Thanks to one and all!
Hard to believe it’s over for another year and what an amazing time we had – thanks to chefs, cooks, students and RHASS…plus a fabulous spouse or two lending a hand and of course all our wonderful audiences!
This year, had RHS still been travelling our Nation as in the past, it would have been Border Country’s turn, so with that in mind we featured more from Border Region this year. I’m sure RHASS are relieved chefs travelled north and they no longer had to be nomadic!
Boyz are back in town with Outlander Bannocks!
Iain Campbell returned this year with a touch of Jamie & Claire at Lallybroch with delicious bannocks, ably helped by his son on stage for a great show! Learn for yourself at his bake classes https://www.campbellsbakery.com
Border Lamb and Skye scallops, Buccleuch roe deer and North Sea halibut, Aberdeen landed smoked haddock and home reared old breed pork from Errichel all featured where The Produce is the Celebrity and the Cooks and Chefs the Legends!
Carina Contini RHET’s first Ambassador:
As Royal Highland Education Trust celebrates 20 years they have appointed Carina as their Ambassador. Her passion for food education and her dedication to local produce make her the ideal choice. https://www.contini.com
Billy Hamilton, Proprietor, with Gareth Gilder, Head Chef, Buccleuch Arms
& Blue Coo Bistrot, St Boswells gave a fascinating butchery and tasting of roe deer to a full house. http://www.buccleucharms.com
Welcome to The Batch Lady!
Suzanne Mulholland from The Borders, our food-for-freezer and multiplier guru, made her debut at RHS batch cooking and meal planning at a pace. She stormed through dishes inspiring everyone to get cooking. https://www.thebatchlady.com
Iain Gourlay, Head Chef, Cringletie
…cooked delicious Border lamb whilst Victoria Palmer rustled up fab cocktails on stage – shaken not stirred! http://www.cringletie.com
Co Creator of the Scottish Bread Championships Andrew Whitley …took the stage after the SBC Prize giving, and expanded our knowledge of heritage grains and breadmaking http://www.breadmatters.com
Craig Wilson, The Kilted Chef
…is so popular there is standing room only and I am always amazed he fits us in, this year between Vietnam and Tuscany, where he was cooking up a storm! This year he focused on reducing food waste with thrifty wonders, delicious and easy. http://www.eatonthegreen.co.uk
Neil Forbes of Café St Honore
…The BBC Kitchen Café and Borough Market fame created a stunning platter and dessert, making a welcome return to the Theatre. www.cafesthonore.com
Every chef and cook present is passionate about local produce and gives his/her time and energy to our Theatre for which we are delighted. The crowded audiences are proof that there is a real interest in our Good Food Nation.
On stage, their tales from the kitchen are entertaining and their knowledge outstanding…backstage there is a wonderful camaraderie and a super team of students led by Penny, ensuring dishes are cleaned and returned to their rightful owner – no mean feat!
Cheesemakers, butchers and fishmongers all get a mention and many of the stallholders in the Hall support the Theatre with their produce.
Visitors relish tasting the dishes and having the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters, who always take the time to greet, meet and answer!
Scottish Cheese Trail Kiosk: A popular addition to RHS and this year particularly buzzing, in no small part due to Maddy, our star of presenting cheeses! www.scottishcheesetrail.com
From Perthshire came Paul Newman of Errichel & from Skye, Calum Montgomery of Edinbane Lodge
Two more award-winning chefs carrying in crates brimming with produce. In Paul’s case Shetland Sheep and heritage pork from their own farm, cooked in a giant pan and piled onto sharing platters…and devoured! http://www.errichelhouseandrestaurant.co.uk
For Calum it was Skye produce from land and sea, with giant prawns that would give a lobster a run for its money still alive and kicking. https://www.edinbanelodge.com Their skills were admired and I am sure, as with our other fabulous chefs, folk should be beating a path to their doors!
Tom Lewis, Mhor
… owns the stage with his passion & missionary zeal! Always a pleasure to see him in action, this time with Scottish seafood at its best. http://mhor.net
Ali & Bob from AliBob@CairnOMhor
… treated us to Ali’s legendary baking skills with scones par excellence http://alibobatcairnomohr.co.uk
Andy Christie of Gleddoch House & Mark Heirs, Personal Chef
…both had a few tales to tell of life in the fast lane with banquets, feasts and, in the case of Mark, even precious pooches to feed! No names or beans spilled here! Their craft and conversation kept audiences fixed in their seats…until their food was ready to serve! https://gleddoch.com & https://markheirs.com
Making her debut at RHS was Heather Byres, hot from her previous job as Chef Tutor at London School of Wok. Heather entertained us with highly creative Sunday Sundaes. Thanks too for her great work compering the Tastings & Talks!
Rounding off, Wendy Barrie chose Food Tourism as her theme. www.scottishfoodguide.scot
A big thank you to you all for coming along & for the RHASS for making it happen; for students & set builders, farmers who grow, fishermen who catch & hubbies who help! Let’s keep Scotland cooking with our fine produce!
More Members News…..
The 2019 Skye Food & Drink Festival is over for another year however read all about it at https://scottishfoodguide.com/places/skye-food-drink-festival/
Macbeths have a range of delicious BBQ items from humble sausages and juicy burgers to impressive butterfly legs of lamb and my personal favourite, carvery rump steak. So stock up now to make the most of the sun. Use the code SUMMER19 at the checkout for a 10% Discount Shop online here https://www.macbeths.com
Deans’ Head Chef will be creating a regular menu and vegetarian menu option specifically to compliment and enhance each dram as we celebrate the best of Scottish fare. You will also be given the opportunity to buy and sample Spey whiskies. https://www.letseatperth.co.uk
TURKEY DEPOSITS – yes you did hear me right!…£20 paid helps Whitmuir pay for feed and bedding and pay wages for staff to walk them out to pasture every day and walk them home at the end of the day. This means they get our through the day and are safe from badgers and foxes at night. Your deposit reserves your turkey and is refunded when you buy your bird. Please buy one here.
FARM FRIDAYS – over the summer holidays Whitmuir Community Benefit Society run Farm Friday from 9.30am-12noon. Young people from 5 to 12 can come walk out the turkeys, feed the pigs, plant some seeds, harvest some veg and generally have fun on a farm for a morning. View the leaflet here. All our farm events are listed here. The fee of £15 includes a voucher towards lunch and places can be booked by emailing Elly on elly@whitmuircommunityfarm.org. http://www.whitmuirtheorganicplace.co.uk
Read Skara Summer Newsletter and seek out Andrew’s amazing pottery on his linked websites at http://orkneypottery.co.uk for his ceramics and his novels. He is also playing a key role in Orkney’s Neolithic Dinner during their Science Festival & Foraging Fortnight the first two weeks in September…more about that soon.
For Summer Dining ideas to tempt you at Contini, check out their wonderful treats such as this one https://www.contini.com
John Davidson has excellent summer offers online such as these and BBQ packs for that heatwave that’s sure to come so click on the link to discover more… https://www.johndavidsons.com
Steve Brown, Head of Education at Edinburgh Food Social is delighted to announce… ‘we are now live with this here www.crowdfunder.co.uk/edinburghfoodsocial Whether it’s s £5 thank you, a £35 bottle of Spring Gin or a team away day for £1800, we would really appreciate your support in sharing this far and wide to make sure that we can share our love for local, seasonal food with youngsters, communities and those on our apprenticeship programme.‘
