Can you handle twelve hours of cake?
Cake lover? The Botanics is the place to be from 10am today as Cake Fest Edinburgh comes to town!
Lots of food-related fun, entertainment and activities for all the family from 10am all the way through to 10pm tonight – including the building, unveiling (and ultimately the demolishing and eating) of the unique Edinburgh cake map!
For further info visit: http://edinburgh.cakefest.org.uk/
From well established award winning gardens, to new grassroot food growing projects, the diversity of the initiatives which feature in the programme will surprise and delight Festival goers. Venues open on the weekend of 20 and 21 June include a library, an office block, a secret garden, and a farmhouse which is undergoing an incredible transformation!
A citywide celebration
From Portobello to Wester Hailes, Granton to Blackhall, Tollcross to Old Dalkeith Road, and many others in between, every corner of Edinburgh will have a garden celebrating the joy of community food growing. There will be a rich menu of events suited for every taste, for children and adults alike, including: children’s poetry writing, bug hunting, storytelling and sharing, choir music, conversations on nature, food and sustainability, wind band, foraging, cooking and eating, as well as practical gardening workshops, and the launch of Edible Edinburgh Food Charter of a Sustainable Food City.
In association with Sustrans, visitors can also join in a guided bike tour of the
gardens (free but ticketed). Bookings can be made online.
Whether on foot or on two wheels, visitors can plan their Festival trip and keep up to date with the latest events and information via The Power of Food Festival website (details below).
A Festival for everyone
Why not invite your friends and family to take part in the first Edinburgh Power of Food Festival? The weekend will give everyone a chance to meet people in their local community, to join those who are transforming the city landscape everyday, and to give a deeper meaning to the word ‘community’. Maybe it will be the beginning of a great adventure: who knows where The Power of Food will take you?
The full programme of events can be accessed here: PoF Programme
Come with family and friends to The Power of Food Festival
Celebrating community food growing and local change makers
summer solstice weekend 20-21 June
W: poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.
Twitter @PoFFest FacebookEdinburghPowerofFoodFestival
Good, healthy recipes produced by local cooks
Everyone’s invited to the launch of the community Cook and Taste recipe book at Muirhouse Community Shop, Pennywell Road on Wednesday from 111am – 1pm!.
We’ll be cooking and giving free delicious tasters, recipe books and information about food related activities in the area. The Time Bank Temptations Choir will also be performing on the day.
All the recipes in the book have been tried, tasted and have proved really successful. “This is good and really tasty. I will try to make it at home”, said Joan, one of the community shop volunteers when she tried the ragu Bolognese. Susan, one of the local volunteers who decided to share her macaroni cheese recipe said: “It’s lovely; quick and easy to cook in the house”.
The recipes in this book come from a partnership project between Pilton Community Heatlh Project (PCHP) and the Muirhouse Community Shop (MCS).
Memes Molina, Food Development Worker at PCHP, said “It’s been a great opportunity to work in partnership with the shop’s volunteers, to do some cooking with local people and discover new recipes with them. This launch is to celebrate the effort and commitment of everyone involved. For some of the volunteers it has been a while since they last cooked at home but people got involved and shared their delicious dishes. PCHP has put together a recipe book called Cook and Taste, where we can now share a selection of these recipes with the local community.”
PCHP’s Food team works with volunteers and local partners to help local people develop their understanding and knowledge to eat well on a budget, including cooking skills, budgeting, meal planning and wider food issues.
PCHP does this by running cooking sessions, lots of ‘cook and taste’ sessions in the community, delivering ‘bite size’ sessions on eating well and much more. People can get involved by joining one of the groups, becoming a volunteer or attending Food for Thought Forum meetings.
PCHP also gives the local community access to food related training courses to develop their skills. We are now able to support others to deliver quick and easy healthy eating sessions using our nutrition toolkit.
http://pchp.org.uk/projects/food
The partnership work between PCHP and MCS started as way to promote healthy eating in the area, in response to the needs of some local people and the shop volunteers.
Everyone can come along to the launch. If you want more information about PCHP activities or other food related activities in North Edinburgh, phone PCHP on 013 551 1671 or visit the website.
Two hospitality students from Edinburgh College travelled to a prestigious hospitality school in Switzerland thanks to a scholarship.
Rebecca Sinder and Merce Just are both first year students on the HN Hospitality Management course, and were the first students from Edinburgh College to win a Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT Scotland) scholarship.
The HIT Scotland scholarship paid for them both to travel to the prestigious École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) for a two day programme titled ‘A Practical Approach to Customer Service’. Founded in 1893, EHL was the world’s first trade-school to focus on hospitality education. The school offers bachelor and master degrees in hospitality management and administration.
While on the scholarship Merce and Rebecca took a trip to the five star Grand Hotel au Lac and dined in the hospitality school’s gastronomic restaurant. Rebecca said: “This scholarship has opened my eyes and mind to the hospitality industry and what Scotland is missing in terms of customer experience, and also to customer service skills that everyone working in hospitality should be taught.”
Rebecca Sinder said: “This was a great trip and an opportunity to learn in depth about customer service skills. Not only did we learn about multicultural habits, current technology trends, how to dress to impress and also the crucial non-verbal and verbal communications skills, we were also shown what real hospitality feels like to experience. The professors and students of École hôtelière de Lausanne were an example of the most professional workers in the industry. They were welcoming and they showed us great customer service first hand.”
Richard Morris, Edinburgh College Food and Hospitality lecturer said: “Merce and Rebecca have returned to College inspired and motivated to continue with their studies whilst at the same time getting valuable Industry experience.
Rebecca has since joined me working for the Scottish Rugby Union Hospitality at the 6 Nations, whilst Merce is interested in joining the world famous Witchery restaurant following a recent visit. Ultimately what this scholarship has given them is the confidence to progress in their chosen industry realising what the ultimate rewards can be.”
HIT Scotland is a charity whose mission is to assist people to achieve their potential within hospitality. HIT Scotland enables young people in the hospitality industry to be inspired about what the industry has to offer and all the opportunities that exist in a multitude of sectors. It also sets steps to making dreams come true all over the world in many incredible organisations such as Virgin, Hilton and Mossimans.
Edinburgh College students worked at the Annual HIT Scotland Lunch at The Sheraton that Richard Morris has been coordinating with the College for the last few years. From this they gained an insight into what the organisation were all about.
There are many examples of young people who have gone on to achieve their career aspirations through HIT Scotland many of who were represented at HIT Scotland’s recent Emerging Talent Conference in Edinburgh.
Applications are currently open for hospitality and professional cookery courses starting at Edinburgh College in August. More details can be found at:
http://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses/food_hospitality_and_tourism.aspx
Writing to get your teeth into?
Edinburgh City Libraries have paired up with Apex Hotels to offer a unique literary experience. Gourmet Reads gives you the opportunity to meet some of Scotland’s best-known authors during an evening of fine dining at the Waterloo Place hotel.
Guests will be able to meet novelists in person to chat about their lives, work and inspiration, as well as being given the chance to mingle with fellow diners.
This is the second Gourmet Reads evening, following theinaugural event in October, when best-selling author Ian Rankin entertained a small crowd with conversation and stories from his past.
And this month the event will return with an appearance from writer, journalist and musician, Doug Johnstone, author of six critically acclaimed novels including, most recently, The Dead Beat, an Edinburgh-set thriller.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, welcomed the addition to Edinburgh’s literary calendar. He said: “Literature is about more than just solitary reading, and can also form the basis of a vibrant, social activity like Gourmet Reads.
“This event adds to a packed literary programme in the capital, as well as a fantastic range of libraries and archives. I would urge anyone interested in spending an evening learning about new – or familiar – writers in Edinburgh, to book now and avoid missing out.”
Doug Johnstone will host on Wednesday 25 February and is the first of three writers to appear at the Apex Hotel as part of Gourmet Reads’ 2015 programme.
He will be followed by Daily Record columnist Shari Low, best-selling author of ten novels, on Thursday 13 March, and on Thursday 30 April by Alex Gray, whose latest book ,The Bird That Did Not Sing, is set against the backdrop of 2014’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Each event will cost £50 per person and will include a three course meal and half a bottle of wine, or an alternative drink. Income will be put into the Libraries revenue budget for use on resources and service.
Find out more about Gourmet Reads and how to book tickets on the Council website.
The Community Chat Cafe invites you to share food, language and culture. Join us for our free, friendly, sociable lunches and practice your English – all welcome!
Wednesday 25 February
Wednesday 11 March
Wednesday 25 March
12.30 – 2pm at Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway
A creche is available but must be booked by calling Rachel: on 07891 525663 or Julie on 07958 540 438.
Community Chat Cafe is organised by the Living in Harmony Group and North Edinburgh Timebank
We are delighted that the Burns night community ceilidh will happen again tomorrow (Saturday 24th January) from 5 – 9.30pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.
The event is a celebration of diversity and talent in north Edinburgh. It is organised by a wide range of groups – including Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP), Granton Community Gardeners and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre – under the banner of Living in Harmony. Living in Harmony is about bringing local residents together to share their experiences and cultures and get to know each other better.
Pilton Community Health Project’s Rachel Farrier said ‘The joy of this event is what happens afterwards, once people have danced with each other, it’s difficult not to say hello on the street!’
This year’s ceilidh will include a traditional haggis supper served up by Granton Community Gardeners giving us all a chance to sample produce from the gardens. We’ll be reliving the highlights of last year with ‘turns’ from residents from around the world – including wee Sarah reading Burns poetry, some highland dancing from Dakota Hay and Nepalese dancing from Sushma and her friends. The homecoming string band will lead the dancing and we’ll all get the chance to strut our stuff.
Last year’s ceilidh was a massive success – over 200 people attended and over 40 volunteered to make it such a brilliant event. You can see photos from this event on PCHP’s facebook page [photos by Anneleen Lindsay].
Local people really enjoyed the event: ‘nice to see some community spirit’ one said. This year tickets are going fast and it looks to be a great event.
Tickets available NOW from Royston Wardieburn Community Centre and only cost £1.
Get yours before they are gone!
Drylaw Parish Church is holding a traditional Scots Afternoon in the Large Hall this Saturday from 12.30 – 4pm.
Haggis neeps and tatties lunch followed by a celebration of Scottish entertainment old and new. Tickets (£7.50) are available from Susan Jeffrey or a member of Fundraising committee.
See http://e-voice.org.uk/drylawparishchurch/ for more info
National healthy eating campaign launched at Pilton Community Health Project
The Scottish Government launched a new healthy eating initiative at Pilton Community Health Project on Boswall Parkway this morning. The ‘Eat Better Feel Better’ campaign will help Scotland’s families make simple changes to the way they shop, cook and eat.
Home cooking in Scotland is declining, according to a new survey commissioned by the Scottish Government, which shows that more families are turning to convenience foods and takeaways due to the pressures of family life.
The research accompanies a new campaign from the Scottish Government which was launched today to inspire and support families with practical tips, advice and tools to help them make simple, quick and cheap changes to how they shop, cook and eat.
The research shows that less than half of Scotland’s mums (47 per cent) consider themselves as very capable cooks and are happy to cook a meal using fresh or frozen ingredients, without the use of a recipe. However, more than a third of families (35 per cent) are eating takeaway food at least once a week and around one third of families (32 per cent) are eating ready meals at least three times a week.
Kirsty Day (left) with Public Health Minister Maureen Watt
Public Health Minister Maureen Watt launched the Eat Better Feel Better campaign at Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) – the first community health project in Scotland – which supports local people to eat more healthily through cooking skills, budgeting and meal planning.
PCHP’s Food team works with volunteers and local partners to help local people develop their understanding and knowledge to eat well on a budget, including cooking skills, budgeting, meal planning and wider food issues.
It does this by running cooking sessions, lots of ‘cook and taste’ sessions in the community, delivering ‘bite size’ sessions on eating well and much more. People can also get involved by joining one of the groups, becoming a volunteer or attending Food for Thought Forum meetings.
For many mums, the reluctance to cook from scratch is down to a number of obstacles which they see as prohibitive to making healthier meals for their families. Four in ten (42 per cent) think that it costs too much money to shop for and cook healthier family meals, a third (33 per cent) think that it takes too much time, around the same number (31 per cent) say that they’re too busy. A quarter (24 per cent) say that their kids are too fussy.
Speaking at the launch Ms Watt said: “For many families across Scotland, buying, cooking and eating healthy food can be a real challenge. However, there are many quick and cheap changes that we can make which can lead to significant improvements in our daily diets. From dealing with fussy eaters and shopping on a budget to planning your meals and finding time to cook, Eat Better Feel Better aims to address the various challenges faced by families by providing lots of practical hints, tips and recipes to help families eat more healthily.
“We know that helping children to eat healthier from a young age can help them avoid major illnesses later in life. That’s why we’re working together with retailers and community groups from across the country in getting behind Scotland’s families – to provide the support, encouragement and advice which will help them eat better and ultimately feel better.”
Anita Aggarwal, Community Development Manager at Pilton Community Health Project, said: “It’s great to have a Scottish Government campaign that complements and supports the work that community food and health projects like us are already doing. Pilton has a wealth of local community food projects that link together through the Food for Thought Forum. Because of the dedication and skills of these local residents and agencies, eating well in the area is easier. This campaign should help all these groups reach more local residents.”
PCHP also gives the local community access to food related training courses to develop their skills, and can now support others to deliver quick and easy healthy eating sessions using a new nutrition toolkit:
http://pchp.org.uk/projects/food
Through PCHP’s work, local people tell them that although they do want to eat better, the barriers they face can make it difficult. Often people who attend the cooking groups lack basic equipment like cookers and fridges. Budgets are tight; we find that while locals are good at making small amounts of money go a long way, this often means they cannot afford healthier food options, or the fuel to cook them.
At their December ‘Good Food for All’ event local people told PCHP that low income is the most significant barrier to eating healthily. Austerity measures, increasingly insecure employment and low wages (below Living Wage) mean that increasing numbers are resorting to food banks. The Poverty Alliance told PCHP about the shame people feel when they need to use food banks. While local food projects are working hard to support people with their cooking and budgeting skills, these financial barriers also need to be tackled at a policy level.
Kirsty Day, a 21 year-old student from Edinburgh and a mum of one, was a big fast food fan but following the birth of her son Kelvin almost three years ago, she decided that she didn’t want him to be brought up with bad food habits and leading an unhealthy lifestyle. She was put in touch with Pilton Community Health Project.
Kirsty said: “I was eating a typical student diet, but as a mum I wanted to be able to set a good example for my son. The changes in my lifestyle over the past two years have been huge. I’m happier, I feel less tired and have more energy, and Kelvin is happier too.
“With my new knowledge of food and the cooking skills I have learned, I find it really easy to make healthy meals with fresh ingredients now. Over the course of the week it’s affordable to eat and cook with fresh ingredients instead of pre-packed products and it definitely feels better eating fresh food. Some of my dishes actually work out cheaper than buying ready meal equivalents. I definitely feel better by eating better.”
Eat Better Feel Better will be working alongside supermarkets and the convenience sector, as well as stakeholders and community groups from across Scotland’s food and health industry, to provide ongoing support for families. From practical cooking classes at community groups to special offers on healthy ingredients in-store, the campaign will aim to provide advice and practical help in places and at times which suit them.
A new website – eatbetterfeelbetter.co.uk – provides recipes, tips from parents and healthier offers available from Scotland’s food retailers. The site will also host a series of cook-along videos to provide practical, easy to follow guides to cooking healthier family favourites such as spaghetti Bolognese, home-made burgers and chicken curry.
A key strand of the campaign will be directing families across Scotland towards local events and support in their community, such as that provided by Pilton Community Health Project.
The campaign contributes to the Scottish Government’s food and drink policy and aspiration for Scotland to become a Good Food Nation, a nation where it is second nature to serve, sell and eat fresh, healthy food.
It is also part of a co-ordinated Scottish Government programme of measures to support healthier choices in Scotland, including the Supporting Healthy Choices Voluntary Framework, launched in 2013, which sets out specific voluntary action for the food industry, including retailers, manufacturers, caterers and the public sector to support healthier diets in Scotland.
Upper crust Roller Les is back on the gravy train!
Bay City Rollers front man Les McKeown has confirmed that he will crown the the new World Scotch Pie Champion when the world championships are held in Cumbernauld next week.
Les McKeown, the voice of Edinburgh’s 70’s super group – singing hits such as Bye Bye Baby, Shang A Lang and Give A Little Love – said: “We love a great pie and always stock up when we are on home ground. Touring non-stop around the world means we need to keep our strength up, so we always say ‘aye to a pie’! Being a judge again this year was a huge honour and I am looking forward to congratulating all the winners.”
The competition is supported by Scottish Bakers and the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders. Both trade associations actively support and promote bakers and butchers in Scotland by encouraging and sharing best practice.
Alan Clarke, chief executive of Scottish Bakers, is delighted with the support that the Bay City Rollers star is giving to the competition. He said: “They are an iconic Scottish band and the Scotch Pie is an iconic Scottish product.”
In addition to Scotch pies, bakers and butchers are invited to enter their best sausage rolls, bridies, specialty savouries, Scottish football pie and apple pies.
The competition gives butchers and bakers across Scotland the opportunity to become recognised as producing the highest quality products around the globe with awards given to those producing the best products in each category. The winner of the Scotch Pie category will be declared as the WORLD CHAMPION.
The competition, which has run for 15 years, aims to highlight that bakers and butchers create high quality artisan pastry products. Recognising the ‘great and the good’ in this way rewards excellence and raises the bar in the industry.
