■ CHEESE & DAIRY
WHERE TO BUY EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS ■ Clarks Speciality Foods 202 Brunstfield Place, Edinburgh 0131 656 0500, www.clarksfoods.co.uk Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 9am–5pm; Sun noon–4pm.
Clarks Speciality Foods is mainly a wholesalers, supplying some of the best hotels and restaurants in Scotland. However, for the past five years the good folk of Bruntsfield have been able to shop in this gourmet emporium. Specialising in farmhouse and artisan cheese, they have 30 Scottish varieties, including those from Cambus O’May. There are also pastas, oils, olives, vinegars and charcuterie and every week fruit and veg arrives directly from the Marché d’Intérêt National de Rungis in Paris.
■ S Luca of Musselburgh Patisserie, Chocolate/Confectionary, Ice Cream • 32–38 High Street, Musselburgh 0131 665 2237 www.lucasicecream.co.uk Mon–Sat 9am–10pm; Sun 10.30am–10pm. • 16 Morningside Road, Edinburgh 0131 446 0233 Mon–Sun 9am–10pm. Café.
Now into a third generation of icecream making, S Luca continues to delight Morningside and Musselburgh locals with its renowned speciality. Manufactured at its two outlets, Luca’s ice-cream can be enjoyed in a variety of flavours, from the traditional to the quirky. Its friendly and accessible parlours offer a cross-section of customers a treasure-trove of confectionery, as well as quality comfort food that serves as the perfect appetiser for a classic ice-cream sundae.
■ IJ Mellis Cheesemonger Cheese, Deli • 6 Bakers Place, Edinburgh 0131 225 6566, www.mellischeese.co.uk Mon–Fri 9am–6.30pm; Sat 9am–6pm; Sun noon–5pm. • 330 Morningside Road, Edinburgh 0131 447 8889 Mon–Wed 9am–6pm; Thu 9am–6.30pm; Fri 9am–7pm; Sat 9am–6pm; Sun 11am–5pm. • 30a Victoria Street, Edinburgh 0131 226 6215 Mon–Sat 9.30am–6pm; Sun noon–5pm.
Since opening his first premises in 1993, Iain Mellis has established a mini empire
of cheesemonger’s shops between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and St Andrews, though each shop has an individual feel, with the Victoria Street branch being something of a little sister yet still sharing the same reputation for supplying the best British farmhouse cheeses. Well-trained, friendly staff are on hand to help you choose from the stacks of regional and global cheeses, and are happy to let customers try before they buy. With an array of local meats, crackers, bread and chutneys for sale alongside the cows’, goats’ and sheep’s cheeses, new customers will surely want to make it part of their weekly shop.
GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDESIDE ■ IJ Mellis Cheesemonger Cheese, Deli 492 Great Western Road, Glasgow 0141 339 8998, www.mellischeese.co.uk Mon–Fri 9.30am–7pm; Sat 9am–6.30pm; Sun 10am–5pm.
See main entry in Edinburgh & Lothians listings.
CHEF’S CHOICE GEOFFREY SMEDDLE ON ANSTER CHEESE
Fife is hugely fortunate to have its own landmark cheese production farm, the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, home of Anster cheese. Ever since first tasting this traditional, unpasteurised cheese, we have always had their Anster on our trolley of Scottish cheeses, and sometimes even on the menu itself. Made by Jane Stewart with milk from her husband’s dairy herd just a few miles from here, it is a crumbly textured and complex flavoured cheese of which all locals can be justly proud. There is even a viewing gallery where visitors can admire the cheese production process, before you buy some to take home. Try it. ■ In 2010 Geoffrey Smeddle of The Peat Inn won ‘Chef of the Year’ at the CIS Awards, as well as his first Michelin Star.
■ George Mewes Cheese Cheese, Bread 106 Byres Road, Glasgow 0141 334 5900 www.georgemewescheese.co.uk Tue–Sat 10am–7pm; Sun 11am–5pm. Closed Mon.
Having opened in the summer of 2010, this cheesemonger quickly became a popular stop for Byres Road shoppers. From the various artisan breads to the stacks of cheeses ranging from Scottish favourites such as Anster, Lanark Blue and Isle of Mull Cheddar to cheeses from around the world, George Mewes carefully sources all his produce and will happily and knowledgeably enthuse about his wares. Also for sale are items complementing the cheeses, from chutneys, oatcakes and crackers to cured meats and the appropriate equipment such as knives and boards.
SOUTHERN SCOTLAND ■ Ayrshire Farmhouse Ice Cream Ice Cream Catrine House Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour, Catrine House, Mauchline, Ayrshire 01290 552093 www.ayrshireicecream.co.uk Mon–Sun 10am–5pm. Café.
A Scandanavian-style wooden chalet is the new focal point for Jo and Willy Templeton’s farm-based ice-cream, made from raw milk and cream from their herd of pedigree Ayrshire cows. The shop stocks a small selection of local produce and deli items along with various flavours of ice-cream and fruit sorbet – at different times many dozen varieties are made, ranging from amaretto to whisky and marmalade – alcohol is common, but you’ll also find nuts, Scottish raspberries and vanilla from Madagascar.
■ Cream o’ Galloway Dairy Ice Cream Rainton, Gatehouse-of-Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway 01557 814040 www.creamogalloway.co.uk Mid March–October: Mon–Sun 10am– 5pm (July–Aug closes 6pm).
Café. Established in the early 1990s, Cream o’ Galloway has been producing fair-trade dairy ice-cream and frozen smoothies for over a decade. Using only the finest organically grown ingredients to produce their ice-creams, they are serious about their commitment to reduce their
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