Scotland’s hospitality industry is to honour operators who rose to the challenges of the pandemic lockdown. The CIS Excellence Awards – the country’s leading competition for the hospitality, catering and tourism sectors – is introducing three categories to recognise businesses and individuals who innovated, collaborated with others or helped local communities between March and July. “From mid-March until the Government allowed them to re-open, hospitality operators all over Scotland were faced with some of the toughest challenges they have ever encountered,” said Andrea Nicholas, Chair of the ..read more

First of all, you’re probably wondering what the hell is sludge?! Well, I can’t really answer that as it seems to be the name my Granny gave to her infamous sweet treat. If you know me or know my Granny you’ll know about sludge. As we lost her at the beginning of lockdown, grieving has been a strange process which I don’t think has really hit me yet, to be honest. So I thought it would be a nice way to immortalise my beloved Granny May through her sludge recipe. I’ve Googled her recipe in different variations and cannot find what this recipe is supposed to be called or what its official name ..read more

Since launching their Crowdfunder on the 20th of March, Nourish Scotland, Edinburgh Food Festival, Edinburgh Food Social, Nourishing Change and Slow Food Scotland have raised £6,090.00 for the Food for Good Coalition. Last week alone, the Food for Good Collective in Edinburgh cooked 3,275 meals, which were distributed via a number of partner organisations, as well as through decentralised local drop-offs with community organisers and emergency door-to-door deliveries. Donations have been made by 131 supporters, with only nine days left to reach their £10,000 target. There have been 21 differen ..read more

A box of chocolates? Boring! Want to give a gift that someone can enjoy – and quite literally savour? Here is my round up of edible gifts with a difference. for… Fish lovers Tobermory Fish Company have been producing fine Scottish fish products for three generations and it makes the perfect gift for the fish lovers in your life. I can attest to it all being delicious – especially their unique cajun hot smoked salmon and the smoked trout. From £5.99 – use CHRISTMAS10 for 10% off! The Love Food gift set contains all their popular products and is just £29.99. for… The sweet tooth Miod are the ne ..read more

The ultimate gift for a foodie – a cookbook. Who doesn’t love a book that evolves around our favourite topic? This year, I’ve got a round up of some of my favourites and ones that I’m hoping for this year myself! Please note most / all of these will be available to buy in local bookshops but for ease, I have linked them to Amazon. Prices are subject to change, and are correct at time of writing.  1. Meera Sodha’s East £13.12 Meera Sodha’s Guardian recipes are probably my most-saved – they all look absolutely delicious and, most importantly, easy to make without a Santa-esque scroll length lis ..read more

Italy’s Veneto Region Is The Dish Of The Day A celebration of the amazing food and wine from Italy’s Veneto region – including a dinner by a Michelin starred chef – is to feature as Scotland’s contribution to the World Week of Italian Cuisine this month. Leandro Luppi, whose menus at his Vecchia Malcesine restaurant on the banks of Lake Garda have wowed diners, will be joined by a collection of high quality producers to showcase the culinary delights of the Veneto region and the surrounding areas. World Week of Italian Cuisine (November 18-24), now in its fourth year, is an initiative started ..read more

Imagine you are about to die. You have one meal left. What are you going to have? It’s the question award-winning restaurant critic, MasterChef judge and writer Jay Rayner has been asked most often by audiences across the UK. It happened so often that he decided the time had come to investigate the concept of the last supper and why it intrigues us so. Is it because of the opportunity it presents us with to let your appetites run riot? Or is it because it’s a greedy way in which to tell the story of your own life? And if so, what would a man like Jay Rayner, who for two decades has made a livi ..read more

A firm favourite in our household is a Sunday roast. While I love going out for them – and putting the onus for all the washing-up on someone else – more often than not, I make it at home and enjoy the fruits of my labours for a few days with yummy leftovers. This step-by-step guide to making a roast chicken with all the trimmings is designed to help cooks of all levels with minute-by-minute instructions for how to get all your timings right, as these things do take practice! It’s designed to not need any prior prep – just prep as you go, the timings are designed to take peeling and chopping ..read more

With just over a month to go, Edinburgh Cocktail Week has revealed all the cocktails that festivalgoers can enjoy for £4 each at over 70 bars, plus a week-long programme of unique events and experiences taking place across the capital, Monday 14th – Sunday 20th October. Over 70 of the city’s top bars are taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Cocktail Week, each creating a bespoke signature cocktail, which wristband holders can enjoy exclusively for £4 each with an ECW wristband – £6 for a weekday band (valid Monday to Friday) and £8 for a weekend band (valid Saturday and Sunday). New bars tak ..read more

The programme for The Scottish Wild Food Festival – a brand new festival focusing on foraging and wild food taking place at Cardross Estate in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park (Stirlingshire) – is launched today. The Scottish Wild Food Festival is a one-day festival that will take place on 14thSeptember and is funded by Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER. Visitors to the festival at the beautiful country estate will be able take part in an extensive range of free and paid-for events and activities throughout the day, with something to suit every age. This relaxed and informative festi ..read more