MAKE IT A DOUBLE: TWO AWARDS FOR NORTH FORT STREET PUB
It will be a proud moment for licensee Toby Saltonstall on Monday 23rd May (7.30pm) when he will be presented with the CAMRA local branch (Edinburgh and SE Scotland) Edinburgh Pub of the Year2022 award.
Not only that, the Dreadnought has also been adjudged Overall Branch Pub of the Year 2022.
CAMRA Branch Chair Pat Hanson, who will be be handing over the two framed certificates, said: “In a few short years Toby and Roisin at the Dreadnought have won numerous CAMRA awards with their top quality real ale and banter and it’s now fitting that they should add the coveted Overall Branch Pub of the Year award to their collection.”
In a Facebook post, the popular North Fort Street pub announced: “The Dread is CAMRA Edinburgh Pub of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. There was no winner in 2021 but we can call it five years straight, right? Not too shabby for a single-room battlecruiser out in the sticks.
“This one is for the team, who have been nothing short of sensational over the past two years.”
The multi-award winning Dreadnought is branching out. They have just bought The Wee Leith Shop – the Dread Shed cometh!
St James Quarter has let 30,000 sq ft of space to TOCA Social, the world’s first interactive football and dining experience, combining immersive football-based gaming with modern Americana-inspired cuisine.
The new brand launched its first venue at The O2 in London last year (above), boasting three bars, selfie booths, arcade machines and a Willy Wonka inspired dessert room, and has since announced expansion into Birmingham and even Dallas in the US.
TOCA was founded by Eddie Lewis, a two-time U.S. World Cup and former MLS and English Championship midfielder who developed the TOCA Touch Trainer, a ball machine that is the centre of all TOCA experiences.
The latest signing at St James Quarter will further cement the lifestyle district’s position as a new entertainment, culture and fashion hub that merges seamlessly with the city’s cultural offering and events calendar. Blending the ancient spirit of the city with the dynamic and cosmopolitan soul of the new, it will be yet another reason to visit Edinburgh.
TOCA Social will add 22 boxes and 2 bars in Edinburgh, while supplementing the other nine event spaces at St James Quarter that will host an array of fashion and music events.
Ed Corrigan at St James Quarter,commented: “TOCA Social has been something of a phenomenon since launching last year, their venues and the interactive experiences they offer have proved immensely popular.
“We expect them to be a key fixture for social activities both for local residents and visitors to Edinburgh.”
Alex Harman, President at TOCA Social, added: “We are delighted to launch our next TOCA Social venue in Edinburgh. St James’s Quarter is an amazing addition to the city centre and is the perfect home for our first venue in Scotland.
“TOCA Social gets everyone up and playing – whether competitively or just for fun, alongside world class food and drinks. It’s been a huge hit since we launched at London’s The O2, and we can’t wait to bring it to Edinburgh next year!”
This week Masterchef winner and acclaimed Scottish chef, Gary Maclean, made an outstanding claim that ‘masterpiece’ Mortons rolls were deserving of more than just a classic lorne sausage, and Aldi Scotland agrees.
Adding to the debate, the leading value supermarket has lined up three of its top selling products it thinks are worthy of Scotland’s favourite crispy roll.
Smokey, succulent and sweet, this Macaulay’s Ham Hough falls off the bone, creating a filling worthy of Scotland’s top chef. The producer is one of 90 Scottish suppliers working with Aldi to bring the best of Scotland’s larder to it’s customers.
Even better, its big enough to feed 4, meaning the whole family can enjoy.
Aldi Smoked Salmon slices which come in a punchy, yet light mustard and dill dressing, are the perfect posh bite for those looking for some ‘roll reversal’.
For just £1.99, it will add a layer of luxury to your lunch for no more than the cost of a roll at your local van.
This May, Martin Miller’s Gin, the world’s most awarded gin brand, proudly partners with leading UK-wide venues and local beekeepers, in a week-long national celebration supporting the UN’s World Bee Day 2022.
Martin Miller’s Gin is partnering with Bermondsey Street Bees, Manchester & District Beekeeper’s Association (MDBKA) and Edinburgh Honey Co. with the mission to raise awareness across the country of the importance of bee pollinators, particularly in the urban environment.
Key venues including Duchess of Dalston, Callooh Callay Chelsea and Gold in London, Atlas Bar, Pen & Pencil in Manchester and Pear Tree, The Raging Bull and OohMami, Edinburgh will partake in this extended initiative – World Bee Week, 16-23 May 2022.
The week-long celebration by Martin Miller’s Gin will see each partner venue list the Bee’s Knees Cocktail, made with Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin. Every serve will be accompanied with an information leaflet and complimentary thyme seeds for customers to plant at home and encourage their own thriving bee community. Known to attract all variety of bees, the thyme seeds also provide a much-needed reminder of the importance of planting, and the role that this plays in allowing bees to thrive within an urban environment.
The Bee’s Knees
The Bee’s Knees is a classic, refreshing summer cocktail, composed of gin, honey and lemon. A gin cocktail with a twist, the Bee’s Knees is made with Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin – a fresh variant from the brand which includes notes of rosemary and thyme, perfectly paired with artisanal raw honey from Bermondsey Street Bees. The result is a crisp, complex serve offering a herbaceous and citrus finish, underpinned with cherry-forward notes further heightened by the honey.
Florencia Orlando, Brand Manager, Martin Miller’s Gin comments: “We had an incredible response to this campaign last year and we’re thrilled to be taking this initiative around the country, for longer!
“The humble botanical – thyme – is the magic ingredient for both our SUMMERFUL gin and in the mission to save our bees. We’re delighted reignite our partnership with Bermondsey Street Bees who front the campaign from London.
“They could not be more aligned with Martin Miller’s Gin in both its quest for high quality and perfection but also their sustainability values. Incorporating Bermondsey Street Bees honey within our SUMMERFUL cocktail is a harmonious match and we are looking forward to everyone sampling the serve this May.”
Sarah Wyndham-Lewis, Co-Founder, Bermondsey Street Bees comments: “It has never been more important to support the urban honeybees and their wild bee cousins, and we are delighted to be partnering with Martin Millers’ Gin and their “World Bee Week” offering to do so.
“We hope through this partnership Londoners will learn more about these pollinators and indeed will be encouraged to plant bee friendly seeds. Simply to survive, a single honeybee hive requires around 50kg of pollen and 250 kg of nectar every year, and this is prior to any surplus honey becoming available for humans to harvest.
They also need to share this City’s forage resources with the bumblebees, the solitary bee species and other vital pollinators, so the more green-fingered Londoners, the better!”
World Bee Day
This year, The United Nations has selected 20 May 2022 as World Bee Day. Created to draw attention to the importance of pollinators and sustainable means to support their development, while combatting the threats the face, World Bee Day aims to educate the public on the importance of bees and the key role pollinators play in both food supply and biodiversity.
World Bee Week
The extended week-long celebration by Martin Miller’s Gin spotlights the importance bees play within our everyday lives, and how vital it is to take action to protecting this species.
Of the 25,000 species of bees on Earth, only seven are honeybee species, which are the most efficient and successful pollinators, key to the subsistence of the planet’s ecosystems.
In addition to receiving a packet of thyme seeds with each Bee’s Knees serve, guests will also be provided with information on key bee conservation charities to donate to, including British Beekeepers Society and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
How to make a Bee’s Knees
Ingredients
• 50ml Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin
• 25ml fresh lemon juice
• 20ml Bermondsey Street Bees Exmoor Honey
Method
• Add the gin, lemon juice and honey to a shaker with some ice (if you don’t have a shaker, a jam (or honey!) jar will do)
• Shake until chilled
• Strain into a cocktail glass
For further information, please visit www.martinmillersgin.com
We can’t believe that in just FOUR WEEKS we will be welcoming you to Hidden Door 2022!
For our team of volunteers, the festival build begins in the next few days so stay tuned for some exclusive behind-the-scenes previews.
For now, let’s take a closer look at our first Friday night … a night of wild pop and songs for the soul; late night electro in the Basement; ghostly dancers in the debating chamber; powerful theatre and beautiful spoken words echoing down the corridors; eclectic art around every corner; hot street food and sunny terrace bars with stunning city centre views …
Aldi Scotland’s experts have curated a selection of recipes to feed the family on a budget
Leading value supermarket, Aldi Scotland, has revealed a selection of healthy and budget-friendly lunch options all ranging between £4 and £8.
Whether you’re working from home, in the office, or packing up lunchboxes to go, Aldi Scotland’s three delicious low-cost lunch options are the perfect mid-day meal, and are all made using the finest, locally sourced ingredients.
With Aldi’s generous portion sizes, each meal can feed up to a family of four, with options to stretch the ingredients across recipes to make the most of what is in the fridge and reduce food waste.
Mediterranean style salad with sweet potato and chicken – £4.41
With one sweet potato containing 400% of your daily required Vitamin A, low in calories and fat, while also being high in fibre, this superfood offers a nutritional yet comforting mid-week meal that is budget-friendly at only 99p per bag at Aldi Scotland.
Chop the sweet potatoes into chunks and cook in the oven alongside tomatoes, onions, and diced Scottish Chicken Breast Fillets (£1.85) for a Mediterranean style lunch packed full of goodness. Toss in some iceberg lettuce and season with salt and pepper to ignite the flavours.
Nature’s Pick Sweet Potatoes – 1kg – 99p
Nature’s Glen Scottish Chicken Breast Fillets – 300g – £1.85
Nature’s Pick Iceberg Lettuce – 46p
Everyday Essentials Cherry Tomatoes – 250g – 48p
Everyday Essentials Red Onions – 1kg – 63p
Baked potato with ham and veg medley, plus a fruity dessert – £7.65
Pick up a four pack of Nature’s Pick Medium Baking Potatoes for only 42p for the perfect base, which will complement a variety of delicious and interchangeable toppings. For this recipe, Aldi Scotland suggests creating a medley of Nature’s Glen Ayrshire Cured Cooked Ham (£1.69), cherry tomatoes (48p) and red onions(63p). Top with a sprinkling of Glen Lochy Scottish Mature Cheddar (£1.89) this will become a firm family favourite for only £5.11.
Looking to bulk it out for hungry mouths? Add a dollop of Rowan Glen’s Greek Style Natural Yoghurt (55p) to your topping mixture and use the left-over yoghurt for an after-lunch snack piled with Aldi Scotland’s Nature’s Pick Fresh Scottish Strawberries for only £1.99 taking your final total for lunch and dessert to just £7.65.
Nature’s Pick Medium Baking Potatoes – 4 pack – 42p
Nature’s Glen Ayrshire Cured Cooked Ham – 125g – £1.69
Even the healthiest eaters need some carbs now and again – so why not treat your family, and your wallet, to a classic fan favourite – a chicken BLT sandwich for only £5.92 with enough ingredients to feed six people.
Finely slice Aldi Scotland’s Scottish Chicken Breast Fillets (£1.85) and Specially Selected Scottish Bacon (£1.99,240g), mix in a splash of mayonnaise (59p), before loading up Authentic Scottish Bakeries Wholemeal Rolls (55p) with a layer of iceberg lettuce (46p) and some cherry tomatoes (48p).
At Aldi Scotland salads can be as cheap and delicious as they are good for you, so make sure to use your leftovers wisely – chop up your remaining iceberg lettuce and throw on what’s left of the bacon, chicken and tomatoes for a quick and easy salad, offering another meal for four at no additional cost. Top tip: cut the remaining rolls into squares, drizzle with oil and salt and bake for home-made salad crouton for some extra crunch.
Nature’s Glen Scottish Chicken Breast Fillets – 300g – £1.85
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said:“With the cost of a weekly shop more important that ever, we are delighted to work with local producers to offer such a wide range of healthy weekly meal solutions that all the family can enjoy. Our customers don’t have to compromise quality for value when they chose to shop with us.”
Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, stocking 450 Scottish products and are constantly looking to bring more of what Scotland’s vibrant food and drink industry has to offer to their customers.
Fridays, part of newly listed Hostmore plc, has introduced Bottoms Up Brunch seven days a week which is available to book now via its website!
A go to for social gatherings between groups of friends and loved ones, Bottoms Up Brunch at Fridays can be enjoyed for just £29.95 per person. Guests can enjoy their choice of either 4 glasses of Prosecco, 4 pints Fridays American Pilsner, 4 glasses of Clean G&T (less than 0.5% ABV), 4 glasses of orange juice or 4 cocktails per person alongside a signature sharing platter for two.
It wouldn’t be Fridays® Bottoms Up Brunch without our iconic cocktails handcrafted by our expert bartenders. Sip sip hooray! Guests who opt for cocktails can choose from a selection of Fridays finest including the Pornstar Martini, Purple Rain, Long Island Iced Tea and Aperol Spritz.
The new sharing platters are named after New York Boroughs and include the Queens Sharer, an amazing platter with Salmon Tacos, Mac & Cheese bites and a sharing portion of Boneless Hot Wings tossed in Franks® RedHot sauce; and the Manhattan Sharer with everyone’s favourite Fridays® Sesame Chicken Strips, classic Mozzarella Dippers and the Fridays® Corndog.
Fridays’ Bottoms Up Brunch slots will last for 90 minutes and are available all-day Monday to Thursday, and 11:30am-3:30pm Friday to Sunday. T&Cs apply*.
Robert B. Cook, Fridays CEO, commented:“We are thrilled to bring Bottoms Up Brunch to our guests in Scotland, adding another contemporary aspect to our lively restaurants.
“Bottomless Up brunches epitomise that Fridays Feeling. Add in our iconic cocktails with unbelievable New York inspired sharers and Fridays’ generosity of spirit and the result is the best Bottoms Up Brunch experience in town!”
To keep up to date with our latest offerings this summer and full details of our new Bottoms Up Brunch visit Bottomless Brunch | Fridays UK (tgifridays.co.uk) plus follow us at @TGIFridaysUK on social media to get that Fridays Feeling all day, every day!
The North Edinburgh community came out in force yesterday to enjoy the North Edinburgh Community Festival at West Pilton Park.
More than fifty local organisations contributed to a memorable day of music, food, arts and crafts, entertainment and information.
Local activist Willie Black, who chairs the Festival organising committee, said the hard work involved in staging the event had proved worthwhile.
“Covid has meant that it’s been a long time since our community has been able to have a party so it was great to see local folk coming out in huge numbers to enjoy themselves.
“Today has been a celebration of everything that makes North Edinburgh special and I’d like to thank each and very individual and organisation who contributed so much to making the festival such a huge success.”
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh has announced the appointment of Steven Wilson as the new Executive Chef for its upcoming restaurant and social space, Commons Club, as it gears up to open on 1st June 2022.
Originally from Edinburgh, Steven has almost 30-years’ experience in the hospitality industry with previous roles at a number of notable five-star hotels and award-winning restaurants. Steven will use his renowned talent and international influences to showcase contemporary Scottish seasonal cuisine using the freshest produce straight from Scotland’s local larder for diners at Commons Club.
Notorious for delivering memorable and delicious dishes, Steven’s career has taken him across the globe – from helping to open the multi- award-winning Lowry Hotel in Manchester to the iconic Soneva Fushi in the Maldives.
He also has extensive experience working in the Middle East and South East Asia with the renowned Six Senses Resorts and Spas. Steven is set to combine his international experience and Scottish heritage to create a new standard of Scottish dining at Commons Club.
Nestled across two floors, Commons Club is designed to be a playful yet sophisticated environment for guests to eat, drink and vibe in the heart of Edinburgh.
Catering to all tastes, guests can enjoy an array of stunning starters, carefully curated by Steven and his expert team, including Ceviche with line-caught & cured wild seabass, shaved fennel, dill, nashi pear & green olive puree; Wagyu Tataki with Scottish wagyu beef “Tataki style”, fried garlic, ponzu green onion puree & parsnip crisp and Risotto with Scottish farm spelt & barley risotto, baby morels, lightly-roasted almonds & shaved fresh summer truffle.
Mains include Halibut with pan-seared Gigha halibut, confit aromatic farm seasonal vegetables in a light saffron & Shetland blue mussels velouté; slow roast Perthshire chicken “dinner” with fondant potato, baby leek, morel mushrooms & fresh peas, crispy chicken & pata negra croquet, bread sauce, roast chicken jus & chive oil and Isle of Mull seaweed tortellini pasta filled with wild herb ricotta, clay oven-roasted artichoke, pea & feve etuvee,vegetarian parmesan air.
Steven Wilson, Executive Chef at Commons Club, said:“After years of travelling the world and working in some unforgettable restaurants and hotels, I’m so excited to be back in my hometown and to be part of this iconic opening in Edinburgh.
“We really do have access to the highest quality local produce right on our doorstep in Scotland and that’s something the menu at Commons Club celebrates. Guests can enjoy our timeless menu that will continue to evolve with the seasons, keeping them coming back time and time again.”
Commons Club will be the flagship restaurant in the soon-to-open Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. Situated in the landmark India Buildings of Edinburgh’s Old Town – a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle.
The hotel will feature Grand Chamber Suites, 222 Chamber Suites, multiple dining and drinking outlets including Commons Club and Eve: a vibrant all-day dining space offering a progressive approach to late night entertainment in Edinburgh.
The hotel site is also home to a 19th century church, now known as Greyfriars Hall, that has been beautifully restored and repurposed as a special event venue. In addition, the hotel will offer guests a rooftop sanctuary with unobstructed Edinburgh Castle views.
After a successful debut in 2021, flavour innovators, Buck & Birch relaunch the highly anticipated second batch of their inaugural spirit and namesake, BIRCH – a distinctive, pioneering botanical spirit offering a wild alternative to your favourite gin or vodka.
Sourcing ingredients just a stone’s throw from their East Lothian distillery, the alchemists marry pure spirit with raw birch sap and season with wild birch flavours to create a smooth yet complex botanical spirit. Delicate notes of cucumber, rosemary and eucalyptus dance lightly on the palate whilst the sap adds a beautiful softness and mouthfeel to the finish.
Creative Director and co-founder, Tom Chisolm on why this is one for the ages: “10 years in the making, there has always been lively discussion at Buck & Birch about producing a spirit strength drink, but we were never in any rush – finding the right one was the most important thing.
The birch tree has always been integral to our business (it’s even in our name), so we knew we wanted to create something in its honour, and harnessing all its character was key. After the success of the first batch, we know it was truly worth the wait and we are excited to bring the new seasonal batch of BIRCH to our followers and fans’
BIRCH can be chilled in the freezer and served neat, or poured over lots of ice and topped with light tonic or soda, garnished with rosemary or a slice of citrus to accentuate the herbal notes. For cocktail enthusiasts BIRCH is great mixed in a classic martini with vermouth and either a twist of lemon or an olive, depending on belief in tradition.
For wildcrafted alchemy, make it with BIRCH.
BIRCH is anticipated to restock in May 2022
To view the full selection of drinks available for purchase, visit www.buckandbirch.com
