provided for lighting and controlling the temperature of your Egg. Don't worry about wasting your charcoal; you can snuff it out after use and any unused charcoal can be used the next time you cook.

You shouldn't think of an Egg in terms of surface area; you need to consider its volume. Because it cooks like an oven, you can accommodate large amounts of food under the dome: The large Egg can cook five whole chickens to perfection at one time. You will soon have a new approach about what you can cook on your barbecue.

The Egg will provide you with unrivalled moisture when cooking anything – from steaks to a whole leg of lamb or fillets of fish to mouth-watering roast chicken. You'll be licking your lips in no time! This is because the insulated ceramic hull, efficient airflow control and precisely sustained temperature all work together with astounding results. Your food will never dry out, even if you leave it on too long.

Once you have one, you will find that all your mates want to come round to your garden to cook at your place. Simply choose what you want to eat and the Egg does the rest. You can pull off culinary tricks blindfolded because of how easy it is to use – although we don't recommend blindfolds! Be the first on your street to have a Big Green Egg®.

If you think you know how to barbecue on a typical metal barbecue, you will be absolutely blown away by what you can cook on a Big Green Egg®. There is no doubt you will soon be addicted and will want to cook in your Egg at every possible opportunity - come rain or shine!

One load of charcoal will burn for over 12 hours - the same amount of charcoal that in a normal metal grill might last for 45 minutes, if you're lucky. This is one of the best secrets of the Egg; saving you money and also giving you unprecedented results - appealing, delicious and succulent food every time you cook. Your food will not dehydrate through excessive heat loss and flare-ups; instead cooking with the lid shut controls the burn with amazing efficiency. The choice of five convenient sizes means there is a Big Green Egg® to suit everyone's needs and lifestyle. From mini to extra large, just decide how much food you may want to cook at one time and where you are going to put it. Many of our dedicated ‘Egg-heads’ buy more than one! It is one of the most versatile barbecue and outdoor ovens you can buy. The Egg lights in less than 12

Cooking on open flame is back - nothing beats the flavour of natural wood-fire smoke. For a Big Green Egg® there are several varieties of woodchips available, each offering a unique flavour note. Because you cook with the lid shut, your woodchips will not ignite and burn your food. Instead they give you delicious results. These trends are being seen in the best restaurants around the country – using smoking to cure and cook food adds unprecedented flavour. The Big Green Egg® is redefining the British barbecue. Simply put, you can cook so many things you would never contemplate cooking on a barbecue before. It is simple, tidy and easy. If you can cook it inside, you can cook it outside in your Egg - often with better results and flavour. When we say 'cook', this includes grilling, searing, baking, roasting and smoking. Other traditional grills cannot make this claim.

in season It’s summer, that amazing time of year when fresh produce abounds. Despite the changeable weather, one thing is certain – some fruit and vegetables really come into their own during July and August. Indulge in some kitchen therapy and conjure up some light and luscious dishes or pack up a picnic and escape to the country.

Salads and mackerel couscous travel well; plump cherries and luscious peaches are a fail-safe dessert.

• BEETROOT • CHERRY • CHICORY • COURGETTE • CRAB • CUCUMBER • FENNEL • FRENCH BEANS • GLOBE ARTICHOKE • KOHLRABI • LAMB • MACKEREL • NECTARINEN • PEAS

July

• PEACH • RADISH • RASPBERRY

Make August meals al fresco. Start with delicate scallops, then fire up the grill and barbecue sea bass or homemade burgers. Finish with a simple plate of apricots.

• FRENCH BEANS • GREY MULLET • KOHLRABI • LAMB • MARROW • PEPPER • RADISH • RASPBERRY •ROCKET

August savour

Issue 03 2014

• RUNNER BEANS • SARDINE • SCALLOP • SEA BASS

Like Marmite, fennel is something that you either love or hate; its strong aniseed flavour leaves no room for the middle ground. From the same family as the herb and seed of the same name, it's also known as Florence fennel. Finocchio or sweet fennel is very popular in Italian cookery and has a bulb-like shape that looks a little like a heavy-bottomed celery. When eaten raw, the texture is crisp and the flavour is quite assertive and aniseed-y, but when cooked, it is softer and mellower.

Availability: All year round, but it's best from the start of June to the end of September.

Choose the best: If possible, go for the smaller, young bulbs, as they're more tender. They should look white with no blemishes and feel heavy for their size. The feathery green tops should be fresh and bright with no yellowing.

Prepare it: Wash, then trim off the green tops – they can be used as a garnish. Slice off the shoots and root, and peel off the tougher outer layer (if the bulb is particularly young and tender, you can leave this layer on). To cook it whole, cut out the tough central core from the bottom, leaving a cone-shaped

cavity, or slice if you prefer. Alternatively, chop into quarters and remove the core from each one – but not too much or the quarters will fall apart.

Store it: Fresh cut fennel should be wrapped in damp kitchen paper, placed in a perforated bag and stored in the fridge. It will last for up to three days.

Cook it: Cut into very thin slices for salads – a mandolin is good for this. Boil or steam – up to 20 minutes for a whole head or up to 12 minutes for wedges. Roast – 40-50 minutes.

Banchory Farmers’ Market Banchory Farmers’ Market is a well-established fixture on the Aberdeenshire circuit, due in large measure to the excellent range of local food producers found there. Top-notch meat suppliers such as Ingram's Homecure, Wark Farm, Mortlach Game and The Store are complemented by a rich diversity of food producers, including Devenick Dairy, Granite City Fish, Kincardine Castle Kitchen, Letty’s Preserves, Ola Oils and The Crannach bakery. Other producers include Shirley’s Jams and Preserves and ‘Have your cake’ scones and traybakes. There is also a regular community stall to promote community initiatives and local charities. Banchory market runs on the third Saturday of the month from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. As Scott Skinner Square - the market’s traditional location - is currently under development, Banchory market will be based for at least the next six months at Bellfield Car Park. For further information check www.banchory.org/farmers_market

Featured Producer – Ola Oils Ola Oils is a family business run by husband and wife, John and Connie Sorrie, son and daughter, John and Chloe, and their partners, Ellie and James. Founded in 2008, Ola Oils produces cold-pressed rapeseed oil – the ideal Scottish alternative to olive oil – on the family farm in Inverurie. Ola grows all its seed on the farm to allow close monitoring of the production process from the sowing of the seed right through to the finished product. Rapeseed has been grown on the farm for decades. As an alternative to selling to a grain merchant, John decided to diversify and cold-press the seed on-site to create a healthy, nutritious oil. Ola was born and the company has never looked back since! Ola now produces a wide range of products and runs the Green Grocer shop in Inverurie. Find out more at www.olaoils.co.uk

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Farmers’ Markets can be found at: ABERDEEN last Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. BANCHORY 3rd Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. HUNTLY 1st Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. INVERURIE 2nd Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. MACDUFF Last Saturday of the month 9 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. PETERHEAD 1st Saturday of the month 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. STONEHAVEN 1st Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. TORPHINS Every Wednesday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. TURRIFF 3rd Saturday of the month 9 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. WESTHILL 1st Saturday of the month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Ola Oil Cereal Bars Breakfast bars, high in omega 3, 6 and 9 and vitamin E. Serves 16-20.

Ingredients • 200ml Ola Rapeseed Oil • 4 rounded tbsp of golden syrup/honey • 300g porridge oats • 100g sultanas (or any combination of dried fruit/nuts) • 1 level tsp mixed spice • 1 level tsp cinnamon

Method 1: Put the oil and syrup into a saucepan and gently heat, mixing with a wooden spoon 2: Stir in the oats and other ingredients. 3: Spread the mixture into a swiss roll tin. 4: Press mixture down firmly and evenly into tin. 5: Cook for approximately 15 minutes at 180ºC until the mixture is evenly browned. 6: Cut the bars while still warm and remove from tin when cool.

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Pictured from left to right: Graeme Ross, commercial director; Cameron Ross,production director; George Ross, founder and executive chairman

Fancy a Piece from this Award-Winning Baker? J.G. Ross (Bakers) Limited needs no introduction to the people of the North East. They have been servicing the bakery needs of the area since it all began back in 1962. Now their takeaway bakers’ and coffee shops are dotted around the region, serving local favourites such as classic meat pies, sausage rolls and, of course, the famous buttery. Over a cup of tea and the obligatory yum yum, Savour’s editor chatted with Graeme Ross (pictured above), commercial director at this award-winning bakery. Q: Wow! It’s been a superb year for J.G. Ross. Can you tell us about some of your successes and awards? A: We are delighted to have won a number of awards over the past year. I think it is great for everyone that works with J.G. Ross to see their efforts formally recognised. Just over 12 months ago we won the local supplier of the year award from Tesco and, when you consider how many local suppliers Tesco has across the whole of the UK, that was a fantastic achievement. We picked up a number of awards at the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards in March this year, including Investment in Skills Development and Entrepreneur of the Year, and two gluten-free products we make for our gluten-free partners, Angelic

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Gluten Free Cookies and Pulsetta Breadcrumbs, won category awards in Food Service. At the Scottish Baker of the Year awards, we won a national gold award for our Ola Oatcakes and a regional bronze for our cherry oven scones, and we were first runner up for Scottish Baker of the Year. We were also asked to enter the national baker awards. This is our first time entering so it will be interesting to see how we get on. Judging takes place from June to August, with awards in October. Q: One of Aberdeenshire’s most famous products is the buttery. What makes yours so special? A: The buttery is one of the most iconic products of the North East. The buttery is

and always has been a handmade product. To maintain its essential characteristics, we have continued to make them in small batches and increased the number of batches as volume has increased rather than increase the batch size. There are a lot of misconceptions about the buttery. If you google it, you will probably find people now living away from the North East longing for a buttery and also discussions regarding its calorific content. www.myfitnesspal.com quotes a buttery as having 274 calories. Ours are certainly nowhere near that. Our standard buttery has 174 calories, our veggie buttery slightly less at 164 and our Banffshire buttery, which has reduced fat, reduced salt and contains oats has only 154 calories. Our weekend speciality buttery

17 has proved very popular and a great talking point on social media. We have made a number of different flavours, including haggis, black pudding, cranachan, cheese, cheese and bacon, bacon, cheese and marmite and, my personal favourite, chocolate and chilli. Q: The Pulsetta range has become a real winner and has really come to the fore recently. Tell us about this glutenfree range. A: Gluten-free is an area we have been considering for some time, so when we were approached by two businesses, Pulsetta and Angelic, two years ago to assist them in developing their concepts, we jumped at the chance. Working with both these businesses and developing our own range with the assistance of local food writer, Liz Ashworth, we made the decision to invest £350,000 in our Portsoy bakery to convert it into a dedicated gluten-free site. We have won three national Great Taste awards for our gluten-free biscuits, and both Angelic and Pulsetta have also won Great Taste Awards. The nature of the ingredients and also the controls and systems necessary to manufacture gluten-free products brought a number of new challenges, particularly as we wanted to offer the same standards of taste, quality and freshness as we do in our main bakery range. I have to say we are very pleased with the results so far. Angelic cookies are already in Canada and Malaysia as well as closer to home. Pulsetta has caught the attention of many retailers, food service outlets and manufacturers due to its very unique proposition. Pulsetta products are patent protected, which is just as well given the development time invested. Pulsetta is the first brand that has made a range of products using pulses. Three biscuits were launched recently and breadcrumbs are available. Work is currently underway to upscale breadcrumb production and also finalise Pulsetta bread and rolls. So – some very exciting times ahead.

help promote our business and its values. As a family business, we wanted it to be family friendly, so of course we have a kids’ menu, a kids’ area inside and also a play area with swings, climbing frame and picnic benches outside. The food is all made on-site. Some comes from the bakery but most is made on the premises daily. This also allows us to quickly change menus to reflect customer needs. Due to the large car park, it is popular both for takeaway and sit down custom. The most popular lines include stovies and macaroni and cheese, as well as paninis, sandwiches, homemade soups, pies, of course, and cakes. Our homemade burgers are also proving very popular. We offer daily specials too, which could be almost anything, including homemade steak pie, fish pie, chilli or curry, to name but a few.

go. Our American pancakes and fruit oven scones are very popular, too.

Q: You have scones, muffins, doughnuts, yum yums, fruit slices and an array of traditional biscuits. What’s the most popular nibble with a ‘fly cup’?

Q: Have you had any new launches recently or can we expect to see another delicious product rolling of the production line soon?

A: We offer a very large range of cakes and ‘fancy pieces’. The most popular individually purchased line is our yum yum. Due to its success, we have extended this to include a caramel yum yum, cream yum yum and, most recently, a custard yum yum. Traditional tea bread lines are still very well liked, although more are bought to take home rather than purchased individually to eat on the

Q: It seems local traders in Inverurie have a very close relationship and work together to enhance the products available and the profile of the town. Is this something J.G. Ross embraces? A: As a family business, being part of the local community is in our DNA. We have been members of Inverurie Business Association for very many years and have been chairman and vice chairman. Inverurie has so much to offer, whether it is shopping, work, recreation or property. It is a very vibrant area and I strongly feel that the co-operative spirit and support that exists within the population and the business community greatly contributes to that.

A: We regularly review our product range and bring out new lines. We recently did some work with Hazlehead Academy, which has led to the development of a healthy nutritious breakfast bar that we launched at Taste of Grampian. A large custard cream – a bit like granny would have made – and multi-seeded rolls are all coming out soon. After that … well, we will keep everyone posted both on social media and through our shops.

Q: Your restaurant in Inverurie, open every day, offers much more than tea and cakes, so what can we expect from the menu? A: When we built our new bakery in 2007, we wanted to include a coffee shop to

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May It’s time to get Taggart out of retirement ‘cause: ‘There’s been a murder!’ In fact there’ve been several, but it doesn’t require a detective’s skills to find the culprit. Jack Frost has broken into our polytunnel with his icy fingers and strangled our tomatoes. Despite purchasing a super-duper polytunnel to protect our young tomato plants, we unzip one morning in early May to find devastation. Feeling like a Lib Dem M.P. at an election, we vow to carry on and in no time our grow bags are replenished. This is the trouble with allotment gardening in Scotland. One minute you’re exposing your wobbly bits to the world as temperatures soar and the next wrapping everything tighter than an Aberdonian’s wallet. Perhaps our enthusiasm needs to be tempered a little and more attention paid to the weatherman. Despite the fluctuating temperatures things are looking good! The overwintered cabbage is thriving, lettuce forming hearts and broad beans stretching. Tattie shaws are beginning to appear, so they’re quickly earthed up and even the fruit canes I had long ago dismissed as a bad buy have sprung to life. Unfortunately, however, the fastest rate of growth we have to date is the vast amount of weeds that are thriving

on our patch. Why is it you give a fledgling plant such care and attention to be rewarded by eradication and yet, despite hoeing, howking, pounding and poisoning, the weeds flourish? As I watched Alex and Ed, with envy, win the Big Allotment Challenge, I wondered if they had to deal with weeds and pests or did a team of gnomes appear between filming to give them a hand! It would be in the floral display bit I’d come undone. I’m not sure where I’d stick a gladiolus, but -putting it in a floral arrangement isn’t for me! (Sorry all you gladioli lovers!) But who am I kidding? I’d not even get that far! Back on the allotment, my wife’s enthusiasm never wanes and she tends to our crop on a near daily basis. Friends, family and neighbours have started to taste the benefits … although, hang on; shouldn’t we be taking some home for ourselves??

June At last it’s warming up a bit – or at least the rain isn’t so cold! Now that the worry of frost is gone, there are other hazards to look out for. Greedy, slimy little slugs are feasting on our crops! We’ve tried more traps and contraptions than in a James Bond movie, but still the little blighters keep knawing away. We’ve now resorted to beer, which apparently does the trick. I’m not sure what the theory is. Does it poison them or do they get so p***ed they fall off the plant and die?? Pigeons, a bird I’ve always quite liked, have joined in too, causing us to invest in more nets than Ena Sharples. (Younger readers will not have a clue what I’m on about!) It seems that everything other than onions, garlic and celery are at their mercy. I say let’s forget the veg growing and go for pigeon pie! I have to say life within our gated compound is good. There’s a great camaraderie at this time of year as stories of successes and failures are exchanged along with any excesses from one’s plot. Cabbages are swapped for broccoli, strawberries exchanged for cucumbers. There is such harmony in our little group, I can’t help thinking politicians could learn a thing or two by going back to basics and picking up a few tips from our community. It’s not just a growing area either. Fuelled by a few beers and glasses of wine, we’ve kindled up the barbecue and spent many a pleasant evening sucking on a spare rib and chomping on a sizzling burger, accompanied, of course, with fresh greens straight from the ground. (And I swear the pigeons remained untouched!) Speaking of wine, which I think I was, a rather sickly looking vine I planted months ago is now competing with Mo Farah as to who can cover the most distance fastest. From a stick in the ground, it has erupted into lush foliage with each day producing noticeable growth. But, alas, I think any chance of a glass of Pinot Noir will have to wait until another year. Staggering your planting to avoid a glut of one product is the way to go so, as we enjoy the fruits of our labour, some of our beds become naked again and ready for more planting to give us autumn and winter crops. (It’s all very technical!) So we’re off again planting more turnips, leeks, beetroot and beans to harvest later in the year. We’re lucky in that we can cycle to our allotment in ten minutes. I’m in the process of ‘pimping’ our bikes to ensure we can carry the maximum vegetation home, so if you see an odd couple looking like a cross between an Onion Johnny and a Chinese street peddler give us a wave!

It’s Creamilicious Isn’t it rather ironic that Scottish people are really good at making ice cream and, despite a climate notorious for inclement weather, we can’t get enough of this smooth, creamy, chilled delight? There are some well-known brands in Scotland but you have to travel to Inverurie to find a real nugget. Mitchells ice cream is made using Aberdeenshire-grown ingredients in partnership with Rizza’s of Huntly, who produce and distribute Mitchells own-recipe ice creams. In further support of local producers, Mitchells ice cream contains their own brand of milk and cream and, for the fruit flavours, berries from Barra Berries and Castleton. Delicious

all year round, on its own or as part of a dessert, it’s available in three flavours – Luxury Dairy, Crannachan and Blueberries & Cream – and is a great example of local family businesses working together to produce fantastic tasting products. Mitchells ice cream is suitable for vegetarians and is gluten free. Available from Mitchells own shop in Inverurie and selected outlets in a range of sizes – from individual 120ml spoon-in-lid to 5l catering, Mitchells ice cream is a great addition to any freezer. If you’d like to stock Mitchells ice cream or find out more, please telephone (01467) 621389.

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Always had room in your heart for an AGA, but never enough space in the kitchen? Well, now you have. The electric AGA City60 is everything you would expect from an AGA, but wrapped up in a smaller package. At just 60cm wide – the same size as a slot-in cooker or a standard kitchen unit, it’s perfect for smaller spaces. There are two ovens, offering roasting, baking and simmering functions, and a hotplate which allows you to boil and simmer. Both the ovens and hotplates can be switched on when you need them and off when you don’t. Plus, with programmability, you can time the roasting/baking oven to be ready when you are. What’s more, if you place your AGA City60 order and pay a deposit before 30 September 2014 you will receive a ‘Getting you started’ cookware pack worth over £500. To learn more about the AGA City60 or other AGA models, call or visit AGA Aberdeen, Unit 2, 12b Back Wynd, Aberdeen, AB10 1JN. 01224 647441 | AgaLiving.com

Raising the Steaks

With the arrival of summer sunshine,

rusk or bread – otherwise known as fillers,

chillies, jalapeño and lime, garlic and

hundreds of barbecues throughout the

it’s all about the meat with Fresh Food

cayenne, smokey barbecue or the aptly

area will be wheeled out from the garage

Guru by Andrew Gordon.

named Louisiana-style burger.

or shed to take pride of place in the back garden. However, barbecues are no longer just a summer activity. With the appearance of some really innovative new cookware, such as the Big Green Egg® and Tefal Optigrill, barbecues are now a 365-day-a-year event, indoors or outdoors. Whether you opt for the latest models or you own a more humble piece of apparatus, your barbecue can only succeed if you have the best food possible. Enter Andrew Gordon! Andrew has introduced his Fresh Food Guru healthy eating range through his website, offering low-calorie, low-fat options at amazing prices. For example, the 200g chicken breast fillet burgers and steak burgers are all at a new low price of only £3.00 each and the standard lean steak burger 100% beef is only £1.50. All

Andrew has also introduced the new

Perhaps you’re celebrating a special

Gordonian

includes

occasion or planning a corporate day out

delicious luxury aged burgers and chilli

with the office team or clients. If so, you’ll

aged burgers with some of the classic

be sure to impress with a sizzling hog

Aberdeen Angus fat left in for a juicy

roast from Fresh Food Guru Hog Roasts.

sizzle and great flavour. They’ll impress

Delicious Aberdeenshire-bred pork served

your friends and neighbours sizzling on

in a brioche bun, with sage and onion

the barbecue grill!

stuffing, Bramley apple sauce and fresh

Range,

which

The Fresh Food Guru has also obtained exclusive rights for pure Piedmontese beef, which is both low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This ‘leaner than chicken’ meat is ideal for the barbecue with its

coleslaw. Add to the experience with a selection of canapés, salads, baked potatoes with delicious fillings and desserts. Professional and friendly staff will work with you and ensure your guests have a memorable time.

naturally high moisture level, and there are some amazing steak burgers, such as Bourbon, Chipotle, Memphis, and the pure Piedmontese beef with nothing added is as natural as the day is long. Perhaps you’re brave enough to try ‘Fork in Hell’, infused with front loaded chillies.

handmade using premium chicken fillet

There’s a really impressive chicken breast

and lean meats, not packed with extra

fillet burger range with choices of sweet

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Drink

News Bites... Cocktail Win Raises the Bar Whisky trail unveils Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire The active and lost whisky distilleries dotted around Aberdeenshire have been brought together for the first time. The county’s rich but under-recognised whisky heritage is being showcased with Aberdeenshire council’s Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire guide. The council’s economic development team has been working with local whisky producers to highlight the hidden range of small distilleries all within an hour’s drive of Aberdeen. Targeting the tourism markets, whisky connoisseurs, local people and historians, The Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire highlights the fascinating history of eight working distilleries. It also details the area’s ‘lost’, or non-operational, distilleries, with a guide to whisky tasting and some specialist whisky retail outlets. Of the eight working distilleries featured, most are relatively small but each has its own distinctive history, style and taste. Four of them have small visitor centres and shops offering regular tours led by knowledgeable guides. Copies will be available free at each of the distilleries and local visitor information centres.

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Assistant manager, Alex Lawrence, at Orchid Bar in Aberdeen, has won the UK La Hechicera Bartender competition, held earlier this spring at MASH London. Alex, 23, from Edinburgh, won the prestigious Wanderlust Columbia Challenge with a smooth drink called Lady Colombia, beating cocktail makers from The Ritz, The Dorchester and leading bars in Brighton and Edinburgh.

indicative of where the bar and hospitality sector is at today. “I wouldn’t say it is quite like cooking, but there is an immense amount of studying involved in cocktails now and the industry takes itself seriously. You really do have to master every spirit, but also the small details of the cocktail experience – like mood, lighting, does the customer have enough water, is the music right…”

As the competition was a brand awareness exercise run by La Hechicera Rum, a spirit only released into the UK market in 2012, Alex’s drink was based around a personification of Colombia, with each ingredient having an attribute that said something about the country. He prepared a sophisticated mix of rum, Martini extra dry vermouth, Mozart dark chocolate liqueur, maple syrup, sea salt and a blend of bitters for a panel of industry experts.

For Orchid’s owner, Ben Iravani, Alex’s win is a win for Aberdeen. “Alex wasn’t just representing us; he was representing the city too. When people think of hospitality, we want them to think of Aberdeen. Our ambition is to get more drinks specialists to come to the city and show them that it’s on a par with, if not better, than London. We’ve had some greats guys come through Orchid and be really successful in the drinks industry and Alex is a shining example of that.”

Alex says: “It is not just about the taste and drink itself. There’s a huge importance placed on what you say and how you look, too. You’ve got to keep it smooth, keep your body at right angles when you pour things out. It always looks nice if you can make things flow. I had shaky hands but I had a few rums so that sorted it out. I was in shock after I won though.”

Alex’s win means he’s now promoting Aberdeen’s take on cocktail mixology in South America, with a sponsored monthlong trip in August, teaching Columbian bartenders about their native brand. Plans for his return mean taking a break from the competition scene. “I really want to focus on taking the bar further than it’s ever been before, so that we can push bartending not just in the North East, but in the whole of the UK.”

The standard required to win the event is

At a champagne tasting last night, as we were trying a delicious Ruinart Rosé Brut NV, one of the tasters said to me: “I could just see myself sitting in the garden in the sunshine enjoying this.” So as thoughts turn to dining al fresco – even if it is with the aid of a patio heater and fire pit, what do you imagine drinking?

temperatures rise. Trial and error may be involved to get the wine as you like it, but the general guidelines for chilling red wines are to make sure that tannins are low and that the wine is young, soft and fruity, and not too heady on the alcohol.

On the white side, for me it has to be zippy and refreshing. I’m thinking a Vinho Verde from Portugal or perhaps a Greek Assyrtiko. A Chablis or Sancerre wouldn’t go amiss either. Check out the lively whites of Italy for lightly nutty Arneis, citrus-y Verdicchio and the apples and white flowers of Vermentino.

Bring on the sunshine! Tried and tasted:

Salad dressings need a wine with acidity to match, and simply prepared shellfish and fish won’t be overpowered.

Pure berry scents, liquorice spice and glug-able fruitcake and cherry flavours demand a gourmet burger. (Fountainhall Wines)

Whilst I am of the opinion that rosé can and should be drunk all year round, when the sun shines it really does fit the bill. I head to Italy, southern Rhône, the South of France, and the Spanish regions of Navarra and Rioja for dry styles with some body and attitude, which work so well with the multitude of vibrant flavours of sharing foods like tapas, antipasto and mezze. The intensity that chargrilling gives to food sits well against really fruity red wines and those with smoky hints. Go for the juicy red fruitiness of New Zealand Pinot Noir, soft easy drinking Chilean Merlot or spice it up a bit with Australian Shiraz. Lighter styles of red such as Beaujolais, Valpolicella and unoaked Rioja can also be slightly chilled as summer

McManis Family Vineyards Petite Sirah 2011, California, USA

Wittman 100 Hills Pinot Blanc 2011, Germany An expressive, zingy, dry glassful of apples and melons makes this lovely Pinot Blanc perfect for simply sipping. It was a firm fave at a recent wine club tasting. (Oddbins, Aberdeen) Tesco Finest Picpoul de Pinet 2012, Languedoc Roussillon France So very Picpoul - zingy and dry with a green apple freshness, another for sipping in the sunshine.

Falafel Scotch Eggs Ingredients • 9 large eggs • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for rolling • 2 large onions, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 tbsp ground cumin • 1 tbsp ground coriander • 400g can chickpeas, drained • ½ small pack coriander, leaves only • 200g wholemeal breadcrumbs • 5 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting • 25g panko or dried breadcrumbs • 3 tbsp sesame seeds • sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying

Method 1: Put eight of the eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil, cook for five minutes, then quickly lift out of the pan and plunge in a big bowl of cold water to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel. 2: While the eggs cool, put the oil, onions and garlic in a frying pan. Fry very gently until really soft and just starting to turn golden. Add the spices and fry for a few minutes more. Tip into a food processor and whizz to a paste, then add the chickpeas and coriander leaves, and pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Stir in the wholemeal breadcrumbs, flour and final egg – beaten first with a fork, with a good amount of seasoning. 3: Divide the mixture into eight. Take a portion at a time and flatten between your hands (rub your hands with a little more oil if it’s sticking to your fingers too much). Roll one of your peeled eggs in a little flour, shake to remove the excess, then wrap the falafel mixture around it, moulding it to completely cover the egg and squishing it together at the joins to seal. Repeat to cover all the eggs. Tip the panko or dried breadcrumbs onto a plate and mix in the sesame seeds. Roll each egg in it to coat. Can be made one day ahead, loosely covered with cling film and chilled. 4: Get a large, deep saucepan and half-fill it with oil, or use a deep-fat fryer. Heat until a bit of bread browns in about 30 seconds. Add a couple of eggs at a time and fry, turning, until really golden and crisp – about two minutes. Lift onto kitchen paper to drain while you cook the rest of the eggs in batches. Season with a little more salt and eat warm or cold.

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Talking to Torode John Torode started his career as a chef. Having moved from Australia in the early 1990s, he began his UK career with the Conran Group. Passion and talent saw him rise quickly through the ranks and, in less than five years, he was promoted to the position of head chef. Torode's Australian background has played a large part in his career. He has been credited as one of the main players to bring quality Australian cuisine to the UK. His uncomplicated fusion cooking produces dishes that are full of flavour. Apart from introducing this exciting blend of multicultural cuisine, he is well known for being an enthusiast of organic food and the farming process. Torode is author of a set of successful cookbooks and has had columns in the Daily Mail and Olive. His highest-profile role, however, has to be that of TV presenter. Torode has been on numerous programmes, including four years as resident chef on ITV with Richard and Judy to hosting and co-judging duties on MasterChef with Gregg Wallace. His latest series, John Torodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Australia, aired on TV in March this year. savour

Issue 03 2014

29 Q: You have an amazing rapport with Gregg Wallace on screen yet you have never been to each other’s homes. Is this a choice you both made? A: It's just turned out that way. We both have busy lives and we live a long way from each other, and so it's just never happened. Life is a bit like that; things just happen without even contemplating them. Q: Are there times during MasterChef filming when the cameras stop rolling because things get too chaotic or a contestant breaks down? A: This never happens; everything that takes place in the kitchen is filmed. Q: Has there ever been an occasion when you or Gregg have looked at a dish and thought: “I really can’t eat this”? A: Many a time, but the person has cooked it and you must pay them the compliment of eating it. As long as it is not going to make you ill! Q: Do you get a chance to chat to the contestants before or after the show, or is it straight down to business? A: Our relationship with all the contestants is kept fairly distant, as it should be between judge and contestant. They walk in ... we introduce ourselves ... set the task and away we go. Q: You’ve now sold your stake in Smiths of Smithfield; so do you have your finger in any other pies (so to speak!)? A: Oh, I do, but I am enjoying a little down time. Soon though! Q: Viewers have been enjoying your Good Food Channel series John Torode’s Australia where you retraced the flavours of your childhood. Was there a slight temptation to think of moving back to your native land or were you comfortable to return home to the streets of Balham? A: No, no, no! I love Australia, but my life is here, as are my family and my friends. Q: You’ve been known to comment you don’t particularly enjoy pretentious food, so what’s cooking in the Torode home? A: Last night it was roast chicken and Yorkshire puddings, and who knows what tonight will bring. But breakfast will be bacon and eggs on toast. savour Issue 03 2014

It’s a Win for Brilliant Brogan the Scottish Lighthouse Museum and Betsy Pepper, a pupil at Mintlaw Academy. The award has been established to encourage young people to consider a culinary career and to kindle a real passion for top quality local produce among chefs of the future.

Two North East Scotland College students have lifted the gold and silver awards in the inaugural Taste of Grampian Aspiring Young Chef competition. The four finalists in the award, supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Native by Nick Nairn and North East Scotland College Hospitality Team, battled it out in two cook-offs, which took place at the Taste of Grampian event at Thainstone. The overall winner was Brogan Tilney, who impressed the judges with her exceptional dishes. Her starter was fillets of herring, served on a warm salad of new potatoes, fennel and capers, dressed with lemon-infused rapeseed oil followed by a main of rib-eye of Scotch beef, buttered cabbage and bacon, and glazed potatoes accompanied with a white onion sauce. She will be given two weeks of work experience, courtesy of Nick Nairn, and

£200 for the purchase of food preparation equipment. One of the judging team, Lady Claire Macdonald, said she had been extremely impressed with the skills and determination shown by the four young finalists. Lady Claire said the Taste of Grampian Aspiring Young Chef competition was very close with only seven points between the finalists. Runner-up was Louise Lee with her starter of tian of salmon and crab, topped with crème fraîche and garnished with wild rocket, and main course of herb-crusted pavé of lamb, minted pea purée, rosemary potatoes, red wine and garlic sauce. Louise will also receive a cheque for £200 for the purchase of food preparation equipment courtesy of Quality Meat Scotland. The other finalists were Kipras Preidys of

The competition attracted a strong field of entrants and was open to all young people, aged 16 to 19, with a passion for food – from those working as commis chefs to college students and school pupils. Competitors were required to devise a menu and recipes consisting of their chosen starter and main course. In keeping with the Taste of Grampian event’s ethos, the menu had to showcase seasonal Grampian produce, where possible sourced from local suppliers. Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb or Specially Selected Pork plus a local seafood product were also included in the menus. The entrants were also asked to strongly reflect the theme of ‘Homecoming’ in their menu choice by considering what visitors to the area would want to experience when sampling local Scottish food. The competition was also strong in the Taste of Grampian Primary Schools competition. Supported by Quality Meat Scotland, the competition encourages teams of pupils to devise a healthy, nutritious packed lunch. Kintore Primary School was the overall winner and also lifted the best art and design award for the written submission. Runner-up was Foveran Primary School, which also lifted the award for the best researched written submission and, in third place, was Udny Green Primary School.

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Spicy lamb burgers with coriander, tomato and yoghurt relish These tasty burgers with a quick tomato relish are perfect for the barbecue. Serve with pitta bread or burger buns.

Ingredients For the burgers: • 1kg minced lamb (it's best not to use extra-lean mince as the fat will help bind the burgers and keep them juicy when cooked) • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 medium onion, finely chopped • 1-2 tbsp mango chutney • 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated • 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped • ¼ tsp ground turmeric • 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed • 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed • flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • oil, for brushin flat bread, pitta bread or burger buns, to serve. For the relish: • 6 ripe tomatoes, quartered, de-seeded and diced • 200g tub of Greek yoghurt • bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped • 1 small red onion, finely chopped • squeeze of lemon or lime juice

Method 1: Place the minced lamb in a large mixing bowl and add the garlic, onion, mango chutney, ginger, chopped chilli, turmeric, crushed coriander and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper and mix by hand until combined. The burgers can be briefly mixed in a food processor until just starting to hold together, but be careful not to overwork the mixture. 2: Divide and shape the mixture into 8-10 burgers. If you want to check the flavour, fry a small burger in a drop of oil before shaping the rest and, if necessary, add extra flavourings or seasoning. 3: Place the burgers on a cling film-covered tray and keep them in the fridge to relax for at least 30 minutes. They're ideally made the day before cooking. 4: To prevent the burgers from sticking, brush with a little oil before barbecuing over medium-hot coals for about 5-6 minutes each side. 5: Mix together the tomatoes, yoghurt, coriander, onion and lemon or lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the burgers, either inside the bun or as a dipping sauce. 6: For a change, use diced, seeded cucumber instead of tomatoes, and try mint instead of coriander.

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Ola Ensures Chester Hotel is Best Dressed Ola teamed up with The Chester Hotel on

Christmas gifts and also as part of

Queens Road, Aberdeen to produce The

hampers." Finally, Ola unveiled their one-

Chester Hotel House Dressing. Executive

litre sized bottle, now available for retail

chef at The Chester, Kevin Dalgleish, uses

sale. The company have been supplying

Ola to make the house salad dressing at

the catering sector with one-litre bottles

the hotel and the collaboration has seen

for almost two years but with customers

the dressing bottled and offered for sale.

increasingly buying multiple 500ml

In addition, Ola have launched a range of Ola Oils of Inverurie, Scotland's original producers of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, have recently launched a range of new products. Adding to the extensive range of oils, salad dressings and condiments,

gift packs, offering a selection of three types of Ola Oil in 100ml bottles. James Ogg of Ola Oils said: "The gift packs have been really popular since we launched them and we hope that they'll sell well as

bottles, the decision was taken to launch the one-litre size. James added: "We now have an 18-month shelf life on all our oils and this was a key factor in launching the one-litre size." To find out more, visit www.olaoils.co.uk

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homegrown produce essential for local chef Since opening in 2010, The Courtyard has gone through a vast evolution. It has gone from being a formal, fine dining venue to a relaxed food-centric experience where the food is centre stage. Your experience begins when your are seated and presented with the daily selection of homemade breads and then leads into exploring the menu of seasonal produce presented by the culinary team at the helm. The team at The Courtyard work together with the best Scottish suppliers to bring you the freshest seasonal produce and present it elegantly, ensuring a unique taste experience. Earlier this year, executive chef and owner of The Courtyard, Chris Tonner, secured the talents of new head chef, Andrew Manson. Originally from Shetland, the 30year-old well-travelled chef studied at Aberdeen University and Robert Gordon University. He has a long-standing work relationship with Chris Tonner as he worked in La Stella (now the Adelphi Kitchen) before leaving Aberdeen six

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years ago to travel to Spain. Andrew has worked in some of the most prestigious restaurants across Europe, including Adams in Birmingham, The Kitchin in Edinburgh, and Claridge’s in London. He also worked in Pollen Street Social in London and Simply Foss in Majorca. Back in Aberdeen since May this year, Andrew is keen to make his mark in the area’s dining circles. He said: “Aberdeen is not short of restaurants, it’s a vibrant city and I’m happy to be back ‘home’. At The Courtyard, we are working hard to refine our menu and create something very special – something that Aberdeen hasn’t had before. “Everyone talks about using local produce and, of course, that’s extremely important, but it’s seasonal produce which is the key. Nature should be deciding for us what goes on our plates.” Travelling around Europe, Andrew has collected an immense amount of knowledge and skills. “Some might say it doesn’t look good on a CV to have three months here and three months there, but

35 it worked for me. The experiences I have had in some of the best kitchens around Europe have been amazing.”

two or have a celebration for more people, The Courtyard private dining room is a perfect choice.

These highly commended and awardwinning restaurants have allowed Andrew to build up a vast experience, which he has now brought to the kitchen at 1 Alford Lane.

The team at The Courtyard will work with you to provide a perfect menu for your occasion, guiding you with both their culinary experience but also the knowledge of what is seasonally at its best to provide you with a fresh dining experience for your party.

Andrew feels that the ambience of The Courtyard is very suited to his style of cooking – presenting the best of local and seasonal food in a modern way. He aims to make The Courtyard the best restaurant in Aberdeen and feels that this is highly achievable with the perfect team in place. Cooking for Andrew is much more a vocation that a career choice. He likens it to an addiction and, even on his day off, he is researching ingredients and recipes, always thinking how he can improve on the work he is doing. He loves to share his knowledge and skills with the team and is comfortable in training up-and-coming chefs to further their skills and experience, and encourages them to establish their own personal style. While the main restaurant in The Courtyard seats 50, there is a further private dining room nestled upstairs that can accommodate 35. Whether you want an intimate meal for

They offer a completely flexible menu – whether you want a bespoke menu designed with canapés and bubbly on arrival or something completely different, they will always make every effort to make your dining experience unlike anything else. They cater for all occasions – from graduations to weddings, office gatherings to birthdays. There are also some very special events lined up at The Courtyard. In August they host a 1950s’ Paris Champagne Tasting Event in tribute to Joseph Perrier Champagne. With a five-course tasting menu chosen specifically for the evening and glasses of champagne for every course, diners will also hear from Malcolm Ogilvie of Wine Importers and Martin Gamman of Joseph Perrier. Tickets are limited and can be booked by calling (01224) 589109 or emailing info@wearebeetroot.co.uk

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Barbecued leg of pork with grilled summer vegetables

Ingredients • handful bay leaves • handful rosemary sprigs • handful thyme sprigs • 4 garlic cloves • 3 tbsp olive oil • 4 tbsp cider vinegar • 2-3kg boneless, skinless pork leg, butterflied into 1 piece • handful parsley leaves, chopped For the vegetables: • 2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges, fronds picked and kept separate • bunch spring onions - green parts finely sliced and kept separate; whites trimmed but left whole • 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into large chunks • 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into large chunks • 3 courgettes, cut on an angle into long slices • 2 tbsp olive oil • juice of ½ lemon

Method 1: Using a pestle and mortar, bash and bruise the bay, rosemary and thyme with the garlic, olive oil and one tablespoon of the vinegar, plus some seasoning. Smear the mixture all over the meat to marinate. This can be done up to 24 hours ahead. 2: Set aside the fennel fronds and sliced spring onions, and toss the rest of the vegetables in one tablespoon of the olive oil and some seasoning. Build your barbecue so that there is a higher pile of coals on one side and a lower pile on the other. Light the barbecue and, when the coals are ashen, grill the vegetables until lightly charred and wilted (be careful that the asparagus and spring onions do not fall through the bars). Scoop them into a dish and dress with the rest of the olive oil and the lemon juice, then scatter with the fennel fronds and sliced spring onions, and set aside. 3: Now cook the pork. It needs to sizzle for one hour over a fairly low heat – the coals should be grey but, to ensure they don’t go out halfway through cooking, you may need to keep adding occasional coals. Lay the pork on the coolest side of the barbecue, fat-side down, and brown for about 20 minutes until well charred (if you have a kettle barbecue, cover with the lid). Use tongs to flip the meat and continue to cook slowly for about one hour more, turning and moving the meat occasionally, until the thickest part is very firm when prodded, or when the juices show no sign of pink when pierced with a skewer. If you have a digital cooking thermometer, it should read 65ºC or more when inserted in the thickest part. (If the pork is organic, it’s fine if it’s a tiny bit pink, but you certainly don’t want it raw.) 4: When the pork is cooked, place on a dish, scatter with parsley, drizzle over the rest of the vinegar and leave to rest somewhere warm for 15 minutes. Carve the pork into thin slices on a board and serve with the just-warm vegetables and vinegary resting juices.

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AECC Receive Healthyliving Award

Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) has announced that the venue has once again achieved the healthyliving award, through the scheme run by NHS Health Scotland and funded

by the Scottish Government. Only businesses which are committed to preparing and serving food according to the specific award conditions can display the healthyliving award logo and certificate. This means that healthier ingredients and cooking methods are used to keep salt, sugar and fat to a minimum; and healthy options such as water, low-fat dairy products, fruit and vegetables are always available.

salads, and seed and nut snack packs in

AECC’s catering general manager, David McDonald commented: “By providing healthy snack options, such as fresh fruit,

successfully deliver wholesome meals to

our Café Concourse, as well as using nourishing, locally sourced ingredients, we are ensuring that all visitors to the venue, whether they attend for a small meeting in the café right up to a dinner dance for 1,400, are being provided with delicious and nutritious meals. The preparation is also key and our dedicated in-house chefs and kitchen brigade over 300,000 visitors at the venue each year.”

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Food and drink businesses around the Highlands & Islands and Cairngorms National Park area have finally discovered whether they’ve made it to the next stage of the industry’s most prestigious awards, as organisers of the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards (HIFDA) announced the 41 shortlisted finalists. Over the past few months, the 14 judges have read their way through dozens of written submissions, sampled a variety of the best of Scottish produce – ranging from buffalo, goat and salmon, salad dressings, biscuits and cheese to ice creams, cordials, whiskies and craft beers – and deliberated their conclusions at length, until the winning businesses were agreed upon. Shortlisted businesses for the 12 awards come from all corners of the region, from Keith to Kiltarlity, from Shetland to Skye, from Forres to Fort William and from Dalwhinnie to Dornoch and Dunoon – a promising sign for the continuing breadth of talent in the industry. This year, the judging panel was chaired by Stephen Rankin, director of UK Sales at the Awards’ headline sponsor, Gordon & MacPhail. The judges comprised experienced individuals from all sectors of the food and drink industry, including head chef Charlie

Lockley of the Michelin-starred Boath House near Nairn, and representatives from industry organisation Scotland Food & Drink, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards complement the work of the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Forum and are supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. They celebrate excellence and achievement in the industry and recognise industry players at the top of their game. Shortlisted finalists have been announced in 12 categories including Best Drink, Export, Independent Food & Drink Retailer, New Product and Restaurant of the Year. The winners of two additional categories not open for general entry, namely Ambassador of the Year and the Judges’ Award, will be made at the discretion of the judges and revealed at the Awards Ceremony. The winners of all the awards will be announced at the Awards Dinner and Ceremony at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness on Friday, 24 October. The evening’s proceedings will be hosted by popular presenter and comedian, Fred MacAulay – back by popular demand! Tickets cost £75 + VAT and can be purchased online at www.hifoodanddrink.co.uk

LIST OF SHORTLISTED WINNERS BEST DRINK AWARD: Sponsored by JBT Distribution & ParcelinQ Ben Nevis Distillery, Fort William Single Cask Matured in Port Wood 10 Years Old; Single Cask Matured in Port Wood 21 Years Old Cairngorm Brewery, Aviemore Range of 12 bottled beers Highland Cordials, Kiltarlity Raspberry & Mint, Nettle & Ginger, Elderberry Lerwick Brewery, Shetland 60° North Loch Ness Brewery, Drumnadrochit Range of 6 bottled beers Tomintoul Distillery, Glenlivet Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky aged 12 years @ 40%; 10 Year Old ‘Old Ballantruan’ Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky @ 50% BEST MARKETING INITIATIVE AWARD: Sponsored by Cairngorms National Park Authority Dalwhinnie Distillery, Dalwhinnie Good Highland Food, Moy, Inverness-shire The Scottish Salmon Company, Isle of Lewis ENVIRONMENT AWARD: Sponsored by TIO Ltd Isle of Eriska Hotel and Restaurant Isle of Skye Sea Salt Company, Isle of Skye Ninth Wave Restaurant, Isle of Mull HEALTHIER FOOD & DRINK AWARD: Sponsored by The University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health Buth Bheag, Kyle of Lochalsh Loch Duart Ltd, Lairg The Scottish Goat Meat Company, Keith EXPORT AWARD: Sponsored by Norbert Dentressangle Brewmeister Brewery, Keith FAO27, Avoch Loch Duart Ltd, Lairg MacLean’s Highland Bakery, Forres The Scottish Salmon Company, Isle of Lewis FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS GROWTH 2014: Sponsored by Johnston Carmichael Brewmeister Brewery, Keith FAO27, Avoch The Island Smokery, Orkney

INDEPENDENT FOOD & DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Allarburn Farm Shop, Elgin Buth Bheag, Kyle of Lochalsh Skye Farm Shop, Isle of Skye NEW BUSINESS AWARD: Sponsored by Bank of Scotland Black Isle Dairy, Daviot Mr C’s Bar, Thurso Orkney Buffalo, Orkney Skye Farm Shop, Isle of Skye West Coast Delicatessen, Ullapool NEW PRODUCT AWARD: Sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink Black Isle Dairy, Daviot – Dairy Ice Cream Range Coast & Glen, Inverness – Coast & Glen Fishbox Saladworx Ltd, Dornoch – Special edition Homecoming Scotland 2014 Whisky & Thistle dressing/marinade/dip Shetland Cheese Ltd, Shetland – St Ninian’s Soft Cheese The Argyll Smokery, Dunoon – Kiln Roasted Smoked Trout Tomintoul Distillery, Glenlivet – Tomintoul Tri-pack featuring one 5cl bottle of Tomintoul 10, 16 & 25 years BEST EATERY AWARD: Sponsored by Swansons Fruit Company & Nessgro Bandstand Bar & Restaurant, Nairn Eilean Dubh, Fortrose Frankie’s Fish & Chip Shop, Café & Take Away, Shetland The Bothy, Burghead The Pier Café, Lairg RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Sponsored by Think Local Corrour Station House Restaurant, Fort William Isle of Eriska Hotel, Isle of Eriska Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Cairndow, Argyll The Lovat Loch Ness, Fort Augustus YOUNG SHINING STAR AWARD: Sponsored by Ecosse Professional Services Ltd Annie Body, Annie’s Bakery, Wick Tammy Rendall, Associated Seafoods Ltd, Buckie AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARD: Sponsored by North Highland Initiative Award to be announced at the Awards ceremony JUDGES’ AWARD: Sponsored by Gordon & MacPhail Award to be announced at the Awards ceremony

A Clear View of Ardoe House The four-star Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe

Peter Sangster? What brought you to

House

Ardoe House?

Hotel,

with

its

grand

architecture, stunning location and excellent

food,

favourite

destination for locals, businesspeople, holidaymakers

and,

course,

romantic brides. Savour’s editor chats with hotel manager, Peter Sangster, who is justifiably proud of his establishment and staff. Q: Can you enlighten us a little about

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A: I suppose unfinished business. I had been at the hotel for six years when it was owned by Macdonald Hotels and the chance to come back as general manager with Accor at such an exciting time was too good to turn down. We have come a long way in recent years and, with the support of my excellent team, we continue to go above and beyond for our

customers. It’s a business I love and truly feel we are all part of building something special. Q: Ardoe House is a name becoming synonymous with good food awards. Tell us about your kitchen brigade and their successes. A: I couldn’t be happier with the passion and dedication of our kitchen team under the leadership of our executive chef, Richard Yearnshire. He has been able to

41 everyone and has recently been awarded one AA rosette. Q: There is regular discussion about the architecture of Ardoe House. Was it really inspired by Balmoral Castle? A: Yes, Ardoe House was built in 1878 by Alexander Milne Ogston in the then popular and fashionable Scottish Baronial style. Ardoe House is an excellent example of this architectural form. The architect was James Matthews and the mason was Alexander Henderson. Ardoe House was converted into a hotel in 1947 and has been sympathetically extended in more recent times. Q: What’s on offer for the health enthusiast staying at the hotel? A: Guests can relax in our Spa Naturel Fitness, which includes a health and fitness suite and a spa. Our team are experts in relaxation, whether it be a rejuvenating spa day or a more regular spa beauty membership. The fully equipped gym features tennis courts, regular fitness classes, a café area, thermal suite and an 18-metre swimming pool. We have created a range of memberships packages with fantastic incentives.

strengthen his team and provide much needed stability, which enables us to grow our offering and improve the guest experience. We invest a lot of time and resources into developing the team and seek out opportunities for them to learn and develop, at the same time providing our customers with an ever-changing selection, while ensuring we use the best possible local produce along the way. Q: How would you describe the hotel’s award-winning Blairs restaurant since its recent re-launch? A: Richard and the team have gone to great lengths to present a contemporary yet refined dining experience, showcasing some of the finest produce available

locally and throughout Scotland, and delivering them in such a way that respects the various components while delivering stunning flavour combinations. We are very proud of what Blairs now stands for, and we have also developed a fantastic Sunday offering to include Sunday Lunch, High Tea and also our stunning new Afternoon Tea selection. Q: What can we expect to see on the menu at Soapie’s Lounge Bar? A: Again, we aim to respect locality throughout our more relaxed choices from Soapie’s menu: Some fantastic new dishes, along with the old favourites, as well as a comprehensive children’s menu. It really does deliver something for

Q: I expect running such a vast complex is a bit like the Forth Bridge and requires constant upkeep. What can we expect in the hotel’s future plans? A: It really is an exciting time for us all. Having completely revamped all of our public areas in recent years, we will turn our attention to an extensive refurbishment of our bedrooms in the coming year and also carry out some work to other areas of the hotel as part of a continual improvement plan, culminating in some exciting plans for 2015. As you would expect, we invest heavily in the maintenance and upkeep of the hotel and currently have a team of full-time maintenance engineers as well as three gardeners.

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Grampian Chef and Restaurant of the Year 2014 Winners The final of this year’s Grampian Chef of the Year competition took place at the end of May at Aberdeen College where 36 of Aberdeen’s top chefs took part in a cook-off, to identify the winners from the five competition categories: Grampian Chef of the Year, Grampian Young Chef of the Year, Grampian Contract Chef of the Year, Grampian Seafood Chef of the Year, and Grampian Pastry Chef of the Year.

winner of Grampian Restaurant of the Year was Fusion Bar + Bistro, Aberdeen, and the winner of the Bar Food Award, No 1 Bar/Grill Aberdeen.

Four finalists were selected from each category to be judged by means of an unannounced visit to the finalist’s establishment. Karen Black, Hospitality Training, said: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to have Michelin-starred chef, Bruce Sangster, and UK MasterChef Jeff Purves to help judge these categories. They have an encyclopaedic knowledge of food and know what it takes to run a successful food business.”

The overall winner of the Grampian Chef of the Year Event, and the winner of the Grampian Contract Chef of the Year, was David Matheson, Entiér. His winning menu consisted of:

The winner of Grampian Hotel Restaurant of the Year was The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen’s newest city-centre venue. The

For the first time in its long history, an overall winner was announced whom the panel agreed produced the most outstanding meal from all of the categories seen over the two days of the competition.

Citrus and shellfish consommé, langoustine, tortellini, cucumber, shimiji and fennel Loin of lamb, crispy sweetbread, shallot, white asparagus, morels and truffle Chocolate and peanut butter fondant, crumbs and cherry

Grampian Hotel/Restaurant Chef of the Year was won by Ryan Paterson of the Cock & Bull and Grampian Young Chef of the Year was won by Matthew Lobban, The Chester Hotel. Grampian Seafood Chef was won for the second time by Bob Miller, The Milton Brasserie, and Grampian Pastry Chef was won by Sam Ritchie, Raemoir House Hotel. The competition is organised by Hospitality Training, Scotland’s only industry-specific Group Training Association. Karen Black, general manager, said: “The competition has been a great success. Year on year the chefs improve and continue to impress. This is the culmination of months of planning and it has been wonderful to see everything come together for the competitors. Everyone did extremely well, but our congratulations go to the winners, who produced some inspiring dishes.”

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Wynd your way to the Merchant In November last year, an excited Julie McNeil opened her doors to reveal the bright green walls of Aberdeenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest eatery in Correction Wynd. However, much more was revealed as Julie quickly gained a reputation for exciting menus and clever use of local produce. In her stylish bistro, Julie and her team prepare delicious lunches and dinners, and already have diners clamouring for tables. So how did this lady, after changing her career path, venture so successfully into the tough domain of restaurant ownership? Q: To set the scene, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what prompted you to launch the Merchant Bistro? A: I worked in hospitality at the beginning of my working life and loved every minute of it. When family came along it was more difficult because of shifts and so on, so I retrained and went into HR and training. I then became an assessor and went back into the hospitality sector working with young people. I have always felt happy in hospitality; it was definitely the correct career path for me. It was a dream to own a wee place and I searched for nearly three years for the right one.

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Q: You seem to attach a high degree of importance to healthy, vegetarian and allergy-tolerant food. Is this to attract a different customer or something you feel passionately about?

food at an affordable price so everyone can eat together and enjoy food. Q: The Merchant Bistro is a fairly young venture, so to those who have not yet dined with you, how would you describe the style of cooking and

A: There are lots of good eating places in Aberdeen. However, with two future daughters-in-law, one a vegetarian and one gluten intolerant, we found it really difficult to find somewhere we could all eat as a family. There are lots of people who have allergies, intolerances or, as part of their lifestyle, choose to eliminate things from their diet. We think it's important to offer everyone good, fresh

the menu you have created? A: We are only six months old so, yes, we are fairly new. The style of cooking is good, fresh, locally sourced produce, prepared with a twist at an affordable price. The menu is changed on a regular basis to reflect the seasons and we usually have specials on the board in addition to the main menu.

45 Q: By and large, you have great online reviews. Are such reviews important to you or do you take them with a pinch of salt? A: Review sites are important for future business; there is no getting away from that. If I visit a city I am not familiar with, then I go to a trusted review site to check which local restaurant or hotel I should visit. We can't get away from the Internet – it is here to stay, and so are the review sites. Q: Can you book the restaurant for a family occasion or special event? A: The Bistro can indeed be booked for

private or larger parties; we can hold up to 50 guests. If a party of over 15 people wanted to book, we would like to have a consultation first, gathering information on what the budget per head might be and what type of food they would prefer. Chef will then work with that information and come up with a menu that suits the occasion. A popular theme at the moment is afternoon tea for large hen parties. These are usually good fun. We have yet to have our first wedding meal, but we are only a stone’s throw from the Registrars, so who knows. Q: Some restaurants have a pretheatre or pre-event menu. Is this

something on offer at the Merchant? A: Certainly. If you are seated before 6.30 p.m., you can order from our set price menu. Both two-course and three-course options are available at lunchtime and before 6.30 p.m. Q: If you were to book a table in any Scottish restaurant, where would it be? A: It would have to be The Kitchin. Tom Kitchin does wonderful things with quality ingredients. He started with zero customers then earned a Michelin star within six months at the age of 29. Now that is an amazing achievement.

Paul Hollywood Live Get Your Bake On! Get Your Bake On! will see Paul demonstrate recipes, reveal some of the secrets of being a TV chef and take the audience on a journey through his life in baking. The show will culminate with four lucky, randomly chosen audience members coming on stage to bake with Paul. Audience members will get a real insight into Paul’s life and career, which has seen

him become a household name. From the story of how his father persuaded him to ditch his path as a trained sculptor and join the family baking business; tales of his time as head baker at some of the world’s most exclusive hotels, which led to him becoming one of the country’s finest artisan bakers; to anecdotes from his time filming The Great British Bake Off. Paul will demonstrate up to four of his favourite recipes during the show and

four lucky audience members, chosen at random, will be invited to take part in one baking challenge live on stage. Audience members will also been given the opportunity to put their own questions to Paul in an open Q & A. Tickets are on sale now, so don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the biggest names in TV baking up close and live on his first UK tour.

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News Bites... Music to the Ears of Festival Goers

Cock O’ Scotland Huge congratulations to the Cock & Bull at Balmedie for winning the Pub Excellence category at the recent Catering in Scotland Excellence Awards. Two of Scotland’s top Michelin-star chefs lost out on their first pub food title to the Cock & Bull, after their Edinburgh restaurant was pipped by the former coaching inn. Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack, respectively behind The Kitchin and Castle Terrace restaurants, launched their Scran & Scallie gastropub in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge last year, but had to accept being runners-up. The Cock & Bull was described by the judges as “a quintessential gastropub, a bustling hostelry, popular with locals and whose fame has spread. It offers great service, natural ambience and lovely, genuine warmth with superb food and a menu brimming with local produce.”

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An inaugural craft beer festival is set to brew up a storm in Inverness this summer.

products we have across Scotland, particularly on the craft brewery scene.”

North Hop, which is taking place at the city’s Eden Court on 29 and 30 August, has been officially launched. The twoday event, set to boast over 20 exhibitors and around 30 live music acts, will celebrate craft beer, artisan gins, creative cocktails, independent music and a selection of street food vendors from around Scotland.

Craft breweries, drinks companies and food producers from across Scotland have already secured space at the event, but there are still a few exhibitor spaces available.

It is the first large scale craft beer festival to be held in Inverness, and organisers aim to raise awareness of the craft beer industry and showcase a great range of food and drink products, produced across the Highlands and Scotland. Festival organiser, Michelle Russell, of Snow Marketing, said: “North Hop is an exciting new addition to the festival calendar in Inverness which will bring a fresh buzz to the city, while celebrating the diversity of food and drink

North Hop will run from 4 p.m. until midnight on Friday, 29 August, and from 12 noon until 12 midnight on Saturday, 30 August. Tickets are priced at £15 + booking fee for the Friday session, £20 + booking fee for the Saturday session and £30 + booking fee for a two-day pass for both days. The event is strictly over-18s and tickets for the festival are now available via the North Hop website. For more information, visit the website www.northhop.co.uk or call the booking office at Eden Court on (01463) 234234.

World’s Leading Pudding Supplier

Cut Loose in Caboose A north-east property development and office leasing company has recently invested a six-figure sum in its office development to create on-site catering facilities. Waterloo Quay Properties, which is based at the city’s harbour side, has launched a new £200,000 on-site coffee shop, Caboose in the Courtyard, to cater for the tenants and clients of its fully serviced office complex. Caboose in the Courtyard, which is directly linked to the firm’s new £1.9m grade-A office facility, Provender House, offers tenants, staff and clients fresh healthy food and refreshments throughout the day, as well as the opportunity to host informal meetings with business acquaintances and guests. The large coffee shop has also created three new full-time jobs for a catering manager – to run the day-to-day operations, an assistant catering manager and a full-time chef. Due to demand, nine part-time students have since been

employed to assist with the smooth running of the new facility. Managing director of Waterloo Quay Properties, Anna-Marie Eardley, said: “Since opening Provender House, the requirement to further enhance the services and facilities on-site increased, and a catering facility has been top of the list for the majority of our tenants. We felt it was important that our tenants and their clients had somewhere to grab a coffee or some lunch, without having to get in their car and drive elsewhere for some food. “Caboose in the Courtyard gives its customers a place to escape from the busy office environment, without having to go too far, and makes them invigorated for the rest of the day. Workers are also able to place orders in advance, and we have also set up a subsidised lunch scheme which some of the employers are using to their advantage. Catering is also provided for client meetings and events, and our aim is to take the Caboose concept to other office complexes.”

Recent research released by leading global information and measurement company Nielsen shows that Buckiebased fine meats manufacturer, Speyside Specialities, is the world’s leading supermarket supplier of oatmeal-based white puddings. David Lawson, managing director of Speyside Specialities, comments: “Our oatmeal-based white pudding has always been a favourite seller from our traditional Scottish product range. However, when we got our statistics back, we were delighted to be able to confirm we are top of the world market. “Our development team has worked hard to refine the savoury oatmeal pudding with only the very best Scottish oats, beef dripping and a secret blend of seasoning. This goes to show that we have got a recipe to be very proud of, and we are delighted to be flying the flag for traditional Scottish produce.” White pudding or mealie, as it is known locally, is a traditional Scottish accompaniment to a roast dinner, but it is also commonly used as a stuffing, is most popular with mince and tatties, and is known to be an accompaniment to eggs and bacon. For more information on Speyside Specialities and to view the complete product range, visit www.speysidespecialities.co.uk

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RYAN’S REWARD ANOTHER AWARD! To diners in the Central Belt, it may have come as a bit of a shock to hear Michelin-star chef Tom Kitchin and his business partner, the equally impressive Dominic Jack had to settle for second place in the recent finals of the Catering in Scotland (CIS) Excellence Awards. No surprise, however, to the folks of the North East, who are well aware of the delights of the winning chef whose innovative and delicious dishes flow from the kitchen at the Cock & Bull in Balmedie. But then head chef Ryan Paterson is no stranger to awards. He has just won the Grampian Hotel/Restaurant Chef of the Year 2014 award for the third time with the highest honour, a gold medal, awarded by the Federation of Chefs Scotland. For the uninitiated, The Cock & Bull oozes authentic character and serves honest, locally sourced food created by Ryan and his kitchen brigade. Ryan and partner, Victoria Campbell have recently taken over the reins and have been unfolding their ambitious plans for this

unique inn for the past ten months. Victoria has established a casual dining experience with great food served in a relaxed atmosphere. Ryan endorses a simplified approach to cooking with a traditional pub menu focusing on Scottish and local produce, such as delicious steaks and haggis. Clearly this recipe works! But the experience doesn’t stop there. The Cock & Bull offers bedand-breakfast rooms in the Blairton Cottage, situated near the restaurant. Tuck into a hearty breakfast in the morning before heading home or continuing to explore the delights of the Granite City. Look out too as plans unfold to hold barbecues and marquee events in the summer months. It’s time to judge for yourself and visit this authentic, award-winning eatery. The food is excellent and at affordable prices. Head along to the Cock & Bull. It’s everything a country inn should be!

WWW.THECOCKANDBULL.CO.UK

Perfect Place for Parties

Hopefully, by now, you’ve tasted the delights on the menu of one of Aberdeen’s newest and best eateries. Merchant Bistro in Correction Wynd is perfect for lunch, dinner with family or friends, a romantic rendezvous or simply a quick bite and an opportunity to escape the hubbub of city life. As owner Julie McNeil is passionate about local seasonal produce, you’ll find her dishes are about to change and a new summer menu introduced. As she insists vegetarians and vegans should not have to settle for a boring limited menu, you can be sure they, and those with food

allergies and intolerances, will be well looked after.

However, you perhaps did not know that parties of 30-50 can have exclusive use of the bistro! Birthdays, wedding meals, family get-togethers or any other celebration can be catered for. Business events are also welcome. Organisers of groups with over 20 guests are invited to the restaurant for an initial consultation with the chef to discuss the budget and theme. The menu preparation and wine selection can be decided with any food allergies and intolerances taken into consideration. If you’d still like to have

great food and a brilliant time, but have less than 20 guests, you can book your tables and select delicious dishes from the main menu to suit your budget. Whether you’re a party of two or fortytwo, you can be sure of a warm welcome and the delights of a seasonal changing menu with only the very best ingredients used. So best book now and impress your guests with mouth-watering food and amazing service in one of the Merchant Quarter’s most stylish bistros. Read more of Julie’s story on pages 44 & 45.

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Classic Summer Pudding Ingredients • 300g strawberries • 250g blackberries • 100g redcurrants • 500g raspberries or 1¼kg mixed berries and currants of your choice• 175g golden caster sugar• 7 slices day-old white bread, from a square, medium-cut loaf

Method 1: Bring out the juices: Wash the fruit and gently dry on kitchen paper, keeping the strawberries separate. Put the sugar and three tablespoons water into a large pan. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring a few times. Bring to the boil for one minute, then tip in the fruit (except the strawberries). Cook for three minutes over a low heat, stirring two-three times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice. 2: Prepare the bread: Line a 1.25-litre basin with cling film, as this will help you to turn out the pudding. Overlap two pieces in the middle of the bowl, as it’s easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut four pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give two lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut two slices into four triangles each and leave the final piece whole. 3: Build the pud: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few seconds just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin’s sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can’t quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn’t matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go. 4: Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top, trimming off any overhang with scissors. Keep the leftover juice for later. Bring the cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight it down with cans. Chill for six hours or overnight. To serve, open out the cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. Serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

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Eat on the Green celebrates 10 years of ‘going green’ The award-winning Eat on the Green restaurant, situated in the picturesque village of Udny Green, is celebrating 10 years in business with a full-circle approach to sourcing produce.

growing right on our doorstep. After sending our organic waste

Thanks to a trusted partnership with north-east organics recycling company, Keenan Recycling of New Deer, the restaurant is able to reuse the organic waste it produces as environmentally friendly compost.

grow vegetables for the restaurant, so we really are going full circle.

such as food and paper to Keenan, it is turned into compost which we use in our herb garden and is also used by a local farmer to It also supports our local economy by trading with businesses like Keenan Recycling and local producers.” Eat on the Green, situated in the heart of the rural north-east village

Keenan Recycling collects all the organic waste from the restaurant including leftovers from food prep, coffee grounds and paper towels, and turns it into nutritious BSI-accredited soil improver.

of Udny Green, is undergoing rapid expansion with the recent launch of a chef’s table with a live kitchen video link, as well as an exclusive, members-only Laurent-Perrier champagne lounge

Leading Scottish chef Craig Wilson, who runs Eat on the Green with his wife, Lindsay, then uses the compost to grow herbs and vegetables which form the basis of the mouth-watering dishes served at the first-class restaurant.

overlooking the garden. Soon, Eat on the Green will add boutique

The Kilted Chef said that being sustainable and using the best fresh, local produce is at the heart of his business and cooking. Craig said: “We are extremely lucky to have so many amazing ingredients

For more information and to book a table contact Eat on the

bedrooms for those who wish to spoil themselves for the whole evening.

Green on (01651) 842337 or email enquiries@eatonthegreen.co.uk Online bookings can be made at www.eatonthegreen.co.uk

The current Boath House at Auldearn, near Nairn, was built around 1820. It replaces a building, which on historical maps from the mid-1500s, is denoted as a tower called Both. The tower was apparently razed to the ground for the current building, which was designed by one of Scotland’s foremost architects of the time, Archibald Simpson, a name synonymous with grand Aberdeenshire architecture. Boath was purchased in the early nineties by Don and Wendy Matheson, the current owners, by which time it had fallen into acute disrepair and indeed was listed by Historic Scotland as a ‘Building at Risk’. The renovation estimates were eyewatering, so the Mathesons – who had previously renovated two period houses – decided to undertake the majority of the work themselves. Following a six-year renovation, the property was launched as a hotel and restaurant within 22 acres of grounds. Wendy opened the kitchens in July 1997 and was joined by Charles Lockley the following year. Charlie soon took over the lead position and they worked together until Wendy decided to take a postgraduate degree in Oxford in garden design and landscaping some seven years ago. This decision had roots in Wendy’s passion for gardening and Charlie’s enthusiasm for fresh produce, locally sourced. The one-acre walled garden had been slowly developed and the greenhouse rebuilt, but things took off with

great rapidity on Wendy’s return clutching her diploma and bags of ideas. The grounds have also been developed and the field next door purchased so that the range of produce and the amount grown can be extended. Boath’s success has been largely due to Charlie’s commitment and passion for food, along with Don and Wendy’s strong beliefs in the Slow Food ethos, supporting local food provenance and keeping flavours true and skilfully executed. The restaurant has now become widely acclaimed and has a worldwide reputation, gaining many accolades over the years. Four AA rosettes have been achieved for the past nine years and a Michelin star for seven years, and both the AA and The Good Hotel Guide have voted Boath House Hotel of the Year in 2010/2011 and 2013 respectively. Added interests for guests are the varied pieces of artwork displayed as gallery items throughout the hotel public areas. Many hanging works, along with sculpture, ceramics and jewellery, can be purchased during a visit. Plants for sale and sundry items can also be purchased from the garden greenhouse. In order to round off an experience at Boath, guests can enjoy a treatment from an extensive list of hands-on therapies, including Ayurvedic body treatments, facials, massage, and hand and nail treatments.

Auchrannie Resort on the Isle of Arran has recently re-launched eighteen69 (previously fine dining) as a Scottish tapas restaurant in time for the busy 2014 season. The restaurant has been known as a fine dining destination since Auchrannie Resort first opened its doors back in 1988 but, following feedback from guests and staff alike, it was decided that now was the time to refresh the offering and open something that was both exciting and unique to the island. The ‘small plates’, or tapas, concept allows diners to choose a wider range of dishes than they might have experienced before during a single meal, allowing them a mix of different styles, textures and flavours. Gone is the traditional three-course meal, structured around starters and main course. In its place, dishes arrive from the kitchen as and when they are ready. The new menu has been developed after extensive research and sampling by head chef Craig Beedie, Scottish Hotel Awards Executive Chef of the Year 2013, alongside the rest of the kitchen team. With the strapline ‘it’s all about sharing’, eighteen69 are telling customers it’s ok to get stuck in and share their dining experience with friends and family. Tables are encouraged to order a wide range of dishes and, (as the menu cheekily states) if they are still hungry, then simply order some more! The menu features over 30 savoury dishes split into various sections - fish plates, meat plates, cold plates and veggie plates. Local influences are evident throughout with inclusions such as potted Ayrshire

ham hock, Arran venison meatballs and Argyll hot smoked salmon scotch egg. Of course, head chef Craig hasn’t forgotten about those with a sweet tooth; serving us such wonderful creations as Arran Gold chocolate bread and butter pudding, clootie dumpling with custard, and tipsy laird – all, of course, designed to be shared! eighteen69’s drinks offering has also undergone somewhat of a radical overhaul with a new wine list, featuring a range of wines with Scottish connections, as well as Scottish beers and locally inspired cocktails. Linda Johnston, executive director of Auchrannie Resort, explained the thinking behind the radical change in direction for the restaurant: “eighteen69 has always been known as a fine dining restaurant – somewhere people might visit for a special occasion – whereas what we actually wanted to create was somewhere that people could visit for high quality, locally sourced produce in a more casual environment, and that’s exactly what we’ve done by changing the concept.” As well as a new food and drink offering, eighteen69 has undergone an extensive redesign to create a new look and feel for the product. eighteen69 is open for dinner Thursday to Monday and perfectly complements the resort’s other two restaurants, Brambles Seafood + Grill and Cruize Bar Brasserie. For further information, visit: www.auchrannie.co.uk

If you want to turn a meeting into a business lunch or want to add a bit of pizzazz to your event, give Hudsons Catering a call. Suki and her team are well known for their mouth-watering Scottish food and their lunch platters are a sight to behold… and, of course, delicious. www.hudsonscatering.co.uk From finger buffets to fine dining, Entiér never fail to impress. They create individual menus to match the style of location and the sense of occasion. They’re always winning lots of awards too so that has to be a good sign! www.entier-services.com Smart Cuisine certainly live up to their name! I’ve used them for a finger buffet recently and the menu is superb. Braised steak and ale pie, mini Aberdeen Angus burgers, tiger prawns focaccia and mini banoffi pies are just a few of the amazing items they present. They also specialise in fine dining for both private and corporate clients. www.smart-cuisine.co.uk For great food at equally great prices, Harry Fraser Catering Services Ltd is hard to beat. Lunches are freshly prepared to order each morning and delivered in refrigerated vehicles. What I love about this catering company is their flexibility. They’re happy to let their executive chef prepare special menus just for you. www.harryfraser.com For inventiveness and fresh in-house prepared food, Itsy is the total package. They never use pre-made sandwich fillings and have their own in-house roasted meats and handmade sides and pastries. They have an amazing range of mini sandwiches, cakes and mini cupcakes, and their petit fours are to die for! www.itsyworld.com

savour

Issue 03 2014