Five-star barbequing

With the weather predicted to be almost Mediterranean in coming days, we spoke to three of Scotland’s leading BBQ experts to get their tips for how to make the most of the sunshine for some al fresco eating.

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Covid convenience: wines to pick at your corner shop

We’ve got Spar… and Co-op and Scotmid and… if you’re getting your lockdown supplies from a convenience store then Peter Ranscombe has some wine recommendations. ONE of the enduring images of the coronavirus lockdown will be shoppers queuing patiently outside supermarkets, with a line of mask-clad consumers snaking around the car park. Yet, for many…

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Sauvignon blanc: New Zealand and beyond

To mark international sauvignon blanc day, Peter Ranscombe goes on a mission to find exciting examples from New Zealand and beyond. FEW grapes split that audience like sauvignon blanc. For some, it’s the very epitome of freshness, with crisp acidity balanced by either savoury asparagus or tropical guava. For others, it’s over acidic, over hyped, and…

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Filolhu Ihi Riha – Maldivian grilled lobster and red snapper curry

Possibly one of the few fine-dining restaurants that encourage its diners to come barefoot, Ba’theli restaurant at Milaidhoo Island Maldives is the first modern Maldivian restaurant in the Maldives. Reflecting its heritage, Ba’theli’s architecture takes its name from the local word for a traditional wooden sailing boat and has been built in the shape of…

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How one wine firm helps hospitality heroes in the lockdown

Peter Ranscombe reviews six bottles from Berkmann, a wine wholesaler that’s donating cash to help the hospitality trade. THEY’RE the unsung heroes who make our nights out really special – the waitresses, the waiters, the barmen, the barwomen, and all the other members of the hospitality trade. They were also some of the first casualties…

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Try this tasty fruity tart recipe at home

Kinloch House chef Steve McCallum delights in using the produce of Blairgowrie in Perthshire. Born in Campbeltown and brought up and trained in Shropshire, Steve spent several years in London as second chef to Bryan Webb at Hilaire and a year working in Australian restaurants before returning to Scotland. He was head chef at Cromlix…

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Ten birds to spot in your garden this spring

The warmer months of spring promise the start of the nesting season and a chance for nature lovers to spot busy birds as they hurry to build nests. To help stay-at-home wildlife explorers identify their sightings, Swarovski Optik, a world-leading manufacturer of long-range optics, has shared a list of ten British birds that can easily…

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A delicious seared scallop recipe to enjoy

Strong childhood memories of food remain an inspiration for Kinloch House chef Steve McCallum. As a child, Steve would spend time on the west coast with his uncle, a lobster fisherman in Tarbert, bringing in the creels and aquiring a taste for fresh food. ‘I still have a fondness for those early memories of eating…

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Scots believe seafood is good for their health

New research has revealed that four times as many Edinburgh residents (23%) think seafood such as hake, mackerel, and trout is better to eat than avocados to get fit and healthy. Those living in the capital are picking fish, fruit, and wholegrain carbs as the top health foods to help them prepare for exercise and…

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Recently-built property is an excellent family home

A beautifully finished detached contemporary home which provides excellent family accommodation is now for sale. Stalmero, at 49A Mary Street in Dunoon, is a very well presented and recently constructed detached house of timber frame construction and white pebble dash finish and all under dark grey slate effect concrete tiles with low to no maintenance…

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