Michelin-starred chefs create meal ideas for students to savour

Two of Scotland’s finest chefs have created mouthwatering vegan recipes for students staying in University of Edinburgh accommodation.

The nutritious meal suggestions – devised by Michelin-starred Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin – are part of a range of recipe cards to be included in food packages for students if they are self-isolating in halls.

The Edinburgh-born chefs have developed their recipes with student kitchens in mind. Each uses a variety of high-quality, fresh vegetables and herbs, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Tom Kitchin – chef and owner of award-winning restaurant The Kitchin, The Scran & Scallie, Southside Scran and The Bonnie Badger – launched the project by creating a fragrant tofu and noodle broth.

Martin Wishart (above), proprietor of the award-winning Restaurant Martin Wishart, has prepared a colourful vegan box with stir-fried vegetables and chilli noodles.

Much-loved local eateries Bross Bagels and Civerinos Slice have also created vibrant meal suggestions for students to enjoy.

The recipe cards are the latest addition to the package of support students receive if they are required to self-isolate in University accommodation due to Covid-19 restrictions. University chefs have also created recipes, which include jackfruit casserole, chilli bean ragu and smoked mackerel fillets with potatoes.

University staff are working 24-hours a day to ensure that students receive a balanced diet, with self-isolation packs consisting of three meals a day to students in catered halls as well as up to 800 grocery boxes per week for those in self-catered. Essential items are also being delivered on request.

Staff have been delivering up to 2,400 packed meals per day to students in catered halls and more than 800 grocery boxes per week to those in self-catered across 48 different locations.

Round-the-clock care is also on hand to ensure that students can speak with staff either on the phone or in person if they have any worries or concerns. As well as counselling and online support services, the University has almost 200 Residence Assistants and Wardens on site to help students.

From Friday, the University is asking students to share their kitchen creations on social media to win a three-course meal from The Scran & Scallie or Civerinos Slice for their household.

Chef Tom Kitchin said: “This is a really brilliant initiative by University of Edinburgh and I am delighted to support it. We all know that eating well and planning a good meal start with the use of good ingredients.

“With a little bit of imagination and some cooking tips along the way, some students might discover a love for cooking. Times are challenging for many so it’s more important than ever that we stick together and support the community, especially the young generation in all this. I’m excited to see what dishes the students will come up with and what new ideas are coming our way.”

Carina Svensen, Director of Accommodation, Catering and Events at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are thrilled to provide students with these fantastic recipe ideas and work with local businesses.

“Tom and Martin are renowned for championing fresh Scottish produce, and Bross Bagels and Civerinos Slice are really popular, so we are sure this will be a hit with our students.

“This year has been tough on all of us, but I hope that this will give our students a boost and encourage them to showcase their creative flair. We are keen to continue this initiative and work with other Edinburgh businesses to create more exciting opportunities for our students.”

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This an excellent initiative from celebrity Michelin-starred chef’s Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin.

“Students starting university this year have faced far more challenges than a usual student intake and this is friendly gesture which acknowledges these challenges.

“Since the start of this year, looking out for each other and sticking together has been hugely important and this is another example of the kindness on show in local communities.”

Watch Tom Kitchin create his recipe for University of Edinburgh students here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP2BOnUkHbs&feature=youtu.be

HALF of Scots felt that their trips to the supermarket were vital to combating isolation during lockdown

From our bellies, to our minds, to our hearts: The role of the UK’s supermarkets through COVID-19

Scotland’s new ‘five-tier’ lockdown system comes into effect tomorrow, with each of the country’s 32 local authorities falling into Levels 0 to 4, depending on coronavirus infection rates.

In light of the increase in localised lockdowns due to surging Coronavirus cases, the role of grocers and supermarkets has now become more clear than ever. Not only have they been integral in providing us all with basic living necessities, they have also played a hugely important role when it comes to our mental health.

The national lockdown in March saw millions of people confined to their homes, fearful of any contact with other people. However, these fears also came with elements of cabin fever as people yearned to once again feel a sense of normal.

For many, the only time this could be achieved was through their weekly shop; a time they were able to (safely) socialise, and gain a glimpse of normality amid the unforeseen circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

In light of this, technology pioneers Ubamarket found that 50% of Scots believed their weekly shop to the supermarket was vital to combating the isolation they were feeling during lockdown. As we experience a tightening of restrictions once again, the centrality of supermarkets in society has now become overwhelmingly clear, with many once again finding solace in their supermarket.

Now, it is more important than ever that supermarkets and the retail sector alike are able to adapt to the post-Coronavirus climate.

According to many industry commentators, retail technology holds the key to helping supermarkets and retailers transition into the new future of retail as designed by Coronavirus. The implementation of end-to-end tech solutions which help supermarkets to streamline and modernise the shopping experience in keeping with the changing retail landscape.

Will Broome, CEO and Founder of Ubamarket, discusses the integral role of supermarkets amid the Coronavirus crisis, and how technology can transform the current in-store offering to ensure long-term success and customer satisfaction:

“Localised lockdowns have highlighted exactly how important local shops and supermarkets are to consumers across the country. An essential presence, our nation’s shop keepers are constantly at the front line, providing everyone with their basic necessities.

“Their presence is absolutely paramount in our efforts to combat the difficulties brought about by the virus, and with half of Scots combating isolation and finding much-needed relief when doing their weekly shop, the centrality of supermarkets has never been clearer.

“Now, in order to sustain this, the world of retail needs to evolve and adapt to the new Coronavirus climate, moving away from the existing problems the sector has. The constantly changing store layouts, the outdated queues and checkouts, and the lack of communication between supermarkets and their customers are just some of the issues that COVID-19 has made very clear.

Retail tech offers an all-encompassing solution; in Ubamarket’s case in the form of a simple app; which can put consumers in control, doing away with the need for time-consuming queues, unhygienic checkouts, and confusion about where products are and whether they are in stock.

“In a tech-supported store, customers can simply check ahead of time which products are in stock, be guided to their exact location with an aisle sat-nav, and then simply scan and pay in-app, rather than having to waste time and risk potentially dangerous exposure in queues or tills.

“I for one am extremely interested to see how the retail landscape in the UK will emerge from the Coronavirus crisis, but if one thing is certain, it is the capability of retail technology to help us build the future of retail that we would like to see.”

Morrisons offers Teachers and School Staff 10% off all groceries

From this Monday (Nov 2nd), all teachers and school staff will be able to claim a 10% discount* on their shopping in Morrisons stores nationwide.

Lasting until after Christmas, the special discount is a thank you to half a million teachers** and additional school staff who are looking after the nation’s children and supporting them through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Primary, secondary, private and special educational school teachers can all claim the discount, as well as all teaching assistants, catering staff, dinner ladies, caretakers, cleaners and school office staff.

These groups will also be able to participate in a dedicated shopping hour alongside NHS workers from 6am-7am (Mon-Sat) before stores open to other customers.***

Morrisons also offers a 10% discount for NHS staff which was introduced in April.

From this Monday, all teachers and school staff will be able to claim a 10% discount on their shopping in Morrisons stores nationwide. Lasting until after Christmas, the special discount is a thank you to the half a million teachers and additional school staff who are looking after the nation’s children and supporting them through the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive said: “Teachers and school staff are facing many challenges and the education of our children has never been more important. This discount is our way of saying thank you as they continue to care for and educate our kids.”

Teachers and school staff can claim the 10% discount on their groceries by presenting their school photo ID card at the till in any of Morrisons 498 stores from Monday 2 November.

*The 10% discount cannot be used with a purchase of alcohol, drugs, pharmaceutical products, infant milk or formula, tobacco and is not available online.

Full terms and conditions here https://my.morrisons.com/teachers

**https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england

*** The special hour of shopping also applies in most stores on a Sunday from 9am

Old Curiosity brings the festive spirit with colour changing Christmas Gin

Scottish craft distillery, Old Curiosity, has launched a new limited-edition Christmas Gin ahead of the festive period, perfectly capturing the essence of the season by blending classic aromatic spices, and naturally coloured with botanicals to create a fitting rosy red colour.

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin (50cl, 39% ABV) is distilled with botanicals grown in the distillery’s Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom are distilled to create a distinctly festive flavour, while hollyhock petals give the liquid a natural festive red colouring.

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin comes in three sizes to suit a range of gift ideas. Starting from a perfect stocking filler size of 5cl (£5.95), 20cl (14.95) to 50cl (£35.95), ideal for a gin lover’s present. The range also includes a festive gift set of a 20cl bottle of Christmas Gin paired with the distillery’s renowned Wild Gin (20cl, 40% ABV), priced at £29.95.

To create the perfect festive serve

Fill a Tall glass with ice
Add 50ml Christmas Gin
Top up with low sugar tonic
Garnish with Orange

Once the tonic is poured into the glass, the bright red Christmas Gin turns to a striking fluorescent pink.

Hamish Martin, Director at the Old Curiosity Distillery, commented: “We really wanted to explore a new range of festive flavours using traditional seasonal ingredients to make our Christmas Gin.

“We drew influence from medieval Christmas feasts by distilling the gin with cinnamon and aromatic cardamom, while the ginger gives the spirit an extra kick for warmth!

“We’ve proud to say that our Christmas Gin contains no preservatives, sugars, colourings or flavourings, only truly natural ingredients from our very own Secret Herb Garden in Midlothian. We hope gin lovers enjoy our festive tipple this Christmas.”

The botanicals used in the Christmas Gin carefully grown at The Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The Secret Garden is an award-winning herb nursery with over 600 naturally grown and tended varieties of herbs and flowers which are picked, dried and distilled by hand to deliver the pure essence of nature.

It is most renowned for the highly acclaimed and multi award-winning collection of premium, 100% natural, Secret Garden Gins which are stocked by some of the UK’s most prestigious retailers and now exported to 11 countries around the globe. The distillery also produces ranges of teas, soaps and hand sanitisers.

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin is available now online at theoldcuriosity.co.uk.

To find out more about the Old Curiosity distillery and The Secret Garden Gins please visit www.theoldcuriosity.co.uk.

Morrisons to donate 15,000 lunchboxes daily to help schoolchildren in need

– Move aims to help fight holiday hunger this half-term –

– Customers can also purchase pre-packed bags of groceries to feed young people –

Morrisons stores will join the national effort to ensure no school child in need goes without an adequate meal this half term.

Morrisons colleagues in 498 stores will prepare 30 lunch boxes in each of their stores this half-term. That’s 14,940 lunches daily with packaging donated by distribution company Bunzl.

The lunchboxes will be distributed daily by each store to local food banks and schools so they can get them to school children in need. The lunch box includes a freshly made sandwich, a piece of fruit and a Soreen snack pack.

Morrisons is also to offer customers the option to support the effort by buying their own ‘Pick Up Packs’, which will also be distributed to young people.

The packs’ cost between £1 and £5 and contain a nutritionally balanced mix of food products that have been requested by the local food banks and schools according to their needs. The pre-packed parcels are available at the front of all Morrisons stores and are paid for at the checkout. The pack is then put aside for delivery to those in need.

Rebecca Singleton, Customer and Community Director at Morrisons, said: “We want to do our bit to ensure that as many school children as possible can eat good, nutritious food while they are out of school.

“We will be delighted if customers are also able to donate food in our stores to help fight holiday hunger.”

Local Morrisons stores on Ferry Road and Granton Waterfront are already providing great support through contributions to the North Edinburgh COVID-19 Foodshare Group.

For more information visit www.morrisons.co.uk

Halloween drink recipes with Ardbeg Wee Beastie

With Halloween just around the corner, Ardbeg has created some beastly cocktails using Ardbeg Wee Beastie.

These colourful cocktails include Bramble Bite, Bloody Rob Roy and Bubble Beast.

Ardbeg Wee Beastie is the latest permanent expression to join the Distillery’s core range. At just 5 years old, the incredible smokiness of Ardbeg Wee Beastie is untamed by age. This feisty young creature boasts a formidable bite

On the snout, Ardbeg Wee Beastie’s intense aromas of cracked blacked pepper mingle with sappy pine resin and a sharp tang of smoke. Suddenly, an explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. Savoury meats sink into the palate before a long salty mouth coating finish slinks away… revealing the inner beast of this Islay icon.

Young and intensely smoky, this is a monster of a dram. Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Ardbeg Wee Beastie is perfect for enjoying neat or as the mouth-watering main ingredient in a powerfully smoky cocktail.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Bright Auric
Nose: Very bright, fresh and herbal, with hints of vanilla, pear, freshly cracked black pepper, honey-glazed ham. Rich Turkish coffee, sappy pine resin. With water, more herbal top notes like vetiver and fennel, along with aniseed, green apple and leather.
Taste: A rich, explosive mouthfeel with lots of chocolate, tar, creosote and smoked bacon, followed by a burst of antiseptic lozenges, eucalyptus and more aniseed.
Finish: A long, salty and mouthcoating finish with hints of cocoa, fudge and savoury meats.
Casks: Ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry.

Morrisons launch ultimate Halloween and Bonfire Night in boxes

With trick or treating and big bonfires off the cards, Morrisons is helping customers celebrate Halloween and Bonfire Night at home this year with the launch of two new food boxes – delivered direct to your door.

Priced at £23 for Halloween and £17 for Bonfire Night, each box includes delivery and is available for pre-sale from today. The limited edition boxes have everything you need to celebrate the spookiest and sparkliest nights of the year at home.

For customers looking to create their own spook-fest, the Morrisons Halloween Box includes terrifyingly tasty treats to tuck into like Cadburys Goo Heads or a slime cupcake kit for the kids to enjoy and for that haunted house at home there’s spooky bunting and balloons.

And for those looking to celebrate Bonfire Night with a bang, Morrisons is launching the ultimate Bonfire Night Box – packed with 5th November classics from hot chocolate, marshmallows and cinder toffee to bangers and pork pies.

What’s in the boxes?

Morrisons Spooky Halloween Box – £23 Including DeliveryPreorder 8th October – Delivery 24th – 30th OctoberMorrisons Cheese balls 150gHaribo Starmix 176gCadbury Goo Heads 89gMr Kipling Fiendish Fancies 8 PackCadbury Family Treat Size Pack 222gSlime Cupcake Kit 295gMorrisons Sweet Popcorn 100g Halloween Party Pack includes:Paper Napkins 20pkSpider Paper Straws 20 PackSpider Web Cups 10 PackSpider Web Plates 10 PackHappy Halloween Banner 2mSpider Garland 2mSpider Printed Confetti Balloons 5 PackTattoos

Morrisons The Ultimate Bonfire Box – £17 Including DeliveryPreorder 8th October – Delivery 30th October – 5th NovemberMcvitie’s Jamaica Ginger CakeMorrisons Snack Pork Pies 2pk x3Morrisons The Best Pork Sausages 400gMorrisons Lighter Dairy Spray Cream 250gCadburys Drinking Choc 250gMorrisons Marshmallows 200gParrs Cinder Toffee Crunchy Handmade Pieces 150gMorrisons Chip Shop Mushy Peas 400g x2Morrisons Finger Rolls 6 pack

Aidan Buckley, Food to Order Director at Morrisons said: “We know this year is like no other for customers and many may feel Halloween and Bonfire night are off the cards.

“These boxes provide a stress-free way to still enjoy a little magic at this time of year.”

For More information on Morrisons Food Boxes visit www.morrisons.com/food-boxes

BrewDog’s tongue-in-cheek ALD IPA hits Aldi shelves

Supermarket Aldi launched BrewDog’s ‘ALD IPA’ in stores on 15^th October
The brand was created during a Twitter exchange between the two companies after shoppers drew similarities between Aldi’s Anti-Establishment Beer and BrewDog’s Punk IPA
For every case bought, both BrewDog and Aldi will donate a tree to BrewDog’s Forest, supporting the brewer’s commitment to reducing carbon and fighting climate change

Craft beer fans will be heading to Aldi after the supermarket revealed it will be stocking ALD IPA, a beer born out of Twitter banter between best-selling independent brewer, BrewDog and the leading supermarket. No, you’re not reading that with your beer goggles on!

The eponymous beer was first created as a joke tweet after shoppers commented on the resemblance between Aldi’s Anti-Establishment beer and BrewDog’s popular Punk IPA. BrewDog initially suggested it would create ‘Yaldi IPA’ in a mocking social media post.

However, the supermarket, which is known for its ‘Like brands’ approach, responded with: ‘We would have gone with ALD IPA, send us a crate and we’ll talk…’^[1] The crate must have done the trick, because now just two months on, what started as a spoof brand is being sold exclusively at Aldi stores!

The brew-tiful ALD IPA will be available as a Specialbuy from Thursday 15^th October and is BrewDog’s first ever exclusive creation for a supermarket. A 4.7% session IPA, it is based on BrewDog’s beloved Hop Fiction recipe and will cost just £1.39 per can.

The humorous Twitter exchange that sparked the creation of this beer was followed with anticipation by tens of thousands of people^[2]. As the conversation unraveled, it was decided that for every case sold, Aldi and BrewDog will each donate a tree to be planted in the BrewDog Forest located in the Scottish highlands. BrewDog announced earlier this year that it is now a ‘carbon negative’ business as it takes twice as much carbon out of the air as it emits.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director Aldi Scotland, says: “We couldn’t resist stocking ALD IPA, which supports our mission to work with the UK’s best independent suppliers.

“Plus, with customer enquiries through the roof after the conversation broke on Twitter – it really was a no brainer to give our shoppers what they want.”

James Watt, co-Founder of BrewDog comments: “Ald IPA has been one of our favourite collaborations to date, it’s definitely one no one saw coming! From a mockup on Twitter, to being stocked at Aldi stores across the UK, the response has been incredible.

“Most importantly, both BrewDog and Aldi have agreed that for every case sold an extra tree will be planted in the BrewDog Forest. A win-win for our customers, and the planet!”

For those that fancy themselves a bit of a hop-head and want to get their hands on ALD IPA, head to Aldi stores now to pick up a can. Shoppers will need to get in there quick though – as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Heineken fine should be wake-up call for Scotland, says CAMRA

The decision by the Pubs Code Adjudicator for England & Wales to fine Edinburgh-based Heineken UK’s pub arm, Star Pubs and Bars, £2 million for serious and repeated breaches of the Pubs Code should be a wake-up call for the Scottish Government.

That’s the message from CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, which is calling on the Scottish Government and all parties in the Scottish Parliament to give their backing to the Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill being put forward by Neil Bibby MSP.

Licensees in Scotland are currently exempt from regulations that are in place across the rest of Great Britain which stop large pub companies from taking more than is fair or sustainable from pub profits by forcing licensees to buy their beer from them rather than on the open market.

It means whilst Heineken’s pubs arm Star Pubs and Bars were found to be making pub tenants sell “unreasonable levels” of the company’s beer and cider brands, the Pubs Code Adjudicator can only stand up for publicans and fine pub companies for unfair practices south of the border because no legislation exists in Scotland.

The proposed Scottish Tied Pubs legislation is due to be debated and voted on by MSPs next month and would give tied pub tenants protections in law from unfair practices from pub-owning businesses.

Commenting, CAMRA Chief Executive Tom Stainer said: “This announcement from the Pubs Code Adjudicator is a good and deserved outcome for Star’s tied pub tenants – but disappointingly only for those in England and Wales.

“It isn’t fair that Star’s tenants in Scotland don’t have the same protections in law from any unfair practices like pub companies taking more than is fair or sustainable from tied licensees’ profits – or making it harder to sell a range of locally-brewed products.

“The fact that the Adjudicator for England and Wales has felt the need to use their financial penalty powers clearly shows that pub companies need to be regulated, in law. We are appealing to MSPs from all parties to support Neil Bibby’s Pubs Code Bill, which calls for a powerful pubs code to govern the relationship between pub companies and their tenants to ensure licensees are treated fairly.

“The pub sector as we know it is currently under threat due to the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. Pub companies operating across Scotland need to be supporting their tied tenants through this, treating them fairly and making sure they can earn a decent living. One way the Scottish Parliament can help is by voting in favour of the Tied Pubs Bill next month.”

One stop shop: Morrisons launch luxury Christmas food box to feed family of four

Morrisons has announced it will be offering customers the UK’s easiest-to-buy Christmas dinner. Customers won’t need to beat the queues, select their items or even book a delivery slot.

Instead, with a touch of a button, customers will be able to order a Christmas Dinner Box online and it will be delivered direct to their door just in time for the big day.

With many families across the country self-isolating or avoiding supermarkets, Morrisons is launching the one stop shop 16-piece Christmas Dinner Box to take the stress out of festive food shopping.

The dinner contains festive favourites such as Turkey and all the trimmings, a cheese board and crackers, deep-filled mince pies and a festive yule log.

Priced at £50 including delivery, the Morrisons Christmas Dinner Box will go on presale on the 13th October and will be delivered to customers’ doorsteps on the 22nd and 23rd December. It will arrive in a specially developed box so that items remain cold and fresh until they reach customers’ fridge.

What’s included:

Morrisons British Turkey Parcel (serves 4-7)	Morrisons The Best Goose Fat Potatoes
Morrisons The Best Pigs in Blankets	Morrisons The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies
Morrisons The Best Sage & Onion Stuffing Balls	Morrisons The Best Mature Blue Stilton
Morrisons The Best Cranberry Sauce	Morrisons The Best Brie De Meaux
Morrisons The Best Turkey Gravy	Morrisons The Best Caledonian Vintage Cheddar 300g
Morrisons The Best Sprouts with lightly smoked gammon	Morrisons The Best Festive Fruit Chutney
Morrisons The Best Heritage Carrots with butter	Morrisons The Best Rye Sourdough Crackers 130G
Morrisons The Best Honey & Mustard Baby Parsnips	Morrisons The Best Yule Log

Aidan Buckley, Food to Order Director at Morrisons said: “We want to take the stress out of Christmas food shopping and give customers the ultimate hassle-free Christmas dinner to enjoy. In a difficult year, this is the simplest way to get your Christmas meal.”

The Morrisons Christmas Food box is available to order from Tuesday 13th October at https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes for £50 – with delivery on the 22nd or 23rd December this year.