We had the joy of visiting Skye on our Scottish Food Guide travels this month. Talk about destination dining! We left Fife after a brief breakfast, heading north on a Mini adventure, and drove non-stop to our first booking, Kinloch Lodge for Sunday Lunch. A charming legend of the hospitality industry (I won’t embarrass you but you know who you are) once memorably said to me, “Best Hotel Awards should only be granted to places where I would be content to spend my last night on earth.” Kinloch Lodge Sunday Lunch certainly qualifies, for all the right reasons. It was truly spectacular – yes, we did rather enjoy lunch, and it was a day for superlatives. It was so lovely to catch up with Isabella again and her home was looking really beautiful. Rather than spend a page describing the marvellous dishes I commend you to study the photos, salivate and make a reservation.
We were staying nearby on the mainland with our friends Kathy and David Biss. Kathy is a leading expert in cheese production, and trained many cheesemakers on both sides of the Pond. Kathy no longer produces cheese for the marketplace but still runs courses at her onsite highland dairy. Many thanks for the bag of quince from your garden, Kathy!
The following morning it was back over the bridge for an enjoyable day of meetings. Few things give me more pleasure than meeting chefs, cooks and producers with the same passion for good food with a strong provenance. We had interesting conversations with Lucy and Robert Montgomery at Waternish Farm who focus on conservation grazing and meadows, offering guided walks. Next stop Dunvegan – surely one of several restaurants displaying “open” signs would offer a bowl of soup, as the roads were still heaving with visiting traffic? No. Inaccurate signage can be very frustrating however thankfully the local community café was a happy hub for the lost and found, locals and travellers. A very welcome haven to tarry and sip lattes with Antoine and Elisa from Isle of Skye Sea Salt, with a fantastic range of products and on Slow Food International Ark of Taste.
It was a short drive back to Edinbane Lodge to meet Katie, Calum and Eilidh’s General Manager, to discover their stunning new rooms increasing the accommodation, and their sensational menus. Eilidh and her Mum do a fabulous job in managing the immaculate and artistic bespoke bedrooms – and no doubt much more besides. I regret I missed an opportunity to catch up with them properly on this occasion. Calum grows a considerable quantity of his greens in a robust poly tunnel, the adjective used advisedly as it can blow a hoolie here. Not only are his kitchen skills world class and his dedication to sourcing exceptional, he also supports the local ceramist and uses a considerable amount of Edinbane pottery in his establishment. Another fine example of destination dining on Skye.
As light faded, we steered back past Waternish Farm and onwards to our dinner booking at Stein Inn. Never let a little horizontal rain spoil a good dinner. We burst through the door into the snug glowing interior filled with contented chatter, smiling customers and staff, and a roaring log stove. What more could you ask for? Well a mouthwatering menu for starters, and one swiftly arrived. Brimming with seafood and oozing enthusiasm for the landed produce, we dived in and ordered wild local venison with a red wine prune gravy, herb butter, salad, and fries on the side for Bosse, and the lobster pièce de résistance with vegetables, fries and a butter sauce for yours truly … that was after the flavoursome fish chowder and before the bowl of Charlie’s best seller, the langoustines. Charlie is the new chef proprietor of Stein Inn and Skye is fortunate to have her. It was a pleasure to chat over a coffee and compliment her on the sensational lobster, giving it the simplicity and respect it deserved. Another Skye destination worthy of discovery.
Our trip to Skye was long overdue and an absolute pleasure however, in the words of the song…
“…Loud the wind howls [and it certainly did last week]
Loud the waves roar [yup, closing the bridge was even mentioned at one point]
Thunderclaps rend the air.
Baffled our foes stand on the shore…. “…and wonder what on earth is that? The very first vista of Skye tourists see, on approach from the bridge, is interrupted by conspicuous silos of salmon feed for fish farms which is a great pity. Is this the best impression for visitors?
I prefer to remember Kyleakin from the halcyon days of my very first holiday sans parents when a group of us stayed at the Kyle of Lochalsh youth hostel (no longer in operation) and had a terrific time: walked to and from Plockton in the rain (12 miles in total), took the ferry to Skye numerous times and hired bikes, and blocked the hostel sink with our rookie attempts at cooking pasta!
I appreciate life moves on with many positives along the way: medical advances, labour-saving devices … but to my mind, industrialised fish farming of a migratory top predator is not one of them and has no redeeming features. I am infuriated that, as of this year, “Scottish farmed salmon” has been allowed their protected geographical indication (PGI) to be edited to “Scottish salmon.” The multinational overseas companies behind Scotland’s salmon industry may hoodwink some of the people some of the time but not the Slow Food Movement with over 1M supporters. Known as the king of fish, the Atlantic Salmon should be wild; free to spawn in unpolluted waters and savoured occasionally when stocks allow, so I am pleased to note farmed salmon is increasingly #OffTheTable.
Whether on Skye or elsewhere, it is so important to support our artisan producers and the hospitality sector. When world trade throws a curved ball, it will be the smallholders and local producers that will see us through. Vast monocultures are inflexible in climate change or political upheavals and food security is vital. The recent Scottish Smallholders Festival was a shining example of all things small-scale: from native breeds to Fife-grown grains from Scotland The Bread, artisan cheese tasting (sponsored by Scottish Cheese Trail) and dozens of crafters. There was lots to see, many to listen to, including Bosse’s presentation on Tree Hay, and always something to learn. The atmosphere was buzzing: so much to say; so little time, I highly recommend it to all in 2025.
Kelso Farmers’ Market is another great way for producers to trade. The colourful awnings flutter in the town square as dozens of producers sell their wares … and we were invited to sell the sizzle, cooking up the produce for tasters. There we saw loyal regulars arriving to collect their orders, newbies fresh from their self-catering cottages wondering what to buy for breakfast, young and young-at-heart, townsfolk and tourists, with a significant number from Edinburgh for a wee outing. Do check the market’s facebook page for regular updates.
I have recently returned from Romania where I was on the Jury of Experts for the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts & Tourism, and we unanimously recommended Harghita for the European Region of Gastronomy 2027 title. They are particularly famous for their meadows and food culture, with the predominant farming method being small-scale with low inputs, creating a biodiversity second to none. There will be more about this fascinating region of Transylvania over the coming months but in the meantime click here to start your journey.
