METHLICK TO HOST NEW BEER FESTIVAL

A small pub in Methlick, Aberdeenshire, is showing its commitment to selling quality real ales by hosting its first beer festival at Easter this year.

Luckily for Kingscliff, its neighbours are the owners of Ardo Ales, the leading distributors of Scottish real ales in the region. Together they hope to launch what will become an annual - or even biannual event - at the growing Methlick venue.

Kingscliff Sporting Lodge is fairly unique as a pub, also having its own activity centre on its 60-acre site. For the weekend of the festival – March 21st to 23rd – all manner of entertainment will be available for visitors of all ages, making this a beer festival for all the family.

While the Scottish ales organised by Ardo will no doubt take centre stage for the serious beer buffs, a programme of live music is also planned, as well as indoor entertainment for the children, featuring bouncy castles, a climbing wall and more, as well as Easter egg hunts in the grounds.

The event will open on Easter Friday at 4pm with featured beers from local brewery Brewdog of Fraserburgh, champion brewers Harvieston, Fyne Ales, Strathaven, Stewart and Valhalla.

Speaking about the event, local CAMRA representative Richard Jones said: ‘I am delighted to see the commitment by a local supplier and an Aberdeenshire pub to the promotion of real ale. This will add considerable support to our aim of promoting micro breweries and their beers in the North East of Scotland.’

Mark and Heather Colley-Davies have been in business now as Ardo Ales for six years. They have a passion for real ales and have been delighted to see sales of real ales grow across the region. Speaking about Kingscliff, Mark said: ‘We encouraged Kingscliff to start stocking real ales about 3 years ago now and since then, thanks to Doug Lamont’s careful stewardship of the beer, the pub has seen sales grow significantly. We also shoot clays at Kingscliff as a family, plus its our local, so we are delighted to work with Kingscliff on this exciting new event.’

Ardo and Kingscliff also have a history of working together at outside events, like The Portsoy Boat Festival, where Ardo take the beers and Kingscliff offers the activities.

Each year Kingscliff welcomes more and more visitors from outside the UK and abroad, and owners Chris and Louisa Harry Thomas feel sure this event will become a regular fixture in the tourist calendar. Louisa says: ‘We have always tried to feature quality Scottish food in our pub – as well as quality Scottish beers. We are accredited by Eat Scotland and feature in the Good Beer Guide. This festival will hopefully be a great step forward for us, particularly as we will be launching a new restaurant and accommodation here later in the year.’

If you are interested in playing live at the event please call Louisa Harry Thomas on +44 (0)1651 806375.

The final programme of events will appear on the website http://www.kingscliff.co.uk/ nearer the time. Minibus transport will also be available by arrangement for groups.

Champany Inn wins Michelin star after a 25-year wait

CALUM MACDONALD and JULIA HORTON The Herald Newspaper
http://www.theherald.co.uk/

After a quarter of a century of sweating in the kitchen, it was about time someone gave Clive Davidson a little recognition. It finally arrived yesterday, and in style.
The restaurant Mr Davidson and his wife Anne have owned and ran for the past 25 years was awarded a prized Michelin star by the inspectors of the world's most famous guide to eating out.
The Champany Inn in Linlithgow, which the Davidsons opened in 1983, was one of two restaurants to join the small list of elite Scottish eateries which boast a Michelin star.

The other was awarded, or more correctly reinstated, to the Ballachulish House Hotel by Loch Leven in the Highlands, which lost its single star last year. The two awards announced yesterday raise the number of restaurants in Scotland with a single Michelin star from eight to 10. None of the Scottish starred restaurants lost its rating this year.

There was no change further up the rankings, with Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles remaining the sole two-starred establishment in Scotland. No Scottish restaurant has three Michelin stars.

Mr Davidson had all but given up hope of ever winning a star for the Champany Inn, which made yesterday's announcement all the more pleasing. "I'm absolutely shocked and dumbfounded," he said.

"After 25 years of being here I thought these things had passed us by, by now. It's fantastic news and shows what fantastic staff we have. I should imagine a drop or two will pass our lips later today."

Neither of the owners of the Ballachulish House Hotel - Drs MacLaughlin-Taylor or Goodenow - were available to comment on being reinstated to the list of elite restaurants, but the news was no doubt welcome.

As ever with the publication of the Michelin Guide, there was a degree of disappointment among the good news.

Martin Wishart, whose eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh already has a single Michelin star, was tipped to gain a second this year. Mr Wishart, a columnist for The Herald Magazine, was unavailable as he is in Singapore taking part in an event to celebrate Scottish cuisine.

Another disappointment was the failure yet again of any Glasgow restaurants to make the list.
Brian Maule of Chardon d'Or in the city said: "I don't know what they're looking for any more." Nevertheless, he maintains an indifference towards the value of stars. He added: "I cook for my customers, and if they keep coming back because of the quality food that is served on their plate, then I can't ask for much more than that."

Also announced yesterday were the Michelin Bib Gourmand awards, which recognise restaurants which serve good food at moderate prices.

Three Scottish restaurants were awarded Bib Gourmands for the first time, while one was stripped of their title.
The Wee Restaurant in North Queensferry, Fife, Duck's at Le Marche Noir in Edinburgh, and The Restaurant in Killin, Stirlingshire, all received the title while 63 Tay Street in Perth lost its Bib.

Gordon Ramsay's Chelsea restaurant, Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck and Michel Roux's Waterside Inn, both in Bray-on-Thames in Berkshire, remain the only restaurants in the UK with three stars. The Michelin guide to Great Britain & Ireland 2008 goes on sale tomorrow.

Fine dining Two stars:
Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Auchterarder

One star:
Ballachulish House, Ballachulish *
Braidwoods, Dalry
Champany Inn, Linlithgow *
Glenapp Castle, Ballantrae
Inverlochy Castle, Fort William
The Kitchen, Edinburgh
Knockinaam Lodge, Portpatrick
Martin Wishart, Edinburgh
Number One, Edinburgh
Summer Isles, Achiltibuie

Bib Gourmand:
Atrium, Edinburgh
The Bank, Crieff
Creagan House, Strathyre
Duck's at Le Marche Noir, Edinburgh *
The Kilberry Inn, Kintyre/Kilberry
The Restaurant, Killin/Ardeonaig *
The Sorn Inn, Sorn
The Wee Restaurant, North Queensferry *
New addition for 2008

63 Tay Street, Perth, lost its Bib Gourmand in this year's list.

Dine Around Edinburgh 2008

Visit Scotland, in partnership with the Edinburgh Restaurateurs' Association, is pleased to introduce Dine Around Edinburgh 2008.

Running from Monday 7th January until Thursday 28th February inclusive, all 30 participating restaurants are offering great deals for only £15 per person. This is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself and have a great meal in one of Edinburgh's finest restaurants.

Online booking is available now.

Click here for more details.

Top Scottish chefs take the helm this January in Singapore

Top Scottish chefs take the helm this January in Singapore to celebrate Scottish cuisine and welcome the Scottish race victor in the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race

Michelin-starred Martin Wishart has been invited to take part in a celebration of Scottish food and drink during 21-27 January 2008 along with two other Scottish award winning chefs – Raymond Capaldi of Fenix, Melbourne and Joseph Martin, Pan Pacific Singapore.

Martin said ‘I am excited to be taking part in the event and relish the opportunity to take my style of Scottish cuisine to Asia’. Martin will be accompanied by two of his talented team of chefs Rikki Preston and Stewart Boyles. The event entitled Bravehearts’ Cuisine will be held at the Pan Pacific hotel and is the brainchild of executive chef, Joseph Martin who has developed the event due to the increased interest and demand for Scottish food and drink in Singapore.

Joseph said ‘Bravehearts’ presents an exciting opportunity for culinary interaction and promises a gastronomic experience with exposure to cuisine prepared by four international chefs. The dishes created are based on our experience, heritage and current culinary trends and ingredients, promising a unique and memorable dining experience”

The chefs have created several special menus which will be available to diners at the Pan Pacific’s global kitchen restaurant. They will also hold gourmet cookery master classes and cook at the high profile Braveheart’s Charity Cuisine ball in association with Glasgow: Scotland with style on 25 January.

The event has been scheduled to coincide with the arrival in port of the Glasgow: Scotland with style yacht, which is participating in the Clipper 07-08 Round The World Yacht Race, and is currently the overall race leader.

The 400 guests attending the cocktail reception will be welcomed by a piper and guests include representatives from the Singapore Government; Glasgow City Marketing Bureau’s Vice Chair, Bailie Liz Cameron and its Chief Executive Scott Taylor; Clipper Ventures Plc as well as Glasgow Clipper crew.

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau will also use the occasion to host 150 key business tourism clients, Singapore-based Glasgow alumni and individuals from the wider global Scottish business community who are based in Singapore.

The three chefs in Scottish attire will introduce their dishes at the dinner which will be followed by a charity auction to complete the Burn’s Night festivities.

Liz Cameron, Vice Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and former Lord Provost of Glasgow commented:

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 07-08 has been full of drama for the Glasgow: Scotland with style yacht and skipper Hannah and her crew have coped extremely well with everything to date. We are looking forward to the arrival of the fleet in Singapore in January to the new development at Keppel Bay Marina. To mark the occasion Glasgow: Scotland with style is delighted to be hosting a high profile charity dinner in conjunction with Pan Pacific on 25th January. We are honoured that award-winning Scottish chef Martin Wishart will be creating and cooking the menu along with the other three world class Scottish chefs – it promises to be a very special night.

During their stay the chefs will take part in a press conference talking to representatives from the global press, radio and television and will talk about their culinary influences and the dishes they will be preparing followed by a cookery demonstration. The Scottish chefs will also be hosted by the Singapore Tourist Board to visit some of Singapore’s key tourism sights as well as its street markets and restaurants to sample the local cuisine. As part of the Clipper celebrations the chefs have also been invited to take part in an inter boat cook off event at Keppel Bay on 26 January – the chefs will cook onboard the vessels boat for the country they represent – Australia, Singapore and Scotland.