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GUIDES

Cairngorms Larder THE GUIDE TO THE FOOD & DRINK OF THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

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ne i l n o rs e f of Experience Scotland’s finest local produce in the Cairngorms National Park

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For information, accommodation, events, places to eat and special offers.

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Introduction GUIDES

The Cairngorms Larder Part of The Larder series of food and drink publications thelarder.net Editor Donald Reid Deputy Editor Jay Thundercliffe Editorial assistance Keith Smith Writing & research John Cooke, Rachel Devine, Malcolm Jack, Sandy Neil, Andrea Pearson, David Pollock Design & Production Simon Armin Advertising Chris Knox, Nicky Carter, Sheri Friers Map Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd. 2012 Cover Highland cow, Carrbridge. Mark Hicken/Scottish Viewpoint Publishers Robin Hodge, Simon Dessain Larder Director Peter Brown ©2013 The List Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of The List Ltd.

ramatic, rugged and wild – the nature of the landscape nurtured in the Cairngorms National Park is reflected in the riches of food and drink within.

Few regions in Scotland encapsulate the traditional and world-famous cuisine of the country as well as the Cairngorms – venison from deer that range across the hills, beef from Highland cattle and hardy rare-breeds, salmon and trout from mountain rivers and whisky from age-old distilleries. Beyond those headliners are other delights: bread made with flour from a 400-year-old mill, world-leading gin, award-winning beer and wild food for the foraging. It’s also a place of estates, where custodians of the land have produced and sold the region’s delicacies for centuries – as well as offering visitors the rare chance to catch their own food, be it to bag a brace, go fishing or stalk a stag. This is a guide to all the produce that is reared, grown, caught, shot, distilled and brewed within the Park, and just as importantly where to find it, from farm shops and markets to cafés and restaurants. Here you will find stories and profiles, history and innovation, everyday staples, indulgent treats and lots of culinary insight and inspiration.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This guide has been developed by The List working with Cairngorms National Park Authority and Highland Council. The editor would like to thank Jackie Farquhar for her support, assistance and enthusiasm.

Published by The List Ltd 14 High Street Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050 list.co.uk Extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however the publishers can accept no responsibility for any errors it may contain.

FEEDBACK To correct or update any information contained in the Cairngorms Larder, or to provide comments or feedback, contact eat@list.co.uk, or write to the Editor, Cairngorms Larder, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE The Cairngorms Larder 3

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Contents list.co.uk

GUIDES

What’s in the Cairngorms Larder?

There’s a lot packed into these 32 pages. Here are a few of the highlights

Chef’s Choices

Taste the Estates

Chefs around the Cairngorms pick their favourite local producers and suppliers.

See panels from page 21.

The Cairngorms is a land of estates that produce much of the renowned local food. Find out more on page 6.

Belties and Braces

Flour Power

A challenging climate and rugged terrain is also a chance for rare-breed animals to thrive. For more see page 8.

Age-old traditions are being utilised in the Park to create unique produce. See page 10.

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Contents

Where to Buy

Where to Eat

The best places to buy produce, from butchers and bakers to farm shops and delis, start on page 22.

From cakes in a potting shed and lively bar meals to fine food from award-winning chefs. See our listings of the best places to dine around the Cairngorms from page 26.

Events From film festivals to porridge competitions, see page 30.

Park Life A comprehensive look at all that is reared, grown, made and shot within the Cairngorms. See page 20.

Introduction

3

Features

6

Map

16

Where to Buy

22

Where to Eat

26

Farmers’ Markets & Food Events

30

Index

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Estates list.co.uk

GUIDES

From Estate to Plate The Cairngorms National Park includes some of Europe’s most isolated miles of dramatic, natural beauty, but it is also a place of large estates with histories of food production going back centuries. John Cooke surveys the landscape’s larder

here are around 60 estates covering nearly 75 per cent of the Cairngorms National Park today, and it is often possible to buy, catch or taste the fruits of their hills, fields, rivers and glens on or close to the estates themselves.

Of course, venison features strongly throughout the area, culled or farmed, both red deer and roe. It’s a meat that is slowly shedding its elitist image and becoming more mainstream. There’s plenty of beef too, from the postcardperfect, shaggy Highland cattle (see also p.11) to Shorthorn pedigrees. Lamb is probably the majority meat raised in the Park, though it is often sent farther south for fattening before market. Soft fruit, honey, small game and local fish also crop up on menus throughout the Cairngorms.

Just outside Aviemore, on the road to the ski slopes, the Rothiemurchus Estate

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has been producing, serving and selling local foods for decades now. In fact, their venison was going to Simpson’s in the Strand back in the 1930s. These days, a visit to their farm shop reveals cuts from the deer that thrive in among the ancient forest that gives the estate its unique character.

After silent stalking, supervised by head stalker Peter Ferguson, so as not to stress the animal and affect the meat quality, it is shot, then properly handled off the hill. The estate butchers then hang the carcasses, usually for five days.

In another part of the estate, the popular fishery is a chance for visitors to catch their own food, whether rainbow trout from stocked lochs, salmon and sea trout out of the Spey, or boat-fished brown trout and pike. The estate farm shop stocks their excellent rainbow trout, whole, filleted or smoked using wood from old whisky barrels.

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Estates

For those keen on catching their own food, the field sports offered by many of the estates are a rare opportunity to walk the hills with knowledgeable guides and come back with your dinner.

From shooting small game such as grouse, pheasant and partridge – much of which finds its way via gamekeepers and dealers to restaurants across the Park – to stalking a stag, the ultimate prize of Highland sports.

Conditions for bees have been difficult recently, but still around 40 hives a year are brought to Rothiemurchus Estate to take advantage of the early-season blossoms, as well as the wonderful flavours imbued by the Bell and Purple Heathers that come into their own in July and August respectively. The resultant honey is sold on and off the comb.

You can also sample something sweet grown on the Alvie Estate, near the village of Kincraig in Badenoch.

The estate’s Alvie Gardens is known for its strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, supplied to local shops and restaurants (see also panel on p.15). A herd of slow-maturing Shorthorn cattle is also raised at Alvie, as well as lamb, and the ubiquitous venison, available to buy from the estate.

Hire a cottage on the Glen Tanar Estate and you can enjoy a real taste of local foods. Liz Peck, a local cook, provides both fresh produce and readymade meals for visitors, and knows the best ingredients are on her doorstep: ‘I butcher our own venison and grouse, and we have had very good pork from Balmoral. We also use our fruit and vegetables as much as possible in jams and chutneys, which are sold to visitors.’

Colin McClean, wildlife manager at Glen Tanar, explains that the venison for the meals comes from the 120 or so Roe deer culled every year, with butchery done on site. ‘Until fairly recently our venison went direct to game dealers, but now we also sell straight to visitors and guests, make burgers for our events, and Liz makes a mean lasagne.’

A good way to get hold of estate produce, often from tenant farmers, is to visit the farmers’ markets held regularly in Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey (see p.30 for details). While many estates in the Cairngorms are not geared up to sell their produce direct to the public, it’s always worth asking – you never know what local delights you may discover.

■ alvie-estate.co.uk; glentanar.co.uk; rothiemurchus.net;

> A CUT ABOVE

Low in fat, higher in iron than other red meat, with omega 3 too – it’s easy to see why the ’king of meats’ is a healthy, proteinrich and flavoursome choice.

Red and Roe deer, the breeds most eaten, are indigenous to Scotland, now either farmed or culled from wild herds. In general, animals under 27 months old give a good balance of flavour and tenderness. The best meat comes from an animal that has been shot without previous stress, has been wellhandled from field to butchery, and hung usually for two to three days.

A butchered carcass yields cuts such as fillet, rump and loin steaks that are best cooked on the rare side. Slow-cooked casseroles work with whole shanks, diced neck or shoulder. For a roast, a bone-in haunch, a boned and rolled shoulder, or on-the-bone saddle, all work best cooked pink.

Burgers, sausages and marinated butterflied leg are all handy barbecue options.

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Rare Breeds list.co.uk

GUIDES

Where the Wild Things Are The Cairngorms National Park certainly isn’t a habitat for softies, yet its tough landscape and harsh weather are well suited to farming Europe’s hardiest rare breeds.

Sandy Neil meets the self-sufficient animals who can take care of themselves

ild farming’ in these mountains began in 1952, when Swedish herder Mikel Utsi reintroduced Britain’s only herd of reindeer from Arctic Scandinavia. He set out to prove that Rangifer tarandus (the same species as caribou) could live and breed again in the Highlands, as he’d read they once had in the Orkneyinga Saga. ‘Looking across Rothiemurchus Forest to the Cairngorms from the railway bridge at Aviemore,’ Mikel wrote, ‘I was instantly reminded of reindeer pastures in Lapland.’ The reindeer’s chief food – ground, rock and tree lichens – grew too on Britain’s highest, coldest and snowiest plateau, and, as Mikel predicted, numbers flourished.

The 150-strong, free-ranging Cairngorms Reindeer Herd was split in 1990, and a share established for display at Wild Farm on the Crown Estate at Glenlivet near Tomintoul, where hill farmers installed other hardy rare breeds to complement their independent, tough reindeer, and extract most nutrition and taste from rugged Highland flora.

Unsurprisingly for a breed that’s lived on St Kilda for 6,000 years, Soay sheep are skilled at fending for themselves. The wee, primitive ancestors of the goatlike mouflon don’t suffer foot rot or fly strike – or need shearing, shelter, or help lambing. Soay thrive on the Cairngorms’ rough pastures, laying down lean, tender, intense meat, as successfully and deliciously as Belted

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Galloway cattle or ‘Belties’, another ‘nae bother’ Scots breed, coloured black, red or dun, with a distinctive white stripe round its belly.

Wild Farm harvests gamey venison from red deer – a native species in Scotland, and increasing in population, in the country’s forests, hills and moors – and pretty, flighty fallow deer, introduced by Norman hunters 1,000 years ago. Finally wild boar roam and root the grassy sward, but, despite their name, they’re Wild Farm’s only animal to need a daily feed – or else they escape in search of food elsewhere.

Other farmers in the Cairngorms National Park are seeing the benefits in rare breeds. At Torrans Farm at Tomintoul, Tony and Jan Goodall rear rare-breed, free-range Large Black and Oxford Sandy and Black pedigree pigs, selling their dark, delectable, slow-reared meat at local farmers’ markets and online.

‘We just wanted decent pork,’ admits Tony: ‘Anything we bought from the supermarkets tasted like cardboard.’ Their porkers, two of Britain’s oldest pig breeds, thrive on outdoor living, like their Soay sheep.

‘It takes them 16–18 months to mature,’ he says, so they cost more to raise, as opposed to four months for commercial sheep. But for the meat’s flavour, slowgrown is most definitely worth it.’

■ wildfarming.co.uk / cairngormreindeer.co.uk ■ torransfarm.co.uk / cairngormpork.co.uk

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The Angus Larder 9

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Milling list.co.uk

> OATS AT THE READY

Germans call it haferbrei, Americans just say ’oatmeal’ and in Swedish it’s charmingly known as gröt – but if porridge is most synonymous with any one country then it must be Scotland.

It seems only appropriate then that a Highland village, Carrbridge, should annually host the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships.

Prepared in its simplest form – just oats, salt and water – porridge is arguably as healthy and nutritious a first meal of the day as you can eat, and the main Golden Spurtle prize is awarded for a batch made from just those three ingredients.

But there are Speciality and People’s Choice categories too, producing such winning variants as Hazelnut Honey Swirl and Winter Spiced Porridge with Blueberry Compote.

Recent champion porridge-makers have included a Californian TV chef, a Gaelic singer from Strathglass and – whisper it – an Englishman.

■ goldenspurtle.com

GUIDES

Milling About

One of the few working examples of its type in Scotland, Blair Atholl Watermill is celebrating four centuries since its original charter. Malcolm Jack meets the resident miller and baker ave for a period of disrepair and disuse between 1929 and the mill’s restoration in 1976, the stonegrinding of wheat and oats has been a process carried out regularly at Blair Atholl’s Watermill since at least the early seventeenth century. The restoration was undertaken by enterprising local John Ridley, with help from a man who had worked there in his youth and was able to sketch the original mechanism.

Perthshire native Kirsty Cohen and her Israeli husband Rami took over the business, which also includes a bakery and tearoom, from her parents in 2001.

It was a rather significant switch from their previous life. ‘We had a cattle farm in Israel,’ Kirsty explains. ‘My parents were ill: we came for one year to help out, then stayed.’

Something of a natural in the rural arts, Rami quickly learned stonegrinding – a process which helps retain the nutritional benefits of grains as well as producing a distinctive nutty flavour – through ageold knowledge passed down to him from Kirsty’s father and other mill owners.

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Combined with Rami’s flair for baking – his specialities include bagels, carrot cake and a hallah Jewish loaf made every Friday (all made with their own flour, naturally), it’s seen the watermill enjoy a steadily flourishing trade.

Baking classes are also proving popular, servicing a growing trend among consumers. ‘More and more people are interested in what they’re buying,’ says Kirsty. ‘They’re wary of supermarket bread with all its preservatives and additives. People want to know how to bake their own bread from scratch.’

An upgraded online shop is planned to expand their flour and oatmeal sales, the bulk of which is currently done at farmers’ markets nearby. Among their current regular clientele are a famous couple with very particular dietary requirements. ‘We grind the grain for the panda cakes at Edinburgh Zoo,’ explains Kirsty. ‘The zoo found it hard to find someone able to do it the right way, so they approached us. We thought it was a joke at first.’

■ blairathollwatermill.co.uk

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Highland Cattle

A Royal Coo One of Scotland’s most distinguished ambassadors is right at home in the Cairngorms National Park. Sandy Neil finds there’s more to the breed than a pretty picture

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cotland is home to many native bovine breeds: Ayrshire, Shetland, Aberdeen Angus, Luing and Belted Galloway, as well as one of the oldest and noblest, the handsome red, tufty Highland, which thrives picturesquely across the country from exposed Cairngorm mountain to windswept Hebridean machair.

The Highland Cattle Society of Scotland’s sketch of the pedigree in 1884 depicts the tough, shaggy Highlander grandly ‘moving with great dignity and style‘ in folds (not herds). In the Western Isles, this breed was small, black and known as ‘black cattle’, or ‘kyloes’ because drovers ferried or swam folds across the kyles, or narrow sea straits, between the islands and mainland to market.

Breeders indulged Queen Victoria’s fancy for the mightier red kind roaming the Highlands, and the collective name ‘Highland cattle’ stuck. The breed has kept its regal connections thanks to the current Royal family maintaining a fold on Balmoral Estate, apparently preferring Highland beef at the table.

Highlanders can be seen with red, black, brindled, yellow, silver or dun coats – all thickly built to withstand Scotland’s winters, and so warm that farmers have no need to house them, even in the harshest cold, wind and rain. Adapted to the rugged

Scottish habitat in the north and west, the hardy, robust Highlander flourishes where feebler cattle can’t exist (even managing to forage 10,000 feet up in the Andes). It converts poor grazing efficiently into lean, tender, marbled beef, and makes a real economic contribution to Scotland’s uplands.

Sandy Mackenzie’s family have farmed Highland cattle around Rothiemurchus forest for generations, and today his ‘succulent, slow-matured and melt-in-the-mouth‘ Highland beef supplies the Rothiemurchus Centre’s farm shop near Aviemore.

Keeping food miles low, his beasts are slaughtered one per week, eight miles away at Grantown-onSpey abattoir, and the carcasses are hung by the estate butchers Brian Dey and Fraser Sharp for four to six weeks to develop mature and complex flavour.

Being native cattle, Highlanders are slow-growing animals, improving taste and texture. Highland beef is higher in protein and iron and lower in fat and cholesterol because the animals get their insulation from their rich, matty coat, rather than subcutaneous fat. They are also remarkable mothers, and long-lived too – many cows continue to breed to ages exceeding 18 years, having borne 15 calves.

■ rothiemurchus.net; balmoralcastle.com

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Foraging list.co.uk

GUIDES

Wood Works

Wild foods, once a common – and very cheap – means of seasonal sustenance, are enjoying a renaissance in restaurants and homes.

Andrea Pearson looks into the rich pickings of Highland gathering

> THE SCOTTISH WILD MUSHROOM PICKERS’ CODE • Wildlife, especially insects, need mushrooms too, so only pick what you will use.

• Only collect what you know and take a field guide with you.

• Do not pick mushrooms until the cap has opened out.

• The main part of the mushroom is below the surface; take care not to trample or disturb its surroundings.

• In a nature reserve seek advice first.

■ See forestharvest. org.uk for a full version

xpansive views and dramatic, panoramic vistas of the snowy hills are usually what the tourists come to the Cairngorms National Park to see. ‘If you suggest they go for a walk in the woods, they say, “Why would I do that?” They see trees as an obstruction,’ says Rebecca Field at Scotmountain Holidays in Boat of Garten.

But locals know that it’s the forests that contain a mouthwatering array of wild foods, all there for the taking, if you know where to look. ‘Because we are so far from supermarkets, a lot of people use wild food. We harvest garlic, we know the good spots for berries and almost everyone knows about the chanterelle mushrooms,’ she adds.

Field runs ‘fruits of the forest’ walking weekends which include the chance to gather food found in the woodland. The trips are sold mainly as walks, with foraging as a bonus – walkers don’t set off with huge wicker baskets and

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tramp into the back of beyond to find the biggest chanterelles or the sweetest raspberries. Rather, the route is planned to pass through picking areas, to scoop up a few handfuls of mushrooms, berries or herbs for the evening meal.

Yet when it comes to customers, pickings are slim. The experience appeals predominantly to European travellers – Swedes, Poles and Finns all understand and enjoy the wild smorgasbord. It is normal to them. Field concludes: ‘I think our urban population is disconnected from the countryside.’

This is a view shared by Rebecca Ferrand at Muckrach Lodge in Dulnain Bridge near Grantown-on-Spey. ‘We have forgotten how to eat according to the season. We are not tasting the joys that seasonality can bring. I look forward to each season, it is a great passion for me,’ she says.

Ferrand, who took over the hotel in 2007, has amassed a vast knowledge of

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Foraging

the wild food at her disposal. She regularly picks garlic, lemon balm, mint, bright purple borage flowers and yellow gorse to add colour and excitement to her guests’ food.

There are about 10 different edible types of berries in the woods. Wild cherries, blaeberries, sloes, rowan and juniper berries all make their way into the restaurant’s puddings, or are boiled up for the jam store in the cellar. Bog myrtle is a real favourite: ‘Boar and deer feed on bog myrtle in the wild. It is what gives them their flavour. If cooked with bog myrtle they’re delicious.’

But it is the chanterelles that are the stars.

‘The ones here are fat and beautiful. A chanterelle with a bit of cream and parmesan cheese – it’s just amazing,’ says Ferrand.

Sharing Ferrand’s foraging passion is Chris McCall, head chef at the Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore. ‘We spend a lot of time foraging in late summer and autumn for wild mushrooms, berries, juniper, etc, which we pickle or dry. Pickled chanterelles and dried blueberries reconstituted in sweet vinegar are some of my favourite accompaniments.’

The products of the forest may be free, but there is no doubt that harvesting them requires knowledge and patience. And it is easy to get carried away with the romance of foraging. ‘There is a myth that you can live comfortably off the land. You can’t,’ says Neil Foote who teaches foraging skills as part of an all-day bushcraft course at Backcountry Survival.

Foote teaches participants how to identify and prepare food. His location in the Park is ideal. During the Second World War, the area was used to train Norwegian troops in survival – they managed to survive four months on a high Norwegian plateau on just cladonia lichen. ‘Most wild foods have a very low calorific value. This lichen is the only thing that can sustain life beyond a few days,’ says Foote.

Whether it is a matter of survival, or for a sweet burst of gourmet flavour, there is no doubt that there is a rich reward awaiting those who cast their eyes down from the hills and choose to venture into the wild woods of the Cairngorms National Park.

■ scotmountain.co.uk; muckrach.com; oldbridgeinn.co.uk; backcountrysurvival.co.uk

Sowing the seeds of sustainability

Community groups are springing up in the Cairngorms with a common desire to get their hands dirty growing their own produce.

Andrea Pearson found one village’s allotment scheme on the cusp of fruition After Kingussie’s folk museum closed a few years ago, many local shops suffered a worrying drop in custom. The community council stepped in to see what could be done for the 13,000-strong population and a survey revealed a need for allotments – as well as craft workshops. Community councillor, Ailsa Schofield, says: ’People think in the Highlands there are acres of land but all around Kingussie is owned by developers or by estates. There are no allotments.’ After negotiations with the local authority, and with financial support from the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Soil Association’s Food For Life initiative, the community council bought the museum site for £1, forming a regeneration company called Am Fasgadh – Gaelic for ’the shelter’. Work is well under way creating 25 allotments, a community orchard and a craft village, with local experts such as a fruit farmer and tree surgeon offering their insights. Prospective plot holders include a mix of retired individuals, young families and two community groups – one supporting people with mental health problems, the other a church group growing veg for its weekly pensioners’ lunch.

■ kingussiecommunitycouncil.org; cairngorms.co.uk; soilassociation.org/foodforlifescotland

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Whisky list.co.uk

GUIDES

High Spirits

Home to some of the most famous distilleries in the country, the Cairngorms National Park also contains some of the highest, as David Pollock discovers e get asked that question quite a lot,’ laughs Robert Fleming, distillery director of Tomintoul Distillery, which is six miles from its namesake, the highest village in the Scottish Highlands. The common enquiry regards how much location contributes to the taste and character of his spirit. ‘Some people think it’s the purity of the water,’ he says, ‘and some people think it’s the shape of the stills, but in fact everything combines to make each distillery different.’

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At more than a thousand feet above sea level, however, it’s also tempting to ask what happens to the spirit at such an altitude. ‘When you’re maturing the

spirit you lose about two per cent a year to evaporation,’ he says. ‘So obviously the higher up you are, the colder the climate and the less evaporation takes place. If we were maturing Tomintoul in an equatorial climate you’d lose about 15 per cent per annum and you’d get a totally different quality of whisky.

‘I’ve been out in Taiwan and I’ve seen a Taiwanese whisky distillery, they lose about 12 or 13 per cent per annum by evaporation, but their three or fouryear-old whiskies look as if they’ve been maturing for seven or eight years because of the faster interaction with the casks. Whereas because we’re in quite a cold area, you tend not to lose so

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Whisky much per annum and you have a slower maturation. But that’s mainly to do with ambient temperature, rather than altitude.’

Neighbouring the rich whisky producing country of Speyside, Cairngorms National Park contains other distilleries within its boundaries including the hugely popular Glenlivet, located a little way north from Tomintoul and closer to sea level, and Dalwhinnie, one of the very few located at a higher altitude than Tomintoul, found on the south-western side of the Park’s mountain ranges. Both feature on the whisky trails trodden both by tourists and afficiandos of the spirit. Tomintoul village also boasts the Whisky Castle, an excellent whisky store with around 500 rare, independent and mass-produced bottlings of whisky from across Scotland. It also stocks the Guinness Book of Records-ratified largest bottle of whisky in the world – a bottle of 14-year-old Tomintoul which holds more than 100 litres of spirit.

Opened in 1965 and for much of its life used by its owners Whyte & Mackay to create a quality blending whisky, Tomintoul was taken over in 2000 by the Angus Dundee company, who started using some of the stock to expand on a single malt range ‘from 10 years old right through to 33 years old, peated whiskies, port wood finish, oloroso finish, a lot of different expressions.’ Although the distillery doesn’t have a visitor

centre they’re happy to accommodate visits, explains Fleming, with part of the attraction in his opinion being the location of the site. ‘We’re quite remote, we’re situated midway between the villages of Tomintoul and Glenlivet. It’s a very lovely spot to be in. Onsite there are only two houses, the nearest neighbours are five, six hundred metres away. We’re very much out in the countryside.’

Yet Fleming is adamant that their location doesn’t present any particular logistical problems. ‘It’s always mentioned that the Tomintoul to Cock Bridge road is the first one to be blocked in wintertime,’ he says, ‘but we’re on the other side of Tomintoul so we’re not usually as badly affected. I’ve been here for 23 years and I can think of only two occasions when we haven’t managed to get the raw materials in, and never for days on end. We’ve always got three or four days’ fuel and we always have at least another four or five days’ malt. To keep the process going we always make sure we’re well stocked over winter. We get used to it and I must admit I’ve got a fantastic team here. At the first sign of snow or bad weather they’ll do anything they can to keep the entrance clear so lorries can get in and out.’ It’s a setting which should appeal to the romantic in most whisky drinkers.

■ tomintouldistillery.co.uk; whiskycastle.com

> HILL BERRIES

Growing soft fruits in the oft unforgiving conditions of the Cairngorms is no easy task. The harsh weather and paucity of sunlight at crucial times means even the hardiest varieties struggle without intensive care.

Alvie Gardens is a rarity in the region.

Run by John Christie, in partnership with the Alvie and Dalraddy Estate, the walled gardens produce up to 10 tonnes of plump, sweet strawberries and raspberries every year. Cultivated in polytunnels to maximise the available heat and light, the fruits are harvested from July to October, picked daily and delivered fresh to local shops and restaurants such as Murchies in Kingussie and Rothiemurchus farm shop.

Christie favours Elsanta strawberries, a large, orange-red dessert variety and Glen Ample raspberries, which are as good in jams and jellies as off the stalk.

■ alvie-estate.co.uk

Norma’s Preserves

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Cairngorms National Park

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Cheese list.co.uk

GUIDES

The Deeside Whey

Located in the heart of the National Park, the Cambus O’May Cheese Company combines traditional methods and business savvy. Rachel Devine follows the scent ettled in the Park since 2010, Cambus O’May has grown from a respectable local producer to winner of a gold medal at last year’s British Cheese Awards. The secret of its success is unpasteurised milk and the pull of tradition. Founder Alex Reid raided his grandmother’s recipe book to revive the cheeses of his youth, one made from a mix of the curds of the morning with evening milk, and prepared in the traditional farmhouse style.

Raw milk cheeses have distinctive flavours and textures not usually found in uninspiring, mass-produced cheeses. The company’s flagship cheese, Cambus O’May, is an unpasteurised, cheddar-style cheese, with a mellow, well-balanced flavour that changes subtly with the seasons. The Lairig Ghru (pronounced Lari-groo and named after the famous Cairngorms mountain pass) is a moist, tangy cheese with a crumbly consistency, while the sharp and creamy Lochnagar makes a good accompaniment for wine and whisky. The company has recently launched a smoked cheese and plans are in the pipeline for a blue cheese later in the year.

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The recipes and methods remain more or less the same as they were in the 1950s, even if the technology has moved with the times. ‘It’s really down to traditional methods and recipes combined with modern scientific techniques to maintain quality and consistency across the board,’ says Ian Wilson, general manager at Cambus O’May. ‘We have seventh generation Reids working at the creamery – we are very proud of the history and tradition and I think that’s part of what makes it special.’

The purpose-built cheese-making facility and small dairy farm is right beside the walking route between Ballater and Cambus O’May, a sleepy trail that winds through forests of thickly scented Scots pine. Famished walkers can pop in for some cheese and wine and to watch the cheesemakers at work.

‘It’s a cracking place to go to work,’ says Wilson.

‘We work very closely with the Park to promote tourism and we really value the opportunity to invite people in to see what goes in to making our cheese. We have big plans for the future – we are really only getting started.’

■ cambusomay.com

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Beer

Mountain Brew

> ON THE ROCKS

Being part of such a dramatic and important landscape brings responsibilities as well as rewards. David Pollock meets a brewery with a harmonious sense of balance

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hen you’re based in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park you can’t really be anything but conscious of the environment around you, and much of the ethos of Cairngorm Brewery is focused upon their habitat. ‘Because we’re based in the National Park we’re lucky in that our brand imagery can use the species of animals that are found in the area,’ says managing director Samantha Faircliff. ‘Things like the wildcat on Wildcat, we use a female ptarmigan as the image on White Lady, a golden eagle on Cairngorm Gold.’

Established in 2001, the brewery has since won a clutch of high-profile awards from organisations including CAMRA for beers such as Trade Winds, which Faircliff describes as a refreshing, light, contemporary-style beer with elderflower added. ‘We have beers that range from a dark stout to

a light continental style beer that’s the nearest thing we have to lager,’ she says, ‘and we have every colour and flavour in between. We’re trying to go for as many palates as possible.’

With a shop and touring facilities on the premises, though, their location is an important part of their unique selling point, a fact they’re well aware of. They’re aiming for a zero waste to landfill business, with spent grain sent to feed local cattle and yeast slurry going to a pig farm. ‘We’re also launching a new beer called Caillie,’ says Faircliff, ‘which has the image of a capercaillie, and we’ll donate 15p of every bottle sold to environmental projects and habitat restoration in the Cairngorms National Park. We have a lot of visitors who come to see us because of where we are, and taking care of our area just fits in with what we do.’

■ cairngormbrewery.com

‘None of the single malt whisky I’ve made since production started again in March 1998 is bottled yet,’ explains Simon Buley, gin master at the Caorunn still, based at the early 19th-century Balmenach whisky distillery. ‘I was making a product for people to enjoy but nobody was enjoying it, which is kind of frustrating.

Then we had the gin idea – there’s no ageing process so we can make it today and sell it tomorrow.’

They use a Copper Berry chamber designed in the 1920s to extract base oil from perfume. ‘There’re only three in existence and we own two of them.

It’s a slow process, and the only way the vapour can get out of the chamber is by passing through each of four botanical trays.

So we’re getting the best pickup of flavours we can for a much smoother gin.’

■ caorunngin.com

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Cairngorms Food Round-up GUIDES

The food of the Cairngorms Looking for a taste of the Cairngorms National Park? This round-up by Jay Thundercliffe introduces you to what’s grown, reared, made and caught in the region

Further details on many of the businesses shown in bold can be found listed in the Where to Buy section starting on page 22.

FRUIT AND VEG ith a diminshed growing season due to the altitude and very little arable land, the Cairngorms National Park will never suffer a glut of fresh fruit and vegetables but there are a few outlets to get your locally grown greengroceries.

The Farm Garden (thefarmgarden. co.uk) at Dinnet offers a box scheme, while Alvie Gardens (see p.15) is responsible for tonnes of summer berries, which grace many local dining tables – and also go into Petrolini ice-cream.

Gillian Gordon, behind Achnahannet Farm Produce at Dulnain Bridge, sells seasonal fruit and veg plus home-made preserves.

Others bottling their own creations include Mountain Café, with various preserves and sauces at the café’s deli section, while spicy Essential Sauces (essentialsauces.com) are attracting plaudits. Strathspey Mushrooms (getdeli.co.uk) have grown from commercial mushroom supplier to deliitem provider.

Of course, in the Cairngorms there’s plenty of fruit and veg to be had by simply putting on some boots, grabbing a basket and a guidebook, and heading out into the extensive woods for all manner of wild mushrooms, berries and plants – for more on foraging see p.12.

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BEEF, LAMB, GAME AND OTHER MEAT

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earing livestock is what almost every farm in the Cairngorms does, producing some of the best-quality

meat available in Scotland. Most beef and lamb from local butchers or eaten out (see listings from p.22), comes from farms or estates within the Park – in fact many animals never leave the Park boundary thanks to local slaughterhouse and renowned supplier Millers of Speyside (millersofspeyside.co.uk) at Grantown-onSpey.

Balliefurth Farm, Wild Farm (see p.8) and Rothiemurchus Estate (see p.11) all offer top-quality beef or lamb, whether from traditional Highland cattle or rare-breed Belted Galloways or Soay sheep. George Gow, Kingussie’s popular butcher, stocks lamb from his own farm.

The iconic image of the Cairngorms is of deer roaming wild on the hills.

Careful land management and expert handling by estates means the local venison is of world-class standard.

Butchers across the region obtain their venison from local estates such as Mar Lodge, Balmoral, Glen Tanar and Invercauld among many others, while Rothiemurchus and Alvie (alvieestate.co.uk) estates sell their renowned meat themselves.

Wild Farm also sell their venison, along with wild boar meat. Other rare-breed pork suppliers include Cairngorm Pork (see p.8) who sell various cuts, sausages and pork boxes, and offer an ‘adopt a pig’ scheme with monthly instalments.

Much of the small game from the hills, including grouse, pheasant, partridge and the rare mountain hare, ends up at local butchers or going to chefs via small local dealers.

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Cairngorms Food Round-up

FISH he hills have filled the Cairngorms valleys with fresh mountain streams and rivers that teem with salmon and trout. Much of the fun is in the catching and fishermen enjoy rich rewards on the Spey and Dee rivers. Many restaurants serve local fish, or customers can buy from farm shops such as Rothiemurchus for excellent trout, smoked over old whisky barrel chippings, from the estates’s fishery.

Other smokers include commercial Spey Valley Smokehouse near Grantown and, on a smaller scale, Wild Farm with their small smokehouse built to a traditional Sami design.

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BREAD, CAKES AND CHOCOLATE rtisan baking, where even the flour is ground in-house, is available at Blair Atholl Watermill (see p.10), and its lovely tearoom, or try award-winning Doug Cookson’s Crannach Bakery (crannach.com) in Cambus O’May, also with coffeeshop.

The many delectable cakes at The Potting Shed Tearooms at Inshriach Nursery and Kingussie can be ordered whole in advance. Chocolate fans will be tempted by Truffolicious, launched from an Aviemore kitchen in 2012, while for those with a traditional sweet tooth, Dee Valley Confectioners (dee-valley.co.uk) make soor plooms, humbugs and tablet in Ballater.

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DAIRY heese-making in the Park took a turn for the better when the award-winning Cambus O’May Cheese Co (see p.18) moved within its boundary to their Deeside creamery where visitors can watch them hand-crafting their cheeses from unpasteurised milk.

Also doing good things with milk is Petrolini Ices. Owner Gianni churns up a variety of ice-cream flavours from

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vanilla and mint to toffee and strawberry – using Alvie Gardens’ strawberries and other soft fruit in season.

CHEF’S CHOICE CHRIS MCCALL ON MOUNTAIN HARE

WHISKY, BEER AND OTHER DRINKS o other area of Scotland offer sthe wealth of whisky available on Speyside, the southern section of which is found in the National Park. The mighty Glenlivet, one of the best-selling whiskies in the world, has an excellent visitor centre at its distillery near the northern boundary of the Park.

Glenlivet is the most southerly on the official Malt Whisky Trail and it’s also a notable waypoint on the spur of the Speyside Way long-distance footpath that ascends to the village of Tomintoul.

The distillery by Tomintoul is one of the country’s youngest (see p.14), while another distillery at an elevated altitude is, Dalwhinnie, one of the six Classic Malts and a distinctive landmark just off the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

It’s not all about the Spey area, with Deeside also offering a regal dram and tour at Royal Lochnagar, close to Balmoral and favoured tipple of Queen Victoria. Of course, sensible drinking demands plenty of water, and with no shortage in the Park it makes sense to bottle and sell it as Deeside Water (deesidewater.co.uk) have done from their base in Ballater.

Beyond the ever-popular whisky, there are other drinks to enjoy that are produced in the Park. Caorunn Gin (see p.19), made at the Balmenach distillery, is a popular and premium spirit infused with local botanicals, which is at the forefront of the current gin renaissance. There are award-winning craft beers from Cairngorm Brewery (see p.19), while Stag’s Breath Liqueur (stagsbreath.co.uk), made by family business Meikles of Scotland in Newtonmore, is a fairly mellow (19.8% abv) blend of Speyside whiskies with fermented heather honey.

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The produce I associate most with the Cairngorms is our native white mountain hare, or blue hare – one of the most exciting and unique game I have ever come across.

They are very hard to come by as most are exported to Europe, rarely making it on to Scottish menus.

We use small-scale dealers whose hares are culled on grouse moors to control ticks.

Smaller and hardier than the lowland brown hare, they tend to live above 500m, feeding on grass and young heather.

The meat has a less gamey flavour than brown hare, requiring only a day or two hanging at the most.

The loins are incredibly tender, needing only a minute in the pan, though they must be served rare, while legs are braised as a daube to accompany the loins or a rich ragu for cannelloni.

■ Chris McCall is head chef at Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore (see p.27)

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Where to Buy list.co.uk

WHERE TO BUY In addition to the listings below, Cairngorms produce can also be found at local farmers’ markets (see p.30) or from producers featured elsewhere in the guide.

Entries are grouped into four geographical areas and then sorted alphabetically.

Rothiemurchus Farm Shop & Deli, by Aviemore

AVIEMORE & AROUND Cairngorm Brewery Dalfaber Industrial Estate, Aviemore PH22 1ST 01479 812222, cairngormbrewery.com Mon–Sat 10am–5.30pm.

Since 2001, the Cairngorm Brewery has built a reputation as one of Scotland’s better craft breweries. They have a shop on site selling beers and memorabilia, plus regular brewery tours. (See feature on p.19.)

SG Mustard Station Road, Nethy Bridge PH25 3DA 01479 821245 Mon–Sat 6am–6pm. Closed Sun.

Michael Mustard runs the family butchers business his father set up in 1948. In that time it has become one of the most renowned suppliers in the area. Mustard offers a range of locally reared meats from his well-ordered shop down a quiet lane in Nethy Bridge – or he will take orders and deliver locally. A variety of homemade items include over a dozen varieties of sausages including boerewors, pork and stilton, venison, and lamb. Beef comes from Millers of Speyside, venison is all local, plus there is seasonal game.

Rothiemurchus Farm Shop & Deli Rothiemurchus Centre, by Aviemore PH22 1QH 01479 812345, rothiemurchus.net Mon–Sun 9.30am–5.30pm.

Established in 1985, the Rothiemurchus Estate’s excellent outlet is more upmarket

GUIDES

deli than rough-and-ready farm shop.

It started life selling fresh and whisky barrel-smoked rainbow trout caught in the clear waters flowing from the surrouding hills straight into its fishery. Before long a fully fledged farm shop was well stocked with a range of local produce, from a fridge counter packed with the estate’s venison, beef and trout to local wines and beers, hand-made chocolates, pies and pâtés, and a range of jams and preserves.

It’s a great place to grab everything for a picnic in the Park or to savour the produce as cooked up by the chefs in the attached restaurant, The Druie (see entry on p.26).

Truffolicious 2 Burnside Road, Aviemore PH22 1SQ 07704 162476, truffolicious.co.uk

Set up in 2012, Truffolicious, based in Mike and Anna McArthur’s Aviemore kitchen, specialises in an expansive range of handmade truffles from classics such as dusty dark truffles to homemade honeycomb varieties and ‘tipsy’ truffles with liqueurs, plus locally inspired specialities made with Cairngorm Brewery beer. They sell their treats at the Cairngorms Farmers’ Market, where they also dish out Belgian hot chocolate to warm the soul.

BLAIR ATHOLL TO KINGUSSIE Blair Atholl Watermill & Tea Room Ford Road, Blair Atholl PH18 5SH 01796 481321 blairathollwatermill.co.uk Apr–Oct: Mon–Sun 9.30am–5pm.

Closed Nov–Mar.

Blair Atholl Watermill practices the traditional stonegrinding of oats and wheat. Owners Rami and Kirsty Cohen use all their own flour and oats in the various loaves, rolls and speciality breads available to buy – along with bags of flour – from their in-house bakery, which in turn supplies the tea room (see p.27).

Specialities reflect Rami’s Israeli heritage – bagels and Jewish hallah loaves – while

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Where to Buy

his carrot cake is practically a local institution. (See also feature on p.10.)

George Gow Butchers Ltd King Street, Kingussie PH21 1HP 01540 661212 Mon–Sat 8am–5pm (Wed close 1pm).

Closed Sun.

Be it beef, lamb, pork, poultry, game or pies, at some stage in his 40-plus years as a butcher, pretty much everything George Gow stocks has won an industry award of some description – his Madras sausages and beef burgers being among the latest prize-winners recognised by the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders. With all stock sourced ‘on the doorstep’, quality and traceability is as good as guaranteed – lamb in particular as it comes from Gow’s own Inveruglas farm. The Cross and several country hotels in the Cairngorms are among numerous outlets that Gow supplies locally, and he takes phone and mail orders for deliveries from the Lowlands and beyond.

House of Bruar

By Blair Atholl PH18 5TW 01796 483236, houseofbruar.com Mon–Sun 8.30am–6pm (9am–5.30pm in winter). Restaurant 9.30am–4pm.

This upmarket shopping and dining destination just off the A9 in the southern part of the Cairngorms National Park has a food hall that is an enticing showcase of the depth and quality of Scottish produce.

The impressive array includes a fresh deli counter laden with artisan cheeses (including the Park’s own Cambus O’May) and various cold cuts along with a top-class in-house butchery featuring homemade items such as sausages and pies. You can pick up local beers and confectionary – plus there is a market stall outside with fresh Scottish fruit and veg.

The food hall packs out at the weekend with shoppers and those looking to grab a bite in the assisted self-serve restaurant offering lots of hot and cold options – all made with an emphasis on utilising local and Scottish produce.

THE LABELS YOU CAN TRUST For guarantees of farm assurance, taste and quality, it has to be Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.

Look out for certified Scotch Butchers Club members throughout this guide by looking for the Scotch rosette.

To find your local member, visit www.scotchbutchersclub.org

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Where to Buy list.co.uk

George Gow Butchers Ltd, Kingussie

GUIDES

Murchies of Kingussie

NG Menzies Butchers

24 High Street, Kingussie PH21 1HR 01540 661227 Mon–Fri 8am–6.30pm; Sat/Sun 8am–6pm.

6 Invercauld Road, Braemar AB35 5YP 01339 741206 Mon–Sat 7.30am–5pm.

Offering a greengrocers, deli, off-licence and general convenience store, Murchies is the sort of high street shop that a small community like Kingussie relies on for getting their staples and much more.

There’s a well-stocked section offering a good range of fresh vegetables and fruit, local where possible including Alvie Gardens’ berries in summer, plus a deli counter providing an enticing range of Scottish and international cheeses as well as various cold-cuts and salads.

There’s been a butchers shop at this Braemar premises since ‘year dot’, and the latest proprietor, veteran cleaverhandler Neil Menzies, honours that tradition by harking back to practices from his apprenticeship. Everything is locally sourced, from beef to blackface lamb, and venison from the nearby estates. Steaks are well-hung for over three weeks, and most of their products are prepared in-house, including renowned haggis and pies. Menzies is also a general store, with everything from loose veg to milk.

ROYAL DEESIDE & EAST CAIRNGORMS Deeside Deli & Garden Shop 47 Bridge Street, Ballater AB35 5QD 013397 55741, gowsdeli.co.uk Mon–Sat 9am–5pm.

Formerly Gow’s, this shop is well-placed for luxury picnic-making, both in terms of its prime Royal Deeside location, and its commitment to quality produce. A greengrocer section is complemented by a well-stocked charcuterie counter, which also features a mix of local and British artisan cheeses. Nibbles like olives and antipasti join fresh sandwiches using homemade breads and fillings. They keep an assortment of organic and New World wines, plus Scottish microbrews including tipples from the Cairngorm Brewery.

George Strachan Ltd 2 Golf Road, Ballater 013397 55452 Mon–Sat 9am–5pm. Closed Sun.

With a cheese counter, a wall of wine and spirits, shelves of preserves, seeds and sweets, and all the usual larder basics you’d expect from a local convenience store, George Strachan is like a corner shop, deli, hardware store and haberdashers rolled into one. There is another, larger outlet in Aboyne selling the same range of stock.

HM Sheridan Ltd 11 Bridge Street, Ballater AB35 5QP 013397 55218, hmsheridan.co.uk Mon–Sat 8am–5pm. Closed Sun.

Sheridan is probably the best-known butcher on Royal Deeside, providing an excellent standard of locally sourced produce. They have won a variety of awards for their products and also have a Royal warrant. Much is made on the premises, including haggis, black pudding and mealie puddings, as well as freshly baked pies. Offering a range of around 20 different varieties of sausage and 10 types of burgers and various kebabs, Sheridan’s will also cater for large events which can include hog roasts or barbecues.

SPEYSIDE & NORTH CAIRNGORMS Achnahannet Farm Produce Achnahannet Farmhouse, Dulnain Bridge PH26 3PD 01479 851324

This small family business produces home baking, chutneys, vegetables and eggs for sale at Cairngorms Farmers’ Market, plus Boat of Garten Post Office, Just Delicious deli and Highland Wildlife Park. Gillian Gordon grows various

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Where to Buy

vegetables from potatoes to asparagus in season, and concocts preserves all year round. Look out too for her home-baking, such as chocolate and beetroot cake.

beyond with pork, beef, lamb, poultry and more – there’s a handy retail shop also on premises. Everything is sourced in the Highlands, assuring complete traceability.

Balliefurth Farm

Just Deli..cious

Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3NH 01479 821636, balliefurth.com

22 High Street, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3EH 01479 873692, justdeliciousgrantown.co.uk Mon–Fri 10am–3.30pm; Sat 10am– 3pm. Closed Sun (and Mon, Oct–May).

After years of flooding almost destroyed his farm, Alastair MacLennan strove to make an opportunity from adversity by building a new, locally unique kind of business integrating farming, forestry, the environment and tourism for the mutual benefit of all. All livestock, beef and lamb, is grass-fed and carefully bred from birth on the farm – so complete traceability is guaranteed. Short-horn beef is hung for a month. Most sales are direct from Balliefurth, and as founder and current chair of the Cairngorms Farmers’ Market, you’ll usually find him there.

This smart, wee, family deli, café and takeaway, run by Annette Bruce and her son, sells good coffee, homemade soups, various freshly made sandwiches and inventive quiches such as blue cheese with onion chutney – plus lots of cakes, from cookies and teabreads to indulgent layer cakes, including a renowned beetroot and chocolate cake. The food is made utilising fresh, locally sourced ingredients and products where possible.

Cairngorm Butchers 10 High Street, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3HB 01479 870304 Mon–Sat 7.30am–5.30pm. Closed Sun.

Petrolini Ices

This long-standing butchers is today in the capable hands of Barry Green, who came full-circle to owning the shop in 2011 after serving his apprenticeship here. Award-winning products include beef and sliced sausage, while their readymeals and speciality pies are popular.

All produce is sourced from within the Cairngorms and they seasonally stock venison, grouse and the like ‘straight off the hill’. There’s an emphasis on customer service and good-value quality products.

Gianni (Johnnie) Petrolini churns home-made Italian ice-cream, using local berries when in season, into various flavours from vanilla and mint to strawberry, raspberry and bramble – other flavours can be requested. His ices are sold at Cairngorms Farmers’ Market and Cairngorm Butchers, and served at various venues across the Park.

Grants of Speyside Unit 6A, Strathspey Industrial Estate, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3NB 01479 873900, grantsofspeyside.co.uk Mon–Fri 9am–4pm. Closed Sat/Sun.

Back in the 1880s, Jessie Grant – greatgreat grandmother of current proprietor Stuart – first came up with her speciality haggis and black pudding, and the same recipe is still used today. Largely a commercial butcher – supplying shops and restaurants across the Cairngorms and

Unit 4A4, Strathspey Industrial Estate, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3NB 01479 872522

The Whisky Castle 6 Main Street, Tomintoul AB37 9EX 01807 580213, whiskycastle.com Mon–Sat 10am–5.30pm; Sun noon– 5.30pm. Oct–Feb closed Sun.

Set in a scenic location, the Whisky Castle has been supplying whisky since the late 19th century, when it would deal in illegal crofters’ barrels from the surrounding area. The shop stocks around 500 whiskies, many rare and collectable, and which have neither been chill-filtered nor treated with caramel where possible.

There’s plenty of advice to novice and experienced drinkers alike.

CHEF’S CHOICE KIRSTEN GILMOUR ON LOCAL MEAT

My number one hate is poor-quality meat.

I just won’t tolerate it – I puff my chest out like all grumpy chefs and say ‘No!’ We are so spoilt here in the Cairngorms that I find it inexcusable to buy low-grade produce.

We source the best quality ingredients we can get for the café, and that is where our fantastic suppliers come into play.

Grants of Speyside do the best black pudding around, and all their products are top quality. Mike, who runs SG Mustard butchers, is, in my opinion, the best butcher in the area – his perfect wee shop is jammed full of quality meats.

And you have not lived unless you’ve eaten a ribeye steak from Balliefurth Farm.

I met owner Ann selling their products at the local farmers’ market – she really knows her stuff, and hands out amazing recipes too.

■ Kirsten Gilmour is owner/chef at the Mountain Café, Aviemore (see p.26)

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Where to Eat list.co.uk

WHERE TO EAT Listings of the Cairngorms’ best options for eating out including daytime cafés, casual bistros, lively bars and formal restaurants.

Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore

AVIEMORE & AROUND Anderson’s Restaurant Deshar Road, Boat of Garten PH24 3BN 01479 831466, andersonsrestaurant.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–1.45pm, 6–9.30pm.

From its small and fairly unassuming frontage, Steve and Claire Anderson’s popular restaurant opens out into a spacious, modern and comfortable neighbourhood bistro serving imaginative dishes that utilise a wealth of local produce. The relaxed and inclusive atmosphere belies the top-quality, attractively presented dishes coming from the busy open kitchen, whether one of the several daily specials or a grilled steak from the à la carte menu, or one of the handful of tempting dishes on the seasonally changing menu. Much is done in-house, from smoking the haggis to churning the variety of delicious ice-cream flavours. Staff are friendly and casual but, like the food, wouldn’t be amiss in much finer establishments.

The Boat Hotel Deshar Road, Boat of Garten PH24 3BH 01479 831258, boathotel.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–3pm, 5–9pm.

Set in a picturesque corner of Boat of Garten with an open fire and candles flickering on dark wood furnishings, the Boat’s bistro serves quality food in a welcoming, family-friendly fashion.

Menus include classic Scottish dishes such as Cullen skink, hand-dived Shetland scallops and Speyside venison. Fixedprice menus offer good value for money, while themed nights such as Tuesday (fish and chips) and Thursday (grill), along with Sunday roasts and regular live Scottish music, are always popular.

GUIDES

The Druie Restaurant Café Rothiemurchus Centre, By Aviemore PH22 1QH 01479 810005, rothiemurchus.net Mon–Sun 9.30am–5.30am

Named after the burn flowing past nearby and set within the same building as the Rothiemurchus Estate’s excellent farm shop and deli, it’s all too easy to be lured into this cosy café and restaurant after being tempted by the delights in the shop.

Rothiemurchus’s strong commitment to using its own top-quality produce as well as other local ingredients means the menu, whether breakfast or lunch, offers a guaranteed taste of the Cairngorms.

From the estate there is Highland beef in a burger or roast beef and mustard sandwich, smoked trout in pâté served with homemade soda bread, and venison in sausages with chive mash or inside a wrap with redcurrant jelly. Home-baking fills the counter, while changing art exhibitions adorn the walls.

Mountain Café 111 Grampian Road, Aviemore PH22 1RH 01479 812473, mountaincafe-aviemore.co.uk Mon & Fri–Sun 8.30am–5.30pm; Tue–Thu 8.30am–5pm.

Like many who visit the Cairngorms, New Zealander Kirsten Gilmour fell for the place and ended up staying, opening up a café around a decade ago that is among the best in the National Park and beyond thanks to great food and a welcoming, laid-back vibe. Above a shop, and enjoying views across to the snowy hills, with an al fresco terrace, Mountain Café is a slick operation offering breakfasts, lunches, excellent cakes and bakes, along with a big kids’ menu and an expanding range of homemade preserves, sauces and other deli delights to take away. Gilmour is a strong advocate of local produce – which is well reflected in the excellent food, from various sandwiches on homemade bread to interesting salads such as Asian noodle and spiced salmon and possibly the Cairngorms’ best burger – a messy, meaty

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Where to Eat

treat. There’s also a strong community ethos, including local artworks and school visits by Gilmour and other chefs.

Old Bridge Inn Dalfaber Road, Aviemore PH22 1PU 01479 811137, oldbridgeinn.co.uk Mon–Thu & Sun noon–3pm, 6–9pm; Fri/Sat noon–3pm.

Offering one of the better options in the area for a relaxing drink and food in a pleasantly traditional setting, the Old Bridge Inn is situated on a quiet road next to the Spey. A log fire in the casual, comfortable bar warms the soul on those frequent chilly nights – helped by interesting malts and local ales plus regular live music. The separate dining area has a more formal, conservatory ambience, but not so much that walking boots or Gore-tex are frowned upon.

The compact, seasonally changing menu offers upmarket pub food with locally inspired food deftly cooked and presented by head chef Chris McCall. Starters feature Shetland scallops and Summer Isles crab, home-smoked salmon, or an earthy slow-cooked rabbit terrine. Mains include Moray Firth cod or an impeccably cooked, velvety Speyside fillet steak with slow-braised ox cheek.

The Potting Shed Tearoom • Inshriach Nursery, Aviemore PH22 1QS Mar–Oct: Mon–Sun 10am–5pm.

01540 651287, inshriachnursery.co.uk • 84 High Street, Kingussie PH21 1HZ Mon & Thu–Sun 9.30am–5pm. Closed Tue/Wed

If it wasn’t for the setting of the old potting shed within pretty Inshriach Nursery, or the stool-perch inside that affords a fascinating close-up view of all manner of woodland critters, the first thing anyone would extol about this rather special tea room are the cakes.

Norwegian Gunn Borrowman hadn’t done much baking before deciding to supplement the nursery’s income with what soon became a tantalising range of impressively proportioned cakes, from airy creamy sponges and fruit-filled layer cakes to rich chocolate gateux and much

more in between. The whole beguiling experience of delicious slice, tea in china and tranquil setting is a most memorable indulgence. Meanwhile, a sister venue run by son Philip in Kingussie is open all year, offering the same cakes as well as homemade soups on the menu.

CHEF’S CHOICE ROSS SUTHERLAND ON ALVIE GARDENS’ SOFT FRUIT

BLAIR ATHOLL TO KINGUSSIE Blair Atholl Watermill & Tea Room Ford Road, Blair Atholl PH18 5SH 01796 481321, blairathollwatermill.co.uk Apr–Oct: Mon–Sun 9.30am–5pm.

Entering the tea room in the mill’s former kiln drying floor (with head stooped to avoid the low beams) feels like time travel into a small Medieval tavern. All the bread and oatcakes are home-baked using the mill’s own products, and various rolls, bagels and toasties come well-packed with Scottish produce such as smoked salmon, ham and cheese. A range of tempting cakes and bakes clutter the counter. For more, see p.10 and p.22.

The Cross at Kingussie Tweed Mill Brae, Ardbroilach Road, Kingussie PH21 1LB 01540 661166, thecross.co.uk Mon–Sun noon–2pm, 7–8.30pm.

A proper restaurant with rooms, this multi-award-winning stop-over is one very much for foodies. Many guests have been returning regularly during its 20-year existence to sample food from the kitchen now under the guidance of chef Ross Sutherland, named Young Highland Chef of the Year 2013 by Albert Roux.

Wild harvests such as samphire and rarebreed Cairngorm pork appear on the daily changing menu along with a range of west coast shellfish and a regular favourite of venison cooked with Savoy cabbage, granola and prunes. The restaurant has recently opened for lunches, and in the evening diners can select a standard menu or the taster menu offering six courses for £55 per person. Special diets or requests can also be accommodated with notice.

We always look forward to June when Alvie Gardens by Aviemore, provide us with their soft fruit.

Strawberries are large and juicy, Glen Ample raspberries delicious and blackberries are large and sweet. John Christie picks fruit to order and delivers it twice weekly to us.

It’s lovely to get high-quality produce from so close. We use their freshly picked fruit for our breakfasts, desserts and as accompaniments to savoury courses. Last year the fruit was very popular with guests, especially our Alvie hot berry soufflé and a dish of local grouse with blackberries.

The fruit continues throughout the summer, but last year’s mild autumn meant we had fruit until midOctober. The Cross prides itself on using local produce, and our menus always state provenance.

■ Ross Sutherland is head chef at The Cross, Kingussie (this page)

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Where to Eat list.co.uk

Letterbox Restaurant Main Street, Newtonmore PH20 1DA 01540 673231, letterbox-restaurant.co.uk Mar–Oct: Mon–Sun 6–8.30pm; Sun 6.30–8.30pm.

The Potting Shed Tearoom, Inshriach Nursery

From its opening in 2010, the Letterbox has built up a well-earned reputation for tasty seasonal food utilising local produce at nice prices – a set evening menu, with plenty of choices, costs under £15 for two courses. With a small lounge area, bar and tables in front and restaurant through the back, this welcoming neighbourhood bistro attracts diners from across the area with Scottish and global dishes including homemade pâté, terrine of smoked fish, pork loin cutlet and cheeseburger.

GUIDES

ROYAL DEESIDE & EAST CAIRNGORMS The Bothy 43 Bridge Street, Ballater AB35 5QD 01339 755191 Mon–Sun 9am–5pm.

Ralia Café

A grand spot before or after a day exploring Royal Deeside, The Bothy offers a welcoming log burner for chilly days or you can sit outside if it’s sunny.

To set you up for the day choose a full Scottish breakfast, while a wide range of lunchtime sandwiches include brie, cranberry and bacon panini. To go with this are soups freshly made on the premises: sweet potato and ginger or parsnip and pear are typical. Homebakes to accompany tea or coffee include white chocolate blondies and carrot cake.

A9 by Newtonmore 01540 670066, ralia.co.uk Mon–Sun 8am–8pm (winter closes 6pm).

The Crannach Bakery and Coffee Shop

Housed in a former tourist centre, and still giving out visitor info, this café offers a lot of reasons for a detour beyond the easy access from the A9. From fresh sandwiches and soups to Fairtrade coffee and gluten-free bakes, there is a focus not just on good-quality Scottish produce but on minimising the café’s eco impact. Free wi-fi and computers, outdoor seats and nearby walks add to the appeal.

The Silverfjord Ruthven Road, Kingussie PH21 1ES 01540 661292, silverfjordhotel.co.uk Mon–Wed & Fri 6pm–9pm; Thu & Sat/ Sun 12.30–2pm, 6–9pm.

‘Eat Drink Sleep’ runs the moderndesign signage outside the ‘Silli’ – as it is known to regulars and locals. While that neatly sums up the basics of this hotel with welcoming lounge bar and more formal restaurant, it doesn’t do justice to the appeal and quality of its food and drink. From a diligent kitchen utilising local produce expect well-presented bar classics such as fish and chips and steak pies to finer dishes such as spiced Gressingham duck and local beef fillet, as well as global dishes – much of it on seasonal specials boards.

Cambus O’May, Ballater AB35 5SD 01339 755126, crannach.com Tue–Sun 11am–5pm. Closed Mon.

The Crannach is one of the few outposts of real bread making in Aberdeenshire, based in a coffee shop near Ballater.

Doug Cookson has been baking excellent loaves for a decade and sells through local farmers’ markets as well as at the simple, tasteful coffee shop, which also hosts bread-making workshops in spring and autumn. As well as fresh bread, cakes and treats from the custom-built brick ovens, the café menu features cheese made just across the road by Cambus O’May.

Darroch Learg Hotel 56 Braemar Road, Ballater AB35 5UX 01339 755443, darrochlearg.co.uk Mon–Sat 7–9pm; Sun 12.30–2pm, 7–9pm

Well known in the area for its consistently high standard of food and wonderful setting, this family-run hotel has three AA rosettes to recommend it and offers stunning views. The food is classic yet modern, using local game and meat: wood pigeon, foie gras and shallot pie or scallops with black pudding are typical starters with loin of Deeside venison with

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Where to Eat

goats cheese gnocchi or roast monkfish with chorizo among mains. There is also a fine selection of desserts led by the sticky toffee pudding. Alternatively, a taster menu offers a range of smaller dishes.

The Gathering Place Bistro Invercauld Road, Braemar AB35 5YP 01339 741234, the-gathering-place.co.uk Tue–Sat 6–8.45pm. Closed Sun/Mon.

Run by Iain and Sandra Geddes, this bistro has become renowned as a great place to recharge the batteries after a long day in the hills. The menu features starters of hot kiln-smoked salmon, cream of mushroom soup or homemade chicken liver pâté, while their own game pie as a main course is made with venison, pheasant, rabbit and wood pigeon, all locally sourced.

Desserts include sticky toffee pudding or a tower of homemade shortbreads.

Glen Clova Hotel Glen Clova, Kirriemuir DD8 4QS 01575 550350, clova.com Mon–Thu & Sun noon–7.45pm; Fri/Sat noon–8pm.

Set in a spectacular spot in one of the beguiling Angus Glens in the south-east corner of the Cairngorms National Park, Glen Clova’s restaurant makes the most of its rural location. From field or hill to plate, many ingredients are sourced from the owner’s own farm including beef, lamb and Rooster potatoes. The kitchen prides itself on fresh, home-made dishes from steak pie, venison and lamb casseroles to pâté, chutneys and bread.

With a bistro, a conservatory dining room for families and a cosy climbing bar for those just off the hill, it’s an attractive destination for many.

Rocksalt & Snails 2 Bridge Street, Ballater AB35 5QP rocksaltandsnails.co.uk Mon–Wed 10am–6pm; Thu–Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 11am–6pm.

A branch of a popular coffee shop in Aberdeen, Rocksalt & Snails offers delistyle delights and bistro meals including a range of salads, paninis and platters along

with speciality teas, coffees, wines and beers. The menu aims to utilise quality local artisan products in dishes such as a Highland surf and turf of salmon and venison. The friendly service and cosy atmosphere, complete with wood burning stove, help it stand out from more traditional local options.

CHEF’S CHOICE REBECCA FERRAND ON CAORUNN GIN

SPEYSIDE & NORTH CAIRNGORMS The Garth Hotel & Restaurant Castle Road, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3HN 01479 872836, garthhotel.com Mon–Sun noon–2.30pm, 5–9pm.

With the look of a traditional country house hotel, the Garth sits proud close to Grantown’s Square and is a popular spot to dine for both visitors and locals. Dishes make the most of fresh seasonal produce, with provenance often highlighted on the menu, such as salmon from a nearby smokehouse, and beef and haggis from the town’s Grants of Speyside. Other mains include the likes of belly of freerange pork, venison collops with haggis mash, and beef and game hot-pot.

Muckrach Lodge Hotel & Restaurant Dulnain Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3LY 01479 851257, muckrach.com Tue–Sat 7–8pm (Sun/Mon bar menu) The seasons are very much reflected in owner/chef Rebecca Ferrand’s menus: spring bursts with lamb and fresh mint, summer puddings are filled with berries, and winter’s roast root veggies are enlivened with homemade fruit compotes from the cellar. The woods around Muckrach are busting with chanterelles, which are served with cream and Parmesan when in season. All game is from local estates, and local butchers supply the black puddings and haggis that appear on guests’ breakfast tables. Even though the restaurant is big enough to hold 40 people, every diner is given personal care and attention. And while those with dietary requests are asked to advise staff when they book, Ferrand has been known to ‘throw together’ some terrific improvisations.

I love Caorunn Gin and its rich juniper flavour. It’s a talking point for guests who come to the Highlands expecting only whisky.

Last year Caorunn’s Simon Buley asked me to create dishes to showcase his gin.

Not many think of cooking with gin, but it can help create a wonderful menu – ours had gin and tonic sorbet, beef cheeks cooked with gin and a cheesecake with a syrup of heather honey gin cocktail, plus a dark chocolate truffle cake with a gin and raspberry cocktail through it.

We have hosted other gin evenings with Simon, who also gives me botanicals used in gin. I use these plants, such as local bog myrtle, in my recipes – they are great with pork belly.

■ Rebecca Ferrand is owner/chef at Muckrach Lodge, Dulnain Bridge (this page)

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Markets & Events list.co.uk

GUIDES

Farmers’ Markets and Food & Drink Events FARMERS’ MARKETS

Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships

Local farmers’ markets are a chance for rural communities within the Cairngorms National Park to connect with and support their local producers.

goldenspurtle.com

Cairngorms Farmers’ Market Various venues Various dates/days, 10am–4pm cairngorms-farmers-market.com

Taking place roughly twice monthly, at either Grantown’s Square or Aviemore’s Myrtlefield, this is an outlet for many of the area’s artisan and small-scale producers, with over 20 members from the Park – and a similar number of guest producers – selling their wares, from ice-cream and preserves to chocolate truffles and rarebreed pork sausages. Watch for the market at other events in and around the Park.

MARKETS OUTSIDE THE PARK

Logierait Country Market Mill of Logierait Farm, Pitlochry

(Mar–Oct) third Saturday of month, 10am–2pm highlandlightrailway.co.uk

It’s been 20 years in October 2013 since the first porridge-coated spurtle was raised in competition in the village of Carrbridge in the Cairngorms. Porridge experts hoping to walk off with the coveted spurtle must impress judges with their version of oatmeal, water and salt mixed together – and nothing else. Anything fancier goes into the Speciality or People’s Choice categories.

Kingussie Food on Film Festival kingussiefoodonfilm.co.uk

A popular food-themed long weekend in the ‘little town of festivals’ taking place usually around late January and early February. Expect lots of special screenings of culinary-related celluloid with food accompaniments, a busy food hall with producers from the Cairngorms and beyond, plus talks, celebrity chef demos and a foodie art exhibition.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival spiritofspeyside.com

From top: Kingussie Food on Film Festival; Cairngorms Farmers’ Market; Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships

Torphins Platform 22, Torphins

every Wednesday, 10am–2pm platform22.co.uk

Alford Farmers’ Market Alford Heritage Centre

last Saturday of month, 9am–1pm spanglefish.com/alfordfarmersmarket

EVENTS Glen Clova Beer Festival clova.com

Ales and ciders from Scotland and the wider UK are served up at this hotel in the picturesque Angus Glens. Usually held on the third weekend in July, there’s live music, a barbecue on Saturday and a hog roast on Sunday. Camping is available.

Held each year, usually across the first weekend in May, this wide-ranging festival celebrates the region’s 50 or so distilleries. Over five days, hundreds of whisky-inspired events take place across an expansive area (hop on the special festival bus), from rare tastings and unique distillery tours to live music and hill walks, with plenty of local food along the way.

Tea in the Park glenlivetandinveravon.com

Less noisy than the similarly named music festival, Tea in the Park sees Glenlivet Village Hall volunteers cooking daily throughout August raising funds for local projects. There’s sit-down food using local, often organic produce, home-made cakes bakes, and lots for sale from local producers, plus crafts from within 30 miles.

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Index

Index Achnahannet Farm Produce Alford Farmers’ Market

30

Allotments

13

Alvie Estate Alvie Gardens

20, 24

7, 20 7, 15, 20, 21, 27

Am Fasgadh

13

Foraging

12

Mustard, SG

Garth Hotel & Restaurant, The

29

NG Menzies Butchers

29

Old Bridge Inn

Gathering Place Bistro, The George Gow Butchers Ltd

20, 23

George Strachan Ltd Gilmour, Kirsten

24 25, 26

Anderson’s Restaurant

26

Gin

19

Backcountry Survival

13

Glen Clova Beer Festival

30

Glen Clova Hotel

29

Balliefurth Farm

20, 25

Balmenach Distillery Balmoral Estate Berries Blair Atholl Watermill & Tearoom

21

Glen Tanar Estate

7, 20

11, 20

Glenlivet Distillery

15, 21

15 10, 21, 22, 27

Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships 10, 30 Gow, George, Butchers

20, 23

Boat Hotel, The

26

Grants of Speyside

Bothy, The

28

Highland cattle

30

HM Sheridan Ltd

24

House of Bruar

23

Caingorm Farmers’ Market

25 11

Cairngorm Brewery

19, 21, 22

Cairngorm Butchers

25

Invercauld Estate

20

Cairngorm Pork

20

Just Deli..cious

25

Kingussie Food on Film Festival

30

Letterbox Restaurant

28

Logierait Country Market

30

Cambus O’May Cheese Company Caorunn Gin Crannach Bakery and Coffee Shop, The Cross at Kingussie, The

18, 21 19, 21, 29 21, 28 27

Dalwhinnie Distillery

14, 15, 21

Darroch Learg Hotel

28

Dee Valley Confectioners

21

Deeside Deli & Garden Shop

24

Deeside Water

21

Druie Restaurant Café, The

26

Essential Sauces

20

Farm Garden, The

20

Farmers’ markets

7, 30

Ferrand, Rebecca

12, 13, 29

Food for Life

Malt Whisky Trail

21

Mar Lodge Estate

20

McCall, Chris

21, 27

Meikles of Scotland

21

Menzies, NG, Butchers

24

Millers of Speyside

20

Milling

10

Mountain Café

20, 25, 26

Mountain hare

21

Muckrach Lodge Hotel & Restaurant

12, 29

Murchies of Kingussie

24

Mushrooms

12

22, 25

Petrolini Ices

24 21, 27 20, 21, 25

Potting Shed Tearoom (Inshriach Nursery), The

21, 27

Potting Shed Tearoom (Kingussie), The

21, 27

Ralia Café

28

Rare breeds

8

Rocksalt & Snails Rothiemurchus Estate Rothiemurchus Farm Shop & Deli Royal Lochnagar Distillery Scotmountain Holidays SG Mustard

29 6, 20 7, 11, 21, 22 21 12 22, 25

Sheridan, HM, Ltd

24

Silverfjord, The

28

Soil Association

13

Spey Valley Smokehouse

21

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 30 Stag’s Breath Liqueur

21

Strachan, George, Ltd

24

Strathspey Mushrooms

20

Sutherland, Ross

27

Tea in the Park

30

Tomintoul Distillery Torphins Market Torrans Farm Truffolicious Venison

30 8 21, 22 7

Whisky Castle, The Wild Farm

14, 15, 21

15, 25 8, 20, 21

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Cairngorms Larder Name section

list.co.uk

GUIDES

THE GUIDE TO THE FOOD & DRINK OF THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

From its snow-capped peaks and hills of heather to lush pastures and mighty rivers, the Cairngorms National Park has a landscape that’s ideal for producing distinctive food and drink. With roaming deer, renowned distilleries, Highland cattle and fish teeming in the Spey and Dee, the country’s best known produce is all here – and of the highest quality.

There is plenty more to discover too, from rarebreed lamb and wild food to traditionally made bread, cheese and gin – plus all the best places to stock up on local specialities or to taste the rich flavours of the Cairngorms larder.

This brand new guide to the food and drink of the Cairngorms National Park features: ■ An in-depth look at the wide range of excellent local produce within the Park

■ The stories behind the people producing the unique flavours of the Cairngorms – the farmers, distillers, cheese-makers, foragers, brewers and more ■ Detailed listings of the best food shops, markets, producers and events ■ Cairngorms chefs highlighting the local produce and suppliers that inspire them ■ An independent guide to the best places to eat

the

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Fife Larder SECOND EDITION

GUIDES

GUIDES

THE GUIDE TO FIFE’S FOOD & DRINK

THE GUIDE TO SCOTLAND’S FOOD AND DRINK

Aberdeenshire

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North Highland Larder THE GUIDE TO THE FOOD & DRINK OF THE NORTH HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND

THE GUIDE TO THE FOOD & DRINK OF ABERDEENSHIRE

SECOND EDITION

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