Day: April 21, 2023

Arachnophobe catches the bug for tasting whisky – with edible insects!

Lifelong hater of creepy-crawlies overcomes fear at an unusual tasting event in Edinburgh which saw whiskies paired with crickets, mealworms, locusts and a surprise scorpion!

A lifelong arachnophobe with a fear of creepy-crawlies discovered a taste for edible insects at an unusual whisky tasting in Edinburgh which saw the flavours of crickets, mealworms, locusts and scorpions matched with different types of Scotch. 

Scott Begbie from Aberdeen was one of three adventurous whisky fans taking part in a special event called ‘A Pairing With Legs’, which was hosted at The Vaults in Leith, the home of  The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a global whisky club with an unconventional approach to whisky tastings.

The unusual flavour pairing event took place as part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 40th anniversary year celebrations. Previously, the Society has paired whiskies with unusual items such as ice cream and also staged a tasting on top of a Munro. 

After the event, Begbie, who was given the tasting experience as a present for his 60th birthday, said: “I’ve always had a phobia of spiders and creepy crawlies generally, so I was initially pretty nervous. Seeing the insects and picking them up was quite tricky at first, but I ended up enjoying it. 

“My favourite flavour pairing was the smoked crickets with a blended malt featuring smoky whiskies from Islay and Orkney. That pairing of smoky, salty flavours worked really well.

“The mealworms were crunchy and tasted like Bombay Mix with less spices. The locusts were challenging but they reminded me of Twiglets. The scorpion surprised me – it was really good, a bit like a salty Pretzel.”

The flavour pairings

At the event, the first flavour pairing saw mealworms matched with Disco Diva, a 12-year-old whisky from Speyside described as tasting like “an all-singing-and-dancing karaoke of icing sugar-coated biscuits, dried coconut and hot cross buns”.

The second pairing featured locusts paired with Raspberry Fields Forever, a whisky described as having a palate of “creamy custard with juicy raspberry sorbet on apple crumble”. 

Finally the smoked crickets were paired with Smokus Fruticosus, a sweet, rich & intensely smoky blended malt featuring whiskies from the islands of Islay & Orkney.

The scorpion was a surprise bonus with the participants trying it at the end of the tasting with a whisky of their choice.

A second ‘A Pairing With Legs’ event is taking place in May with the Society working with Dr Vladimir Blagoderov, the principal curator of invertebrates at the National Museum of Scotland, to explore different types of edible insects.

40th anniversary adventures

This year, the Society is celebrating its 40th-anniversary and is approaching 40,000 members around the world. To mark this milestone in its journey, a series of special releases, events, collaborations and happenings, all inspired by founder Pip Hills’ unorthodox outlook, will continue throughout the year.  

Helen Stewart, Head of Brand Marketing & Membership, said: “Whisky and insects? Precisely. This type of tasting personifies what the Society is all about. Our 40th anniversary year is going to be our most adventurous yet.

“‘A Pairing With Legs’ is just one of many unconventional tastings taking place this year as we continue bringing adventurous whisky fans together to explore the flavours of whisky and enjoy interesting sensory experiences.”

We’re drinking a cup of tea or more an hour, new research finds ahead of National Tea Day

  • Over half of us move away from Traditional English Breakfast Tea as our preferred blend new research finds ahead of National Tea Day 
  • With more than a quarter drinking around a cup or more an hour during an average working day  
  • 55% of Brits say they prefer a herbal or other leaf based tea blends over traditional English Breakfast tea 
  • Over a quarter (27%) drink tea purely for wellness. 87% drink tea as a source of comfort or to relax 
  • 60% start drinking tea from primary school age with 16% five years or younger  
  • Over 90% of Brits best like to pair their tea with a biscuit, cake or sandwich  

Despite the Nation’s long-standing love of English Breakfast tea, new research reveals ahead of National Tea Day on April 21st, that we are moving away from tradition with over half (55%) opting for a herbal like green tea or Rooibos, or other leaf-based teas like Earl Grey, as their preferred choice of blend.  

The findings, based on 2086 consumers, come just three weeks before the King’s Coronation and marks a shift away from the Traditional English Breakfast tea which has always been widely regarded as the UK’s hot favourite, accounting for 85% of sales in 2019 according to a Unilever report.  

This year’s research into Brits’ tea drinking habits by global tea specialists, The Tea Group, found that 55% of the nation now prefers a herbal brew with 22% choosing a green tea such as Matcha, and 11% picking a rooibos, ginger, peppermint, chamomile or fruit tea as their blend of choice. The remaining 22% chose Earl Grey or picked ‘other’ for their tea, other than Traditional English Breakfast.  

More than half (54%) like to take their tea in the morning with milk.  A quarter like it rich and malty, and 15% prefer aromatic and herbaceous, all made directly in a mug for most people (68%) as we opt for convenience over complexity. However, one in five agreed that the traditional way to serve tea – using loose leaves, served in a china cup and poured from a teapot – still makes the perfect brew.  

Drinking a cup an hour 

And it’s not just a cuppa a day. The Tea Group found that Brits are now drinking a sizable amount with 47% of the population consuming up to five cups a day, while over a quarter (27%) drink between six to 10 cups of tea a day which is around one brew an hour during the average working day.  

Nearly half (46%) of consumers use teatime as a chance to socialise with others, 37% see it as an opportunity for some ‘me time,’ while the majority (87%) say that tea makes them feel ‘calm and relaxed’ or ‘comforted.’ In fact, over a quarter (27%) of people drink tea purely for their wellbeing with 38% drinking tea for both wellness and taste.   

And there are some traditions that we are sticking to, with biscuit, cake or sandwich the nation’s top three favourite foods to accompany their tea.  

Commenting on the research, Díaz Ayub, Managing Director at The Tea Group, said: “It is wonderful to see how people in the UK are embracing the range of artisan tea, cold brews and herbal varieties available today.

“The Traditional English Breakfast Tea has been a staple part of UK culture for centuries, and remains so for 45% of the tea lovers we surveyed. However, our findings reveal that the future of tea is much more diverse with a new generation of tea drinkers who are moving beyond the traditional brew to embrace a mixology of teas that inspire health and happiness.”  

60% of us drink tea from primary school age 

The findings from The Tea Group also found that nearly two thirds (60%) start drinking tea from a primary school age. A third had their first cuppa before the age of seven, and 16% were five or below.  

Diaz continued: “As our research shows, teatime is either ‘me time’ or an experience which brings people together to create memorable moments. It’s something to celebrate as a nation which is why we founded National Tea Day. T

“ea plays a role in so many cultures and can be enjoyed in so many ways, and we’re seeing this in the UK with more tea-lovers pairing various teas with different types of food. Try succulent scallops with Japanese Gyokuro tea served in a wine glass, or pistachio macaron with milky Oolong tea, or the traditional shepherd’s pie is great with an English Breakfast tea.

“It’s a drink that offers a world of opportunity for trying fresh delights and our study shows that Britain’s taste for tea is stronger than ever.”  

‘Self-Tea’ charity appeal 

As part of National Tea Day, The Tea Group, has also launched its ‘Self-Tea’ charity appeal in partnership with award winning British artist, David Arnott. The Tea Group is asking for members of the public to send in ‘selfies’ raising a cup of their favourite tea as a toast to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The selfies will be collated in a mosaic piece, capturing iconic moments from her reign and British history. Once completed, the artwork will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to its charity partner, Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To get involved, simply visit the National Tea Group Instagram page  https://www.instagram.com/nationalteaday/  

Tea and Food Pairing Tips from Díaz Ayub, Managing Director at The Tea Group: 

  • A rich savoury Shepherd’s pie can be perfectly paired with an English Breakfast tea. Definitely without milk, but with a hint of honey and served in a wine glass. 
  • A humble peppermint tea with a buttery shortbread biscuit for a “melt in your mouth” murray -mint like pairing. 
  • Risotto alla Milanese has a creamy texture which can be harmoniously uplifted by pairing with a complex and aromatic, malty Masala chai.  
  • Stilton cheese paired with Chinese Da Hong Pao tea. 
  • Elevate the classic cream cheese and cucumber sandwich by pairing with a humble green tea. 

Police appeal for information following Davidson Mains attack

POLICE are appealing for information following the attempted murder of a man in Davidson Mains. the incident happened on Main Street around 12.05am early this morning (Friday, 21 April, 2023).

The victim, a 20-year-old man, had been n a pub on Main Street and left the premises at around midnight. Soon after exiting the building, three men, dressed in dark coloured clothing and balaclavas, attacked the man with a weapon.

The victim was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh by ambulance with serious injuries.

The suspects are believed to have left the area in a red saloon-type vehicle.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “We are appealing for anyone who witnessed or has information on the incident to get in touch.

“I’d particularly ask anyone who was within the pub on Main Street yesterday evening (Thursday 20 April) to come forward to help our enquiries.

“Equally anyone who may have seen a red saloon car in the Davidson Mains, or surrounding areas, or has information on this vehicle and its occupants, should contact officers as soon as possible.

“We are assessing available CCTV footage and anyone who may have dashcam of the incident, or vehicle, should provide this at your earliest opportunity.”

Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to contact officers on 101 quoting incident 0010 of 21, April, 2023.

Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Planning Submitted for £60m Newcraighall East Development

Leading affordable housing specialists Cullross Ltd has submitted detailed planning for its Newcraighall East development. The site is located east of Glennie Road, Newcraighall.

The site forms part of the local development plan and has an existing planning approval in principle.

Proposals form part of a £60m investment by Cullross. Plans consist of 236 properties, with a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bed flats, garden flats, duplex flats, and townhouses. 75% of the fully tenure blind development will be affordable properties, which will be managed by Hillcrest.

The detailed planning application has been submitted to Edinburgh City Council following the completion of the pre-application notice consultation period, which commenced in December 2022.

Following feedback from the community, a new site access has been proposed off Newcraighall Road to link in with the signalised junction being formed for the adjacent New Brunstane development.

As part of the development, a new linear park will be formed. This will provide extensive amenity for both the existing and new residents, along with any visitors to the area. There will also be a new active travel route formed to Musselburgh Train Station creating excellent links and access to the city centre. This will allow access to the city centre in circa. 15 minutes.

Allotments are included to the north of the linear park along with a small retail development, which has been included within the proposals to meet the local needs, and as part of the 20-minute neighbourhood offer.

Enhanced biodiversity has been carefully considered and is included throughout the site.

Other important aspects of the development include the SUDs strategy addressing the existing flooding on site. This has been carefully coordinated with the adjacent EIH development to allow future integration of their development.

Cullross Ltd has nearly 60 years of combined experience designing, developing, and building new homes and specialising in affordable housing projects. 

Mark Beaton, Director of Cullross Ltd., said: “We are thrilled to submit our detailed planning application for this much-anticipated development in Newcraighall. 

“There has been significant community interest in the proposals at our community events and having reviewed all the feedback that was received we have incorporated suggestions and ideas where possible.

“We are excited to be able to provide 75% of the new homes as affordable, with the remaining properties being private. We believe both this mix of tenure and property types will provide a great enhancement to the existing Newcraighall community and provide an opportunity for many looking to move into the area or into larger or smaller properties.

“As a company, we place a premium on a strong relationship and collaboration with the community, and we hope that having listened to the feedback received at the two community events, the finalised proposals for the development will be well received.

“The entire project team has worked seamlessly to develop these exciting proposals and we look forward to engaging with CEC through the planning determination period to hopefully achieve a successful outcome.”

Rod Duncan, Director of jmarchitects, said: “Working closely with Cullross on this project, jmarchitects have designed a masterplan that addresses several key design drivers.

“This is achieved through a placemaking framework where every space has a clear purpose and defined sense of ownership, creating a new neighbourhood woven into the local heritage and physical aspects of this site.

“Clear frontages create a secure and welcoming environment and the creation of a new linear Park enhances biodiversity and creates fantastic amenity for the new and existing residents.”

Fiona Morrison, Hillcrest’s deputy chief executive said: “Hillcrest is dedicated to delivering good quality affordable homes and we are delighted to be developing 177 new homes with Cullross in such a fantastic location.

“Delivered with funding support from Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council, these mixed tenure, energy efficient homes will provide a great boost to Edinburgh’s affordable housing provision while giving tenants a home they can really be proud of.”

New online self-harm support service available Scotland-wide 

Self-Harm Network Scotland (SHNS) has launched a new online self-harm support service for  people aged 12+ across Scotland.

The new online service is in addition to its three existing  locality-based services which recently opened up across Dundee, Glasgow and the Highlands  and Islands. People can visit the online service here: selfharmnetworkscotland.org.uk 

The SHNS service is operated by Penumbra Mental Health, a pioneering charity providing  dedicated services for people with mild to serious enduring mental ill health. SHNS is funded by the Scottish government. 

People who experience self-harm will be able to access support via the portal and receive a  response within 24 hours of the team receiving their details. From there, the team will  provide and/or connect people to the most suitable ongoing support. 

Furthermore, the portal was created to provide recovery-focussed support, tools and  information that anyone can access to enable people to support themselves and others. This  includes sections for those who self-harm, people supporting someone who self-harms, and  professionals working with someone who self-harms. 

The power of lived and living experience has helped to shape the portal from the beginning.  An internal reference group was set up which consisted of people with lived experience, and  practitioners and managers of self-harm services across Penumbra.

Supported people were either present on these calls or gave feedback through their practitioners throughout the  process of creating the portal. 

Penumbra Mental Health is the largest employer of mental health peer workers in Scotland  with 29% of its teams in peer support roles. 

At SHNS, all of our peer practitioners have lived experience of self-harm. They bring an  understanding of what people who live with self-harm might be experiencing, and will work  with each person to find out what matters in their life and offer support to find healthier  coping strategies. 

Shona McBain, Senior Practitioner for the new self-harm portal service, tells us a bit about  her background and what working for this new service means to her:  “I first found out about Penumbra Mental Health when I was 16 years old and received  support from their Aberdeen self-harm support service.

“They helped me to understand where  my self-harm was coming from, and that it was just my way of coping with other difficulties in my life. They gave me the space to work through what was going on in my life and I began  to process a lot of what I hadn’t previously. 

“I knew I wanted to help people in a similar way, and after going to college to study social  sciences, I eventually ended up working for Penumbra at the same Aberdeen service I  reached out to when I was just 16. Later on, I was invited to take part in the SHNS internal  reference group for the portal and eventually landed the role as senior practitioner.  

“I think one thing that has struck me throughout this process is just how much the portal has  been designed for the people using it, from the look and feel to the content itself. People  with lived experience, like myself, have been involved from the beginning to ensure that the  portal is as accessible and functional for as many people as possible. 

“There are local self-harm support services dotted throughout Scotland, but the portal itself  has been designed to fill the gap around self-harm support. Whatever area of Scotland you  are based in, you can access support via the portal. Whether that be 1:1 support, or you’re  just looking for some information and resources that you can undertake in your own time. 

“We want to break the stigma around self-harm. By offering this online resource to both  family/friends and professional’s working with someone who self-harms, we hope to give  people the confidence to start talking about it. Self-harm isn’t something we should fear, but  something we can better understand in order to support ourselves, loved ones and co workers.” 

Letters: Give a cat a new home

Dear Letters Editor,

I am writing to encourage your readers to consider a moggy when thinking about giving a cat a new home.

Our latest survey revealed 38% of cats acquired in 2022 (or 600,000 cats) were pedigrees, such as Ragdolls or Scottish Folds, while 47% (or 750,000 cats) were moggies (cats produced through non-selective breeding such as a domestic short or longhair). This is the narrowest gap that we have seen between pedigrees and moggies in memory.

As a result, Cats Protection is celebrating moggies this spring and encouraging would-be owners to look past a breed or current social media led trends. Moggies have just as much personality and affection to share as pedigrees, they also tend to be less expensive both at the outset and over the course of their lifetime.

There are thousands of moggies needing new homes across Cats Protection’s network of branches and centres who are all vet-checked, microchipped, neutered if old enough, and arrive in their new homes with four weeks’ free insurance.

Further details of the benefits of welcoming a moggy into your life can be found at www.cats.org.uk/morethanjustamoggy; we also have lots of good advice about acquiring a pedigree cat including some potential pitfalls at www.cats.org.uk/pedigrees.

Yours faithfully

Dr Kit Sturgess

Chair of Trustees, Cats Protection

Swimmers diving into history with The Great Royal Swim Challenge

Swimmers from Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching sessions are looking to dive into history with the Great Royal Swim Challenge by taking on the challenge to collectively swim from the Royal Commonwealth Pool to Balmoral Castle in celebration of the King’s Coronation.

Children in Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching classes in Swim Skills 4, Club Ready and Junior Skills & Drills classes, will aim to swim a total of 166km, the distance between the Royal Commonwealth Pool and Balmoral Castle, during their swim lessons between now and 5th May, with each class totalling the distance they swim. 

As there are different numbers of classes at each pool it will be an Edinburgh Leisure team challenge and the total distance in metres for all pools will be accumulated to reach Balmoral Castle.

Marie Kneeshaw, Edinburgh Leisure’s Aquatics Development Officer explained: “Our swim coordinators collectively came up with this exciting challenge for swimmers in our coaching classes to take on the challenge to swim 166km, the distance between the Commie Pool and Balmoral Castle, aiming to complete the challenge by Friday, 5th May, just before the King’s Coronation.

“This will be an amazing target to reach and hopefully this will get our swimmers up for the challenge.”

At the end of the challenge each swimmer in the Swim Skills 4, Club Ready and Junior Skills & Drills will receive a certificate of congratulations for taking part in the Great Royal Swim.

Follow the children’s progress by following Edinburgh Leisure on their social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For more information: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/coaching-courses/swimming#greatroyalswim

Common sense prevails: Changes announced to deposit return scheme

Craft drinks producers and pubs that provide off-sales are among those that will benefit from changes to Scotland’s deposit return scheme.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater has announced a range of measures to make it easier for drinks producers and retailers to prepare for the scheme, while making sure environmental benefits are still delivered, and repeated the call on the UK Government to issue an exclusion for the scheme from the Internal Market Act.

The changes announced are:

  • drinks containers of under 100ml will be excluded, removing miniatures and other smaller containers from the scheme
  • products that sell fewer than 5,000 units per year will be excluded, which will particularly benefit craft producers
  • all hospitality premises that sell the large majority of their drinks products for consumption on the premises will be exempt from acting as a return point
  • the online application process for retailers to apply for an exemption from providing a return point has been simplified

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Scotland’s deposit return scheme will reduce litter on our streets, massively increase the recycling of drinks containers and help meet our net zero ambitions.

“However, to realise these benefits DRS needs to be delivered in a way that works for businesses, especially for small drinks producers. The changes I have set out will make the scheme easier for industry to deliver – especially for craft producers – while still making sure the vast majority of drinks containers are captured for recycling.

“To move forward with certainty, the UK Government must stop delaying the long overdue exclusion from the Internal Market Act. This damaging Act was imposed on the Scottish Parliament after Brexit without its consent and creates confusion and uncertainty for businesses.

“After that Act was passed, we engaged in good faith, following the agreed process, and have done so for nearly two years now to agree an exclusion. The UK Government needs to at long last issue an exclusion, and recognise the right of the Scottish Parliament to enact legislation in devolved areas without interference.”

Cheers – Make It A Treble!

THREE CAMRA AWARDS FOR THE JOLLY JUDGE

If there is one thing better than winning a CAMRA Pub of the Year award then it’s winning three at once!  The Jolly Judge, located just off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, is the 2023 winner of CAMRA Edinburgh Pub of the Year, Overall Branch Pub of the Year and Cider Pub of the Year.

The framed certificates will handed over to licensee Adam Neil on Wednesday 26th April at 1945 hrs at the pub.  Many congratulations to Adam and all of his staff. 

Runner-up in Edinburgh was the Stockbridge Tap and in third place (jointly) were the Roseburn and the Dreadnought.

Education Secretary meets learners ahead of exams

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has met with staff and learners ahead of this year’s exams.

Returning to the Royal High School in Barnton where she previously taught, Ms Gilruth heard about the preparations underway for this year’s exams, which start on Monday and run for five weeks.

Earlier this week the Education Secretary set out plans to rebuild and reshape how education is delivered as part of the Scottish Government’s policy prospectus Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership – A fresh start.

Ms Gilruth said: “”I want to thank the pupils and my friends in the teaching staff for welcoming me back to the Royal High School to hear about their preparations for this year’s exams, which start next week.

“During this time we will see around 130,000 learners sitting National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in a variety of subjects across the whole of Scotland. I would like to thank all learners for their dedication and resilience during what has been another challenging year and importantly I would like to wish them every success and good luck in their exams this year.

“As set out in our policy prospectus this week, I am focused on ensuring that Scotland’s education system strives for excellence and equity for all, with a continued focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap.”

The Scottish Government set out its policy prospectus Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership – A fresh start  this week.