Lanzarote: The grapes that grow in lava

Peter Ranscombe pens a very personal reflection on wines from the Canaries’ most unusual island. LET me start with a confession – I’m biased horrendously when it comes to Lanzarote. In fact, I promised myself I would never write an article about the island and its wines in this blog. Selfishly, I wanted to keep…

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Lockdown lamb II: Last-minute libations

As Maundy Thursday approaches, Peter Ranscombe picks wines from local stores and further afield to serve with your Easter lamb. PERHAPS this year more than any other, Easter feels full of hope. “Stay at home” is about to become “Stay local” on Good Friday. Hairdressers will reopen on Monday – goodbye, mullet – and garden…

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Stylish and contemporary leisurewear

A throwaway comment in the pub last summer led to the birth of Spinback, an Edinburgh-based business offering stylish and contemporary leisurewear with a twist. Their passion for unique design brought the vision and products to life, and the business launched in October 2020. With a love of music and a serious addiction to fashion,…

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The Cheese Club – bringing a cheese and wine party home

Something that many of us have missed during the lockdowns of the past year is the chance to go out, and indulge in fine dining and food. Something of which I am particularly fond is a good cheese, on an oatcake (my great-grandfather was the founder of Nairn’s Oatcakes – anything less than an oatcake…

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Celebrating Scotland’s daffodils at virtual festival

Scotland’s annual daffodil festival is moving online this year. The virtual event, taking place on April 17 and 18, with additional sessions over the next two days, will give people who wouldn’t normally be able to attend the chance to hear the experts including TV presenter George Anderson MBE, and special guest on the round…

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Offers over £1.95 million for stunning home from 1827

A grade A listed Georgian House with four principal reception rooms and seven bedroom suites is now on the property market. Presented by Knight Frank, Boath House near Nairn also offers ancillary accommodation, as well as two luxury one bedroom cottages and an award winning Kale Yard Cafe. Boath House is an elegant boutique guest…

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Scotch whisky sells out after boost on Sunday Brunch

An Aberdeenshire whisky firm has been featured on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky in Huntly had one of their new Octave whiskies showcased on the latest episode of the popular lifestyle show which saw celebrity guest Alexandra Burke trying the whisky alongside the hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer. Tied in with…

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A delicious foccia to make at home

As lockdown continues, we are all looking to find things to keep us busy. Thanks to Katia Crolla, owner of the East Coast, a restaurant in Musselburgh, East Lothian, we can try making a delicious bread. The East Coast is the next chapter for the Crolla family, who have been serving the folk of Musselburgh…

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A woodland home with stunning views over a loch

A house with a stunning waterfront setting, with woodland and foreshore overlooking Loch Etive, has been brought to the market. Presented by Knight Frank, the Ferry House is a bungalow understood to have been constructed in the 1970s situated on a private peninsula overlooking Loch Etive, near Oban. It is approached via a single track…

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Innovation key to lockdown success for family farm

A family farm in Aberdeenshire ended the year on a high, celebrating a rise in sales boosted by local shoppers over the festive period and into the new year. Thorneybank Farm Shop near Inverurie, which made headlines in 2019 after being the first shop in the UK to install digital vending machines selling fresh produce,…

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