HENDRICK’S GIN INVITES YOU TO MAKE HARMONIOUS MUSIC WITH CUCUMBERS
Hendrick’s Perilous Laboratory for the Absorbment of Natural Teachings (P.L.A.N.T) is conducting a genuine and most unusual scientific experiment during the Edinburgh Festival at the Assembly George Square Gardens, Edinburgh, 3rd – 13th August. Continue reading Make music with cucumbers!
Leading Scottish craft brewer, Stewart Brewing, has announced the return of its annual Edinburgh Beer Festival on Saturday 13th May. Continue reading BEER FESTIVAL RETURNS – LAGER THAN EVER BEFORE!
Discover ultimate pie perfection this British Pie Week!
NOTHING quite says British like tucking into the much-loved classic – the pie. With new research revealing that 75% of people enjoy a pie at least once a month, it’s no surprise that British Pie Week (6-12 March), has been growing every year with pie-eaters seeking their ultimate pie-perfection.
To join in the festivities, Scottish pâté producer Castle MacLellan has created two classics to try, each with a signature twist. Simple and delicious, these tasty ideas are perfect for impressing guests at a dinner party or enjoying along with a glass of wine in hand.
Scottish pâté specialist Castle MacLellan has been producing meat, fish and vegetarian pâtés from its base in Kirkcudbright for more than 30 years so their delicious pâté flavours have been honed to perfection and are guaranteed to perk up any pie this March.
As if the luxurious flavor wasn’t persuasion enough, did you know Castle MacLellan is owned by the Kavli Trust? This means that their profits go to charity so every time you buy their pâté you’ll know you’re supporting good causes in the UK and abroad. (They taste even better once you’re aware of that!)
Ham & Duck Pie
Caramelised onion chutney or cider and apple compliments this recipe effortlessly. For a more delicate flavour, try ham hock and our Chicken Liver Pâté with a beetroot or caramelised onion chutney. A perfect combination.
Ingredients
Method
Ø Preheat the oven to 200c. Roll out your short crust pastry so it is thinner than a pound coin. Cut out 8x9cm circles of pastry for the base of your pies. Then cut out 8x7cm discs for the tops. You may need to re-roll the pastry to do this.
Ø Brush the tin moulds with a little oil before pushing the base circle into the muffin tray.
Ø Put a table spoon of the ham hock into the base of each pie, you want it to be about ½ full.
Ø On top of the ham hock add a layer of Castle MacLellan Duck Pâté, use about 1 tbsp on each pie. Then spoon the same amount of chutney onto the top. Ideal chutney to use in this pie would be an apple based one. We used apple and cider.
Ø Brush the outer edge with milk/egg and add a pastry lid. Pinch the sides to seal and make a small hole in the top. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Mini Chicken Pies
These tasty mini chicken pies are best complimented with Caramelised onion or Beetroot chutney.
Ingredients
Method
Ø Preheat the oven to 200oC. Roll out your short crust pastry so it is thinner than a pound coin. Cut out 8x9cm circles of pastry for the base of your pies. Then cut out 8x7cm discs for the tops. You may need to re-roll the pastry to do this.
Ø Brush the tin moulds with a little oil before pushing the base circle into the muffin tray.
Ø Put a table spoon of the ham hock into the base of each pie, you want it to be about ½ full.
Ø On top of the ham hock add a layer of chicken pate, use about 1 tbsp on each pie. Then spoon the same amount of chutney or beetroot onto the top. Ideal chutney to use in this pie would be a caramelised onion flavour.
Ø Brush the outer edge with milk/egg and add a pastry lid. Pinch the sides to seal and make a small hole in the top. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Throughout 2017 Castle MacLellan will be encouraging people to ‘Pâté Together’ by hosting their very own pâté party – whether its nibbles before a night out, snacks for a cosy night in front of the TV or rustling up a delicious meal for the whole family. Share your #PateParty moments on the Castle MacLellan Facebook or Instagram pages.
Other pies, pates and ingredients are, of course, available. As are purveyors of pie perfection: I’m a Mason’s of Newhaven man myself …
Four Edinburgh restaurants – two of which are based in Leith – feature prominently in The Sunday Times guide to the Top 100 places to eat in the UK. The influential restaurant guide, which will be published on Sunday, is judged by a panel which icludes top chefs Jamie Oliver, Antonio Carluccio and Nick Jones.
The four Edinburgh restaurants – half of only eight Scottish eateries to feature – to make it into the elite list are Norn, The Gardener’s Cottage, Ondine and Tom Kitchin’s multi-award winning Michelin-starred The Kitchin at Leith’s Commercial Quay.
Norn, on Leith’s Henderson Street (above), is described as a restaurant ‘in the finest tradition of Scottish cooking’, while Ondine on George IV Bridge (below) earns praised as a ‘first-class fish restaurant with the friendliest Scottish service’.
Let’s prevent over £90 million worth of food waste this Christmas Continue reading What a waste!
THE community-owned distillery, GlenWyvis – which traces its history back to Forbes of Culloden and the Jacobites and is believed to be the world’s first-ever community-owned distillery – has released a new limited collection of GlenWyvis Gin. Continue reading The Edinburgh Collection: Stockbridge community gin!
Thousands see fire safety displays at city music and dance festival
City firefighters joined revellers at the Edinburgh Mela over the weekend to raise awareness of the support available to help the public prevent fires and the tragedies they cause.
Thousands of people enjoyed live music at Leith Links on Saturday and Sunday, making the annual festival an ideal opportunity for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews to share potentially life-saving information.
Watch Manager Steve Scott said: “Our community action teams and crews from Marionville and McDonald Road Fire stations had two great days of engagement with the public.
“We had more than 1,200 people visit the SFRS Mobile Museum and they loved getting dressed-up in fire kit and getting selfies. It’s popular with young and old alike but of course the main drive is making our communities safer.
“All these visitors saw displays that make you very aware of common hazards within the home as well as the steps you can take to prevent them causing a potentially devastating fire.”
The SFRS crews offered free home fire safety visits, which involve local firefighters helping householders identify hazards and taking simple steps to address them.
With early warning known to be vital if a fire does happen, the SFRS crews also check smoke alarms are working and even provide and install the devices if they are found to be needed.
Free home fire safety visits are available from SFRS by calling the freephone number 0800 073 1999, by texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or by filling in an online form at www.firescotland.gov.uk.
Watch Manager Scott added: “We would much rather take 20 minutes to help someone stay safe than attend a fire that could have been prevented.
“Fire in the home is devastating. Even where no-one is seriously hurt, the loss of cherished possessions, the financial impact and the emotional trauma can all be horrific for those involved.
“We want to hear from anyone who thinks they or someone they know could benefit from some friendly, expert advice and support from their local crews.”
Pictures: Edinburgh Mela
The Printing Press is looking for staff
Edinburgh’s vibrant culinary scene will soon be joined by the opening of The Printing Press, an elegant, all-day restaurant that will champion seasonal Scottish produce.
The restaurant is due to open this autumn on the site of the former EH2 Tempus, with a new small coffee house called Burr & Co. next door.
Altogether, a team of 70 new staff will be needed – from waiters, bartenders and baristas to hosts, supervisors, managers, sous chefs and chefs de partie.
Stephen Begg, restaurant manager, said: “The Printing Press is set to offer Edinburgh a relaxed, warm and friendly drinking and dining destination where guests feel right at home. For that reason, we need a great team of people, with bags of personality, who are passionate about food and customer service.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to get in at the start of an exciting new restaurant launch and to be a part of all the activity that accompanies it. Our aim is to deliver great style at every level, from the food and drink to the interiors and the service. We hope The Printing Press will become a destination that people want to come back to, time and time again, not only for the great food but also for the talented and friendly staff who work there.”
Successful candidates will receive an intensive training course to learn about every element of the business, and a 19-day programme has been specially created for that purpose.
Both The Printing Press and Burr & Co. will open in the autumn.
A chef recruitment open day will take place on Monday, 24 August and the front of house recruitment open day will take place on Tuesday, 25 August 2015.
No appointment necessary, both recruitment days will take place from 12pm to 9pm at The George Hotel.
Alternatively, CVs and a short covering email can be sent to recruitment@edinburghgeorgehotel.co.uk
Did you celebrate World Gin Day yesterday?
Gin-lovers worldwide toasted World Gin Day with a classic British gin and tonic as exports of our national spirit reach a record £390 million, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said yesterday.
Exports of top-class UK gin have risen by 37% in the past five years, with sales to 139 countries bringing £1.76 billion to our growing economy. The UK is the biggest exporter of gin in the world and 70% of our gin goes to discerning drinkers overseas. In 2014 we exported enough gin to make over 1.6 billion gin and tonics.
The British spirit once nicknamed ‘mother’s ruin’ has become the sophisticated tipple of choice for cocktail fans the world over, featuring in specialist gin bars from Melbourne to Madrid.
A world away from Hogarth’s infamous Gin Lane, premium gin brands like Tanqueray No. 10 and Hendrick’s now account for over a quarter of the UK gin market, with sales of premium bottles up nearly 50% in the two years to 2014.
A host of British micro-distilleries are creating superior spirits to feed the global taste for gin, pioneered by Sipsmith, which in 2009 became the first new copper distillery to open its doors in London since 1820. Today there are more than 35 established micro-distilleries across the UK, and new ventures are springing up every month. Shops and bars around the world now feature small batch British gins concocted in boutique distilleries from Edinburgh to Newquay alongside household names like Gordon’s, Beefeater and Bombay Sapphire.
Welcoming the latest export figures, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: “Our gin will be enjoyed around the world this weekend thanks to the vision and innovation of our distillers, who have pioneered a global revival of this quintessentially British drink. It’s fantastic to see so many new British businesses making first-rate products for export, contributing to our long term economic plan and helping to build a strong economy here in the UK. The UK’s reputation for excellent quality means our gin is the first choice for martinis in bars the world over.”
Nicholas Cook, the Director General of the Gin Guild, which lists the details of 80 different types of UK gin in its online ‘Ginopedia’, commented: “Gin is a firmly-established part of British culture, dating way back to the early 17th century and some of our distilleries have been producing gin since then. Many new distilleries have emerged over the last few years, reflecting the new interest in gin, either enjoyed with tonic or as a key ingredient in fashionable cocktails.
“A gin and tonic, perfect for the summer months, should be well served, with plenty of ice, a good garnish and a quality chilled tonic water, or alternatively enjoyed as a refreshing cocktail.”
“Craft distillers Warner Edwards have been creating artisan spirits in a converted barn on a Northamptonshire farm for two years, winning a number of awards—including being named one of Defra’s 50 Food Stars and reaching the final of this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards.”
Tom Warner, co-founder of Warner Edwards, said: “Our strong first year’s trading has doubled year on year ever since, so we are in significant growth. Export is a big focus for us now and as a result we are working closely with UKTI. Our business target is to export 70% of our volume in line with the industry. Currently we are in the Benelux region, Italy and Switzerland with a few more markets in our sights.
“The future of UK gin is bright—the quality is exceptionally high and the new wave of distillers are creating some really interesting flavours. Brand Britannia is a very strong quality standard and none more so than in gin!”
Gin is the latest in a long list of export successes for the UK—food and drink exports were worth nearly £19 billion last year. Innovation is thriving, with around 16,000 new UK food and drink products introduced every year—second in the world only to the US.
Food and drink remains the country’s biggest manufacturing sector, with the food chain contributing £103 billion a year to our economy and employing 1 in 8 people.
Exports of iconic Scottish favourites are generating billions for the UK economy
Over the weekend millions of people around the world tucked into haggis and toasted Robert Burns with a dram of whisky – and new figures have revealed exports of iconic Scottish favourites have risen since 2010, generating billions for the UK economy.
In the last four years the UK has exported £4.85 million of haggis to 28 countries, up 51% between 2011 and 2013 – Ireland, France, Spain and Hong Kong are the biggest buyers of haggis outside the UK.
Scotch whisky is enjoying rising exports, with a 24% increase between 2010 and 2013. There were 1.3 billion bottles exported in 2013, worth £4.37 billion and enough to fill Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Swimming Pool 145 times!
Exports of Scotch whisky are worth £135 a second to our economy and, along with haggis, contributed to a record year for the UK food chain which generated £103 billion in 2013 and now employs 1 in 8 people.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: Robert Burns called haggis the ‘great chieftain o’ the pudding-race’ and it’s wonderful that more than 200 years later, this delicious, wholesome dish is now being appreciated around the world. In a Burns night meal, nothing goes better with haggis than a dram of Scotch whisky, one of our greatest export success stories.
More and more food and drink from Scotland and the rest of Britain is being sold abroad thanks to this government’s efforts and the success of our long-term economic plan. It is yet more proof of how we are stronger together in the United Kingdom.”
Scottish haggis brand Macsween sells more than a million units of haggis over the Burns period.
Jo Macsween, Haggis Ambassador and joint Managing Director of Macsween, said: “Macsween have seen a rise in haggis consumption outside of Scotland as our brand continues to grow through innovation and our dedication to introducing our award-winning products to those who have yet to discover the versatile dish.
“Haggis is indeed very popular in Europe, where consumers are engaged with nose to tail eating. In fact, haggis is actually an ancient global dish, and many European countries have their own equivalents—so haggis is well-received. Haggis is very popular across the globe—we have seen requests from India, China and the Middle East.”
2013 also saw a successful year for Scottish farmed salmon, with growing global demand making it the UK’s second most exported food after chocolate confectionary. Worldwide sales of UK salmon in 2013 reached an all-time high of £571 million.
Scottish wild salmon and Scottish farmed salmon are among 62 foods produced in the UK that enjoy Protected Food Name status, which gives them legal protection against imitation throughout the EU. Products with this label must be made in particular geographical areas and follow specified production methods.
Scotland currently has 13 protected food names, including Arbroath Smokies and Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar. Other applications for PFN status in the pipeline include Dundee Cake and Ayrshire Early Potatoes.
