Scottish Food in Season

Scotland has an enviable reputation for producing some of the finest food in the world. Langoustines from the West Coast of Scotland are eaten at tables all over Europe; Scottish Aberdeen Angus has long been the byword for quality beef; Scottish soft raspberries and tayberries are considered the finest available and so the list goes on!

In addition to our seasonal larder, we have some of the finest suppliers and food producers in the land. Just think of Loch Fyne oysters, Fletchers of Auchtermuchty, the wonder that is the Arbroath Smokie!

With all of this in mind, VisitScotland and EatScotland have launched our latest tool: http://www.scottishfoodinseason.com/ A guide to the wonderful ingredients available and the food heroes that farm, produce and supply them…all in season.

The site also includes recipes from EatScotland businesses. Visitors to the site can also upload their own favourite recipes. There is also information on food festivals and events throughout Scotland.

So, have a browse through our world renowned produce, meet Scotland's food heroes and, most of all, experience the taste of Scotland first hand!

http://www.scottishfoodinseason.com/

P.S – Feedback is most welcome about our new seasonality tool. Let us know what you think and tell your friends!

Help us create The Scottish Café Trail

VisitScotland are creating – with your help – The Scottish Café Trail.

To have your say on Scotland’s best café experiences, simply tell us where in Scotland you have enjoyed a great café experience, along with the story of what made it so memorable.

Did you find a gem of a teashop after a walk through beautiful scenery? Or did you enjoy the best cake ever when you hit dry land after a day’s dolphin and whale watching? Share your memories and the best overall description in the eye of the judges will win a luxury break for two to The Pierhouse Hotel in Argyll, Scotland.

To enter visit www.visitscotland.com/cafetrail . Competition closes 30th September 2007, for full terms and conditions see website.

Dine Around Glasgow 2007

Eat for only £15 in over 50 top restaurants in Glasgow during August!

As part of Gourmet Glasgow 2007, VisitScotland, in partnership with Glasgow Restaurateurs' Association, is pleased to introduce Dine Around Glasgow 07.

Sponsored by Auchentoshan Distillery, Glasgow's Malt Whisky Distillery, Dinearound runs from the 1st to the 31st August inclusive, The 50 participating restaurants are offering special dining deals, the majority priced at £15 per person. When booked online the offer will also include a complimentary dram of Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The packages will vary in each restaurant but represents excellent value.

This is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself, family and friends and have a superb value meal in some of Glasgow's finest restaurants!

Visit the DineAround Section on EatScotland.com

Let us know what you think of Dine Around Glasgow. Post your comments, suggestions feedback and tips here!

Room with a view - Aberdour

VisitScotland's Fiona Stewart visits Room with a view in Aberdour.

Saturday mornings are always slow in our house, after a busy week of work and commuting, so the thought of heading into the city once again for a fine lunch or bar meal requires a bit of effort. We are urbanites during the week - country-dwellers at the weekend. Our nearest village Ecclesmachan has no pub or restaurant so we have to look ever so slightly further afield.

Over the years we have eaten many great pub meals in the Four Mary’s in Linlithgow and our favourite local restaurants are Marynka’s also on Linlithgow High Street and Bruntonside, Torphichen. South Queensferry, too, has a wealth of restaurants and bistros to choose from along the main thoroughfare but we are always looking for something new but not too far away as there is always shopping and gardening to be done.

On a friendly foody recommendation, we added “Room with a View” in Aberdour for our next free weekend without friends and family - so this weekend it was time to explore. It is a surprisingly quick journey from West Lothian to Fife to the Forth View Hotel – about 25 minutes –with a view of the bridge from a different perspective. In fact – a view of the bridge from a “Room with a View” at Hawkcraig Point.

We had a quick pit stop on Aberdour high street and had a quick look at the gift shops and gallery but next time will also visit Aberdour Castle and St Fillans Church.

Room with A View is not far from the high street but definitely follow the instructions from the web-site and don’t be thrown off guard if the car park attendant walks towards you – the road splits just as you enter the car park. He is obviously used to it and very kindly pointed us in the right direction of the hotel and said it was further on. So continue on until the road narrows and twists a bit then you have a choice of parking up and walking down the steep lane to the hotel or driving to the front door of the hotel right at the water’s edge.

Off-shore there is a dramatic mix of islands – Inchcolm and Inchkeith with the presence of Arthur’s Seat in the middle distance. Just outside the front door of the hotel is the old wooden pier, at least in part, once a drop off point for visitors from the Edinburgh Steamer. It is a reminder of elegant times gone by and in the nearby seafood restaurant that elegant feeling has definitely been recaptured.

The seafood restaurant Room with a View – namesake of the Merchant Ivory classic - is one year old and is run with the magical touch of Hannah Norman and Tim Robson, known for his freshly cooked fish and seafood. Her family home for many, many years, she welcomes all her guests at the front door as though they were an old family friend. After kicking off our walking boots, we settled at our table with views of the sea and setting vanity apart I popped my specs on to boat watch before we started our meal.

I love my food but sometimes struggle over the menu when it is complicated or has lots of rich sauces. The menu was fantastic and was frustrating for my partner as he waited for me to make up my mind.

Arran Cheddar & Sun-dried tomato parcels with a Basil dip went down easily followed by seared Tuna Steak with a Maple Syrup and Sweet Chilli Drizzle (I asked for my tuna to be cooked through - no problem at all was the reply) and pan-fried Halibut with whole grain mustard & brandy sauce. Not all for me of course – and to finish off we tried to share the chocolate fudge pudding with vanilla ice-cream but it was too good to share. Hannah had kindly pre-empted the request for more cutlery – I did allow a couple of morsels off my plate but next time I am having the entire portion for myself.

One of the things I liked most was the slate table settings and the little touches of tiny ceramic pots for dips. The busy atmosphere was easy going with lots of chattering from nearby tables clearly at ease with themselves.

As we left the restaurant we took some photos of the coastline and made our way round to Silver Sands beach and sat on an old log and digested our meal. This restaurant is a real treat and easy to reach from West Lothian and Edinburgh. Word of mouth is the best endorsement and we will definitely be spreading the word about Room With A View and encourage people to make a day of it in Aberdour.

http://www.roomwithaviewrestaurant.co.uk/
Tel: 01383 860 402

Opening hours: Lunches: Weds – Sunday 12 – 2.30pm
Dinner: Weds – Saturday
Closed: Monday and Tuesday
Menus reflect weekly fish market

Fiona Stewart 15 July 07

50 places to eat in the great outdoors

The Times newspaper recently produced a list of 50 places to eat in the great outdoors throughout the UK. The Scottish element of this list is replicated below. There are some great recommendations here, go ahead and spoil yourselves!

46. The Seafood Restaurant at St Monans and St Andrews - These modern restaurants have about 30 seats outside each. The St Monans terrace overlooks the Firth of Forth, while the St Andrews branch is a spectacular glass cube overlooking the bay. 16 West End, St Monans, Fife (01333 730327). The Scores, St Andrews, Fife (01324 479475)

47. Royal Botanic Garden Café - Good, fresh food — cakes, salads, stews, pies, and the Spanish chef's special tortillas — is served at this family-friendly café in the lovely Botanic Gardens a mile to the north of Edinburgh city centre. Entrances on Inverleith Row and Arboretum Place, Edinburgh (0131 5527171; www.rbge.org.uk)

48. The Seafood Cabin - For 20 years this shack has sold simple seafood near the sandy beach on Skipness Castle Estate. With a beautiful view of Arran, you eat crab rolls on wheaten bread, home-made cakes or a £15 seafood platter (langoustines, scallops, crab, four kinds of salmon). The cabin is part of a seafood trail around this part of the west coast of Scotland. Skipness Estate, Tarbert, Argyll (01880 760207; www.theseafoodtrail.com)

49. Anstruther Fish Bar - Organic farmed cod, monkfish, lemon sole, dressed crab and lobster are among the unusual options at this award-winning quayside fish-and-chips shop, declared the Best in Scotland in the latest Seafish Industry Authority awards. Everything is fresh and cooked from scratch. 43-44 Shore Street, Anstruther, Fife (01333 310518; www.anstrutherfishbar.co.uk)

50. Fisherman's Pier Fish and Chip Van -This fish and chip van on the pier at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull is famous for its scallops and chips, as well as haddock and cod. Everything is cooked to order and people sit by the Victorian clock tower and creels and look out at the sea as they eat. Fisherman's Pier, Tobermory, Isle of Mull (www.silverswift.co.uk)

Readers choice: The Ship Inn, The Toft, Elie, Fife (01333 330246; www.ship-elie.com) Outdoor beachside beer garden with large round tables which encourage gregariousness among locals and visitors. Watch the pub's beach cricket team on Sundays from April to September. Enjoy a hearty lunch, seafood barbecue, or just a drink with friends. Anne Brobbel

A full list of UK recommendations can be found here: http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/best_of_britain/article1866613.ece

If anyone has any recommendations of their own, please post them here!

Champion beer of Scotland

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has announced that Orkney-based Highland Brewery's Dark Munro has been voted Champion Beer of Scotland at the Scottish Traditional Beer Festival held in The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.

The final results were:
1st Dark Munro: Highland Brewery, Birsay, Orkney
2nd Maverick : Fyne Brewery, Cairndow, Argyll
3rd Piper's Gold: Fyne Brewery, Cairndow, Argyll

Highland Brewery was founded in January 2006 by Rob Hill, a brewer with 25 years' experience in the brewing sector. He said: “I am absolutely over the moon. Dark Munro has been selling extremely well as it is a very drinkable ale with loads of malt and a wonderful balance of flavour at around 4% abv.”

CAMRA's Regional Director for Scotland, Ken Davie, congratulated the winner, saying: “The judges agreed all the eight beers in the final were in very good condition and well presented and the score was extremely close. “But Dark Munro was the deserving winner and the years of experience Rob Hill has in brewing shone through in this fantastic, traditional style Scottish dark ale.”

Talking of dark ale, I have to say that Orkney does Scotland proud. Dark Island is a favourite real ale of mine. Perhaps not a summery ale but it definately adds some warmth to the soul in the Winter!

Any suggestions for favourite ales and Scottish pubs from our readers?

UKTV Local Food Hero 2007

For the second year - Gary Rhodes and UKTV Food have launched a nationwide search to discover Britain’s ultimate food champion. Now’s your chance to get involved – there’s £40,000 for the ultimate food champion.

These awards celebrate home-grown local success stories. From farm shops to tea rooms, to bakers and butchers Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes 2007 asks food lovers to vote for, and reward, their food heroes’ passion for putting quality food on our plates.

To nominate, vote and review your favourite food business simply log onto http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/. Voting ends on 20 August when the final shortlist is announced. Find out more about how to vote and also the exciting wildcard category – it’s all on the website.

Quote from Gary...
"UKTV Food's Local Food Hero 2007 is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the very best of food and produce across Britain. The awards are a tribute to everyone who puts great British produce onto plates, into shops and markets, and on pub and restaurant tables."

What makes a UKTV Food hero?

Passion

We’re looking to support small-scale businesses that exhibit pride and passion for their craft and don’t compromise on quality.

Quality
Great taste scores - as does sound business practice. For example, the coffee shop owner who roasts and grinds beans on-site, the deli manager who sources outstanding olive oil direct from the grove; and the butcher who sells meat from locally reared animals.

Environmentally sound
From ethically sourced ingredients to animal welfare - we’d expect our food heroes to be aware of seasonality, sustainable food issues, and to respect the land and people who farm it.

Contributing to local communities
Whether celebrating local food traditions, making superb sandwiches for office workers or helping farmers at home stay afloat – we’re looking for heroes who give something to the community they live in and work with.

It’s easy to vote for your local food hero. For more information simply click on to www.uktvfood.co.uk.

Why not let EatScotland visitors know about your local food hero, post your comments here!