Wines for Australia Day

Drinks blogger James Robertson picks wines to celebrate Australia Day. AS WE wearily trudge through the tail end of winter, looking forward to those glimpses of spring, down under in Australia today they celebrate their national day. The BBQs will be lit, stubbies of beer will be in the cool box alongside some chilled bottles…

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Dry January – is it worth it?

Drinks blogger James Robertson looks at the options for “Dry January”. SOME of us do “Sober October”, some of us do “I Cannae Remember December”, and some are now two weeks into “Dry January”. I have not been successful in achieving Dry January by the way, but hats off to my wife who has stoically…

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Bon Accord soft drinks

SINCE 1903, families across Scotland have eagerly anticipated the sight of the iconic Bon Accord bottles on their doorsteps. The Scottish, family-owned business created soft drinks that found a place in the hearts of the nation for over 90 years. Production paused in 2000, but 16 years later the business was successfully reignited by the…

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Enjoy an indulgent evening at Belhaven x Archerfield Winter Sessions

This winter, Scotland’s historic Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar is partnering with the talented culinary team at nearby Archerfield to stage the Belhaven x Archerfield Winter Sessions: a new event series celebrating the best of East Lothian beer and food. I was lucky enough to sample the event in the magical setting of Belhaven Brewery, after…

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Hostelling Scotland sites all open again

ALL of the sites operated by Hostelling Scotland are now up and running again following the lockdowns. It marks the first time in more than two years that the charity’s 29 youth hostels are all open again. Margo Paterson, the boss at Hostelling Scotland, said: “The [past] couple of years will long be remembered as…

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Wine to Dine – September 2022 – Ballintaggart

In his final Wine to Dine column, drinks writer Peter Ranscombe recommends five bally good bottles for Ballintaggart. “THERE’S been a murder!” – oh no, wait, wrong Taggart. Rather than the crusty Glasgae cop, we’re talking about the recipes from Ballintaggart, which featured in the food feature in the September issue of Scottish Field magazine.…

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Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers at the Fringe

THE Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers – a band made up of tartan noir authors – is preparing to play four shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The super group – which consists of Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone, Val McDermid, Stuart Neville, and Luca Veste – play “songs about murder and death”. Its covers…

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Whisky round-up: Glen Ord, Cail Bruich, Scottish Open, and more

Peter Ranscombe takes a light-hearted romp through the latest whisky news. GLEN Ord distillery at Muir of Ord near Dingwall is today reopening its visitors’ centre for its Singleton brand. Chef Tony Singh was on hand earlier this week to launch the centre, which is part of owner Diageo’s wider £185 million investment in its…

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Wine to Dine – August 2022 – The Shetland Chef

Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe selects five seafood-sociable bottles to swim alongside the recipes from The Shetland Chef. WHAT always sitcks in my mind about dining on Shetland is the quality of its seafood. From crab and lobster to mussels and scallops, it was so exciting to see the range of dishes on offer. With his…

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Peter Crawford: From Champagne to cider

Having made his name in Champagne, Peter Crawford is now pumping some of his abundant energy into cider, writes Peter Ranscombe. FEW Champagne enthusiasts can match Peter Crawford’s energy. The Palmerston restaurant and shop in Edinburgh is buzzing with lunchtime chatter when we meet, but it’s still his laughter and baritone that fill the wood-panelled…

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