World’s smallest martini bar joins Glasgow Cocktail Week

THE world’s smallest martini bar is rolling into the Dear Green Place to mark the start of Glasgow Cocktail Week. Hidden inside a former boulangerie van, the bar can only seat two people. Dubbed “The Grey Goose Camionnette”, the van has already toured Europe this summer and will make its Glasgow debut when the city’s…

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Little Chartroom welcomes guest chefs

THE Little Chartroom restaurant in Leith is welcoming a string of guest chefs to its kitchen. Roberta Hall-McCarron will be joined at her pass on 2 October by Tom Booton, head chef of The Grill at The Dorchester Hotel in London. Booton is the youngest head chef in The Dorchester’s history. The other chefs who…

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Native Hebridean smoked salmon makes splash at awards

A NATIVE Hebridean smoked salmon scooped the top prize at last night’s Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards in Edinburgh. Bakkafrost Scotland’s salmon took home the “product of the year” trophy. Lazy Day Bakery won the new free-from award for its chocolate cake bars, while Girvan-based butcher We Hae Meat won the sustainability award. Other…

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Foraging Fortnight begins on Saturday

SCOTLAND’S Foraging Fortnight begins on Saturday, with events taking place throughout the country. Talks, workshops, and walks have been organised as part of the Orkney International Science Festival, which also begins on Saturday. The Scottish Wild Food Festival is also taking place at Tir na nOg, near Drymen, on 17 and 18 September. The Foraging…

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Restaurant news round-up: Ralph & Finns, Gleneagles, and more

Peter Ranscombe serves up another slice of recent restaurant news. CHEF Kevin O’Neill has taken over at modern bar and brasserie Ralph & Finns in Glasgow. His autumn menu features Shetland hake from fishmonger Bernand Corrigan and Isle of Barra scallops, crustaceans, and oysters delivered by Andy Bell’s Fish People. Specialist butcher C & C…

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Baern and Aeble team up for cider dinner

BAKERY Baern and cider shop Aeble have teamed up to run a dinner at Bowhouse in the East Neuk of Fife. Founded by Hazel Powell and Giacomo Pearce, Baern uses a wood-fired oven for its sourdough, and sources ingredients from fellow businesses at the Bowhouse farmers’ market, including flour from Scotland The Bread, meats from…

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Restoring Cairngorms forests – one burger at a time

VENISON from red deer shot in the Cairngorms is being sold to fund tree planting. Deer are culled in the Cairngorms National Park to stop them from eating the growing tips off tree saplings. The venison has gone on sale in the shop at the RSPB’s Loch Garten nature reserve. Previously, Lynbreck Croft – which…

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Jam today as Fingal picks Perthshire Preserves

FINGAL, the luxury floating hotel in Leith, is getting ready for “National Afternoon Tea Week” after picking Perthshire Preserves to supply a special jam. Iain Mackenzie and Kate Thornhill will provide a new strawberry jam for the promotion – which runs on 8-15 August – and hope to become a permanent feature on the ship’s…

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Restaurant round-up: Tom Kitchin, Dovecot, and more

MICHELIN starred chef Tom Kitchin will offically open his new restaurant in Edinburgh tomorrow. Kora occupies the site in Bruntsfield of his previous Southside Scran restaurant. The new premises join the Kitchin and his wife Michaela’s other eateries at The Kitchin in Leith, The Scran & Scallie in Stockbridge, and The Bonnie Badge at Gullane…

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SRUC milkshakes bring all the farmers to the show

STUDENTS from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) handed out nearly 3,500 free milkshakes and conducted more than 1,200 steak taste tests during last week’s Royal Highland Show. Thousands of guests visited the SRUC’s pavilion during the show’s four days. Eileen Wall, professor of integrative livestock genetics and head of research at SRUC, supervised 1,209 steak taste…

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