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Low ABV, Core Range, and Simplicity: The We Are Beer team discuss tap trends for 2019

Scotland’s largest celebration of craft beer returns to Edinburgh this May with a special foodie focus, top-class music acts and a huge selection of craft beers from some of the world’s most innovative brewers.

Ahead of the festival the team from We Are Beer, the organisers behind the event, look at some of the trends they expect to see on tap this year.

DANIEL SYLVESTER, WE ARE BEER CO-FOUNDER:

“Looking at trade-based events and having attended exhibitions across the country, I’ve noticed the sharp rise of low-ABV beers and a huge growth in alcohol-free drinks as a whole.

Within beer, we’ve seen the foundation laid by the likes of BrewDog and Mikkeller, and now breweries like Big Drop are expanding the offering and upping the low-ABV game.

As greater health consciousness progresses across our industry, I predict a greater focus on lower-strength beer—without compromising on flavour.”

Low ABV beers you can try at Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival:

Black Isle Brewery – Goldfinch, 3.5%

This refreshingly hopped IPA is a zingy and citrusy little number, with the added bonus of being gluten free as well as low ABV.

Big Drop Brewing Co. – Lager, 0.5%

Big Drop specialise in making the finest alcohol free beer and will be bringing their range to Edinburgh in May, including their crisp and balanced Lager with notes of honey and pepper.

TOM MAYA, HEAD OF MARKETING:

“Whether it’s a prediction or a hope, I’d like to see fewer people focus on the hype breweries and return to the breweries that are smashing their core range or beer style they specialise in. I, like many others, was well and truly aboard the ‘fuss train’. Of course, there are still beers I see on social media and pine over them, but when it comes down to it, some breweries are just creating consistently cracking beers that are part of their core range.

If anything, more focus on these will only encourage breweries to keep improving these beers. Too many breweries are seeing trends and trying to jump on the bandwagon; sometimes it pays off and a delicious beer is brewed but more often enough, an okay-ish beer is the end result. So my prediction is a return to those ‘constant’ beers and less people commuting on the hype train.”

Festival breweries which are smashing it with their core range:

Pilot, Edinburgh

Pilot has made a name for itself for its straight talking online, and it’s an approach which is reflected in the brewery itself; with a solid core line up of beers which are becoming mainstays in the bars of Edinburgh.

Tempest Brew Co., Galashiels

Certainly not shy of a seasonal brew or limited edition, but Tempest’s core range proves it can weather any storm with pride of place at many a bar.

LILY WAITE, HEAD OF CONTENT:

“With more breweries thinking further outside of the proverbial box, and breweries such as Harbour, Wild, Burning Sky, and Mills simultaneously producing excellent wild and mixed-fermentation beers and growing interest in them, one area I’m keeping a beady eye on is fermentation. With fermented beverages such as kombucha and kefir entering the mainstream more of late, and breweries across the world experimenting with the likes of Kveik yeasts last year, I think we’ll see a rise in interest in less conventional fermentation methods—not only from breweries, but the consumer base too.”

Fantastic ferments pouring at Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival:

Vault City Brewing – Mandarina Mandarin, 7.7%

One of the capital’s youngest breweries but already competing with the big guns, Vault City won a place at the festival at the annual Raise The Bar competition. This one is a juicy, hoppy delight.

Vault City Brewing – Strawberry Skies, 8.5%

Another one from the Raise The Bar winners; fresh strawberries blended with Madagascan vanilla and lemony-tart hibiscus.

GREG WELLS, WE ARE BEER CO-FOUNDER:

“We all know beer and food is a match made in heaven, if done right. Craft beer as part of the street food and casual dining sector has been a major part of ‘going out’ for the last four or five years. However, this will be the year we see it fully established into the higher end of food—seeing great sharing bottles alongside wonderful lagers and pilsners in the very best restaurants is so exciting. Hats off to places like Timberyard in Edinburgh, or Smoking Goat in London for really pushing the agenda forward. Ultimately fermentation is the wonderful alchemy that connects the very best chefs and brewers together in an appreciation of flavour – and I think that’ll grow ever stronger in 2019.”

Food at the festival:

Aizle, Edinburgh

A first for one of Edinburgh’s most popular restaurants and the festival , this collaboration elevates the food offering to a new culinary level  as Aizle presents its inaugural festival menu,  bringing its innovative seasonal flavour to the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival.

Harajuku Kitchen, Edinburgh

Harajuku Kitchen fuses traditional family recipes & fresh Asian ingredients with AA rosette level flair to create the best Japanese food in Edinburgh. We are excited to be able to pair beers to these flavours

Tickets for Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival are priced from £45 and include entry, all your beer, a special festival beer glass and magazine, and access to the festival’s pop-up kitchens and music acts.

Opening Night: Friday 24^th May, 6pm – 11pm, £45 standard / £65 VIP
Saturday Social: Saturday 25^th May, 11.30am – 4.30pm, £45 standard / £65 VIP
Big Night Out: Saturday 25^th May, 6pm – 11pm, £45 standard / £65 VIP
The Beer Geek Weekender: Friday 24^th May – Saturday 25^th May (all sessions), £100

Purchase your ticket now at edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk

Owen Hazel, co-owner of Jannettas Gelateria in St Andrews has been honoured with the prestigious Judges’ Choice: Brand Ambassador award at The Menu Food and Drink Awards 2019, organised by The Courier.

The glittering awards ceremony took place at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews on the 28th March 2019 and was attended by around 250 food and drink industry professionals.

The Ambassador award, launched in 2018, recognises an individual who champions local produce and whose business has made an important contribution to Tayside, Perthshire and Fife’s burgeoning food and drink scene.

After receiving the award, Owen Hazel said:

“I’m completely shocked and overwhelmed to have been recognised in an area with so many outstanding food and hospitality businesses – but also extremely grateful. I look forward to working with the team at the Courier and using this role to inspire others and develop relationships further.”

On presentation of the award, well known chef and host of the ceremony, Jacqueline O’Donnell commented on the reasons judges had selected Owen saying:

“Constantly innovating with flavours, Jannettas has been taken to the hearts of generations of locals, students and tourists from around the world, many returning with their children and grandchildren.  Owen’s business is known for its energetic approach and he is always encouraging to those entering the industry, whilst maintaining a strong community focus and the business acumen necessary for a truly successful customer-focused business.

His passion for everything he does is remarked on by all who know him and The Courier will be proud to have him as Menu Brand Ambassador 2019.”

Owen and his wife Nicola have been at the helm of Jannettas Gelateria for 27 years, expanding the 111-year-old, family-owned business while maintaining and enhancing the quality and consistency of its products. Jannettas has become an important landmark in the St Andrews community, with locals, tourists and generations old and new returning time and time again.

Owen and Nicola are known for their energetic approach to business and are supportive of young people looking to enter the industry while helping contribute to the development of the St Andrews town centre.

Now in its second year, The Menu Food and Drink Awards celebrates the outstanding food and drink industry talent across the Dundee, Perthshire, Fife and Angus area, with emphasis on originality, entrepreneurial flair and innovation.

Recognising the venues, individuals and suppliers that stand out from the crowd, the awards feature 11 categories in addition to the Ambassador award. These include Best Newcomer, the Farm to Fork Award, Chef of the Year and Best Craft Distiller.

As well as celebrating the winners, the event showcases five courses from five top chefs in the area, with each course served in style.

As ambassador, Owen will sit on the judging panel for the Menu Awards 2020, which opens for nominations in the winter of 2019.

 

Media enquiries: contact Martha Bryce at Sound Bite PR on martha@soundbitepr.co.uk

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Six businesses from across Fife will represent the region at one of the country’s biggest food, drink and hospitality trade events this month with support from Food from Fife and Fife Council’s Trade Development programme.

Now in its 46^th year, ScotHot takes place at Glasgow’s SECC on 13^th and 14^th March, attracting an audience of thousands with chefs and caterers looking to source the latest in food and drink, alongside decision makers from retail, hospitality and distribution.

Businesses from Fife attending with the support of Food from Fife and Fife Council’s Trade Development programme comprise:

• Fior Fruit Merchants, Kirkcaldy – Producers and distributors of a range of natural sparkling apple juice drinks
• Puddledub, Auchtertool – A business with a reputation for producing Scotland’s finest bacon and pork using only the best home reared pork
• St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, Anstruther – Award-winning farmhouse cheese producer
• Great British Prawn, Montrave – a new company producing ethically farmed prawns
• Woodmill Game, Lindores – producers and processors of Scottish game meats
• The Whisky Sauce Company, St Andrews – a business making whisky-based sauces.

 

Martha Bryce, Co-ordinator of Food from Fife said:

“The food and drink in Fife is world class and I’m delighted that Food from Fife is able to provide assistance to these businesses through the Trade Development programme, allowing them to act as ambassadors for the region.  This activity is part of our activity to bring businesses in Fife together to grow the food and drink sector.”

Lindsey Anderson of the Whisky Sauce Company said:

“Exhibiting at prestigious shows like this is a significant investment for businesses and this grant helps us take our products to a new audience, make new connections and grow our business.”

Food from Fife is a not for profit company that was established in 2010 to help the diverse local food and tourism businesses work better together to grow the overall industry in Fife.

Find out more about Food from Fife and its member businesses at www.foodfromfife.co.uk.  Businesses interested in attending should contact Food from Fife’s coordinator, Martha Bryce on martha@foodfromfife.co.uk.

Any business that is interested in finding out more about Fife Council’s Trade Development programme should visit www.businessgatewayfife.com/trade-development-programme.

For more information, please contact Martha Bryce:

martha@foodfromfife.co.uk

or visit www.foodfromfife.co.uk 

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Edinburgh-based caterer Appetite Events has been recognised as Scotland’s best caterer at the Confetti Wedding Awards 2019, which celebrates outstanding experts in the Scottish wedding industry.

The fourth edition of the annual gala final took place at Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Sunday 27 January with over 600 guests in attendance. The awards received more than 20,000 votes from the public, with over 1,200 businesses in Scotland being voted for and 120 finalists up for awards on the night.

Featuring 22 categories, including Best Cake Design, Best Florist and Best Hairstylist, the awards were free to enter and judged by a panel of independent judges and mystery shoppers.

Appetite Events, which celebrated its 15th year in 2018, has doubled the number of weddings it has planned and catered for in the past 12 months and is delighted to have taken home the coveted Best Caterer Award as it continues to focus on ramping up its wedding offer.

Nigel Kennedy, Director of Appetite Events ltd, said: “We’re delighted to win Best Caterer at the Confetti Awards, recognising all the hard work our team puts into the exceptional weddings we deliver. We love helping our customers organise their dream weddings, whether it’s just a simple event or an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.

“We pride ourselves on creating the perfect bespoke menu for each of our customers, using only the freshest, most seasonal produce and ensuring that wedding guests are presented with beautiful, delicious food. We even grow our own produce in our new kitchen garden to ensure the very freshest ingredients! Most importantly, we offer a complimentary tasting, accompanied by a glass or two of fizz, to help the happy couple decide on their menu ahead of the big day.

“From initial enquiry right through to the wedding day, each guest is assigned a skilled wedding planner to offer advice and support on every detail, from finding the perfect venue to selecting menu choices and suppliers such as photographers, lighting specialists, florists, stationers and bands.”

Appetite Events’ bespoke service allows for plenty of flexibility with menu packages and the option to create a theme or specific menu of favourite ingredients.

Alternatively, a selection of wedding menu and drinks packages are available with a fantastic choice of modern dishes, wines and beers.

A licensed bar service provides a wide range of cocktails, craft beers, lagers, wines and premium and small batch spirits to keep the party going into the wee hours.

The win follows a period of strong growth for the firm, which increased its annual turnover by 80% to £1.5 million in the period 2017 – 2018.

In the past five years, Appetite Events has undergone a sleek rebrand and has acquired four additional production units and new equipment, allowing it to expand its services, including offering a new bar service.

Staffing has been another important area of growth and six new full-time employees and several part time staff have been brought on board in the past two years bringing numbers up to 19 full-time and 70 part-time staff.

The team have carried out some of their biggest events in recent years and have their sights set on more world-class events and beautiful weddings in 2019 and beyond.

Appetite Events is the official catering partner of The Edinburgh International Festival; a sponsor of the Edinburgh International Science Festival and supporter of the Edinburgh international Book Festival and Film Festival.

Success has been recognised with several awards, including Best Caterer at the Scottish Event Awards, Events Caterer of the Year at the UK Event Awards and Event Supplier Excellence at the EventIt ‘E’ Awards.

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Press contact: Martha Bryce, Director Sound Bite PR, Martha@Soundbitepr.co.uk

Notes for the Editor:

Established in 2003 as Appetite Direct, Appetite Events is based in Newhaven, Edinburgh and brings together decades of combined experience, the very best local and seasonal ingredients, an ethical approach and exquisite service to create corporate and private events in some of the finest venues across Scotland, as well as bespoke catering for weddings. For more information on Appetite Events, visit www.appetiteevents.co.uk.

Extended Calendar of Night Markets at Balgove Larder

A popular destination for its own home grown produce and wood fired barbecue, local drinks, craft and street food with a soundtrack of live music, Balgove Larder’s calendar of Night Markets has been extended.

The 2019 Night Markets at the acclaimed St Andrews farm shop will start with a new April market and continue on a monthly basis into September. December will see the popular Christmas Night Market take place across two nights for the first time.

The Night Markets are free to attend and take place on the first Tuesday of the month between April and September with the two Christmas markets on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of December:

Tuesday 2nd April, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 7th May, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 4th June, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 2nd July, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 6th August, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 3rd September, 5pm – 9pm
Tuesday 3rd December, 4pm – 8pm
Wednesday 4th December, 4pm – 8pm

The markets are held in Balgove Larder’s famous Steak Barn, a distinctive converted sawmill with walls made from recycled potato crates and a huge wood-fired barbecue at its centre. Visitors will be able to choose from a menu of dishes straight off the grill or select snacks from the changing roster of the latest street food outlets.

Shoppers will be able to stock up on fresh produce from Balgove Larder’s master butchers and vegetable growers as well as a range of delicacies from other local food and drink producers: from chocolates to cakes, craft beers to wines, as well as a carefully edited selection of craft makers. While those looking for some entertainment will be able to enjoy live music as they take in the atmosphere and sample the produce.

Balgove Larder comprises a Farm Shop, Steak Barn, Butchery, Flower Shed, Home Store and Cafe supplying top quality, local, seasonal produce as well as meat direct from the farm through its traditional butchery.

For more information on Balgove Larder call 01334 898145, email info@balgove.com or visit www.balgove.com.

Balgove Larder is open daily 9am to 5pm.

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For press enquiries, images or interviews, contact Martha Bryce martha@soundbitepr.co.uk

9^th/10^th March, 13^th/14^th April, 11^th/12^th May

10am – 4pm, Free of Charge

A new calendar of events for 2019 has been launched by Scotland’s most innovative food hub with the popular Bowhouse Market Weekends set to resume in March with a series of spring themed events.

The first of the free-to-attend monthly Bowhouse Market Weekends of 2019 will take place in March, with further dates planned for the rest of the year. The spring line-up of markets, complete with producers market, street food, live music and hands-on activities, will take place between 10am-4pm on:

Saturday 9^th – Sunday 10^th March

Saturday 13^th – Sunday 14^th April

Saturday 11^th – Sunday 12^th May

Bowhouse will welcome spring with a New Beginnings themed Market Weekend on the 9^th and 10^th of March. Bowhouse’s resident producers will be joined in the covered market area by some of Scotland’s best food and drink stalls, selling everything from meat and seafood, to cheese and charcuterie. While charity partner Marie Curie will have a host of spring activities, including daffodil planting, for everyone to get involved with.

On 13^th and 14^th April the Bowhouse Market Weekend will be a celebration of Easter, with a focus on fish and shellfish. Scotland boasts some of the best seafood in the world, and local fisheries and producers from the West Coast to the East Neuk of Fife will take centre stage at Bowhouse’s food market, with some seaside themed activities from charity partner Anstruther Improvements.

At May’s market, Bowhouse will mark the end of spring and the beginning of warmer weather, with a Market Weekend themed around the soft fruits for which Fife is famous, on Saturday 11^th and Sunday 12^th May. Expect plenty of fresh produce from berry fields on Bowhouse’s doorstep in Fife and beyond.

As at previous Market Weekends, the markets will also feature a street food quarter, selling an ever-changing roster of the most innovative and delicious food and drink to visitors all weekend, accompanied by a soundtrack of live music. Bowhouse Market Weekends are free to attend.

Bowhouse opened on the Balcaskie Estate in the East Neuk of Fife in summer 2017 as a makers hub for local food producers. Since then the space has grown and is now home to eight independent food businesses permanently based there, working to provide the missing link between farm and fork; as well as attracting thousands of visitors to its monthly Market Weekends.

Further details can be found at bowhousefife.com or on:

Twitter – twitter.com/BowhouseFife

Facebook – facebook.com/BowhouseFife

Instagram – instagram.com/bowhousefife

Travel Information:

Bowhouse continues to attract a crowd of food-curious people from across Scotland and travel to the venue is easy.  Train stations at Kirkcaldy and Leuchars are stops on the main East Coast Mainline with regular services to Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Stagecoach bus services 95 (Leven–St Andrews) and X60 (Edinburgh–St Andrews) stop nearby.  The popular seaside holiday town of Elie is under two miles away and a popular cycle ride along the Fife Coastal Path.

Bowhouse Farm, St Monans, Anstruther, Fife, KY10 2DB

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For media enquiries, images or interviews, please contact Martha Bryce: martha@soundbitepr.co.uk or 07905 761 525.

Notes to Editors:

Bowhouse Market Weekend is supported by Balcaskie Estate and Food from Fife. Market Weekends take place on Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend of each month.

2019 dates are as follows: 9^th/10^th March; 13^th/14^th April; 11^th/12^th May; 8^th/9^th June; 13^th/14^th July; 10^th/11^th August; 14^th/15^th September; 12^th/13^th October; 9^th/10^th November; and 14^th/15^th December.

Yorkshire’s biggest dining secret, CHEFStable by TRUEfoods in Ripon, is bringing together some of the UK’s leading chefs this February for its new ‘Up Close and Personal’ series, which is set to be a culinary experience like no other.

Chefs Clare Smyth (Core by Clare Smyth, Notting Hill), Sat Bains (Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham), Paul Ainsworth (Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow), Luke Selby (Hide, Mayfair) and Michael Wignall (The Angel at Hetton), who between them boast six Michelin stars, will each host their own dinner at CHEFStable by TRUEfoods from 18 – 23 February – all in the name of charity.

CHEFStable is the brainchild of the Mitchell family, which owns the successful TRUEfoods company, supplying the highest quality stocks and sauces to many of the country’s most respected kitchens. In 2017, founder Mitch Mitchell, alongside Head of Food and Development, chef Aled Williams (Great British Menu Welsh champion), created the concept, which sees four intimate 11-course dinners hosted each month. With just 10 covers, the experience allows guests to get up close and personal with the host chef and enjoy exceptional, innovative food.

Since launching, CHEFStable at TRUEfoods has welcomed top guest chefs, including Chef David Breeden of the French Laundry in California and “Up Close and Personal” is set to take the experience to the next level over six consecutive nights. The Mitchells have created this charity event to give back to the melanoma charities that support hospitals and research in this area after their son and Director of TRUEfoods Simon Mitchell received treatment a few years ago and again in 2018. The proceeds of the dinners will be shared between Leeds Melanoma Institute and Melanoma Focus and the chefs’ charities of choice.

Sponsored by Wellocks, Aubrey Allen, Rudding Park Hotel and Goodfellow & Goodfellow, the dining experience is open to anyone to attend.  Places are allocated via a bidding process, with the highest bidders securing one of the coveted 10 places at the table. To make a pledge please call Simon at TRUEfoods on 01765 640927.

CHEFStable dates:

Monday 18 February – Sat Bains

Tuesday 19 February – Michael Wignall (Dementia UK)

Thursday 21 February – Luke Selby (Leeds Melanoma Institute and Melanoma Focus)

Friday 22 February – Paul Ainsworth (Pancreatic Cancer UK)

Saturday 23 February – Clare Smyth (sold out)

To find out more about bidding for a place at ‘Up Close and Personal’ contact Simon via email: simon@truefoodsltd.com, call: (0)1765 640927or DM via Twitter @TRUEfoodsltd.

www.true-foodsltd.co.uk

Twitter: @TRUEfoodsltd

IG: TRUEfoodsltd

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Notes for editors:

TRUEfoods is a privately-owned business that makes and sells fresh stocks made without compromise by using traditional culinary principles, 100% British-sourced bones, a direct source of filtered spring water, and carefully sourced UK vegetables. Only pure, natural ingredients are used -no flavour enhancers or life extending ingredients.

The TRUEfoods retail brand sits on the shelves of selected retailers and produces ‘Heston from Waitrose’ stocks and sauces. Its wholesale stock pouches are used in kitchens throughout the UK, Ireland, Europe, and much further afield. Many kitchens awarded with multi-Michelin stars, independent restaurants, contract caterers, and businesses within the leisure sectors also use TRUEfoods stocks.

The TRUEfoods product portfolio extends beyond stocks and sauces to chef-prepared pâtés, terrines and bespoke recipes. The newest addition to the business is The Bakery, a chef-led business which produces savoury pies and tarts. The same TRUEfoods quality principles apply to this unit with the pies and tarts being packed full of succulent meat and sauces made from TRUEfoods stocks.

For further press information please contact Jessica Sneddon at Sound Bite PR: Jessica@soundbitepr.co.uk or call 0138 382 8239.

Scotland’s biggest celebration of craft beer returns to Edinburgh this spring with an even more impressive line-up of breweries, music acts and culinary delights than ever before.

Taking place from Friday 24 – Saturday 25 May, the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival will offer up a huge selection of beers from some of the world’s top names in brewing, including Fierce from Scotland, To Øl from Denmark, Canada’s Collective Arts and Cigar City from the USA, with additional breweries coming that have never poured before in Scotland. There will also be some of the hottest new breweries from across Scotland and the rest of the UK showcasing their products at the festival, as well as a range of low ABV beers and a bespoke festival beer brewed in collaboration with Pilot. Following on from last year’s stellar line-up of music acts, which included Mogwai, Metronomy’s Olugbenga and Two Door Cinema Club, this year’s festival will welcome more top-class performers to keep crowds entertained all weekend. More than just a beer festival, ECBF2019 also promises to surprise and delight foodies with some of Scotland’s top restaurants and street food vendors serving up a tantalising array of culinary treats. Tickets are priced from £45 and include entry, all your beer, a special festival beer glass and magazine, and access to the festival’s pop-up kitchens and music acts. Tickets are available to purchase at edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk/tickets/

Scotland’s chefs share the ingredients, flavours and trends we can expect to see more of this year.

MEAT FREE

As people become more aware of the negative impact meat consumption can have on their health and the environment, veganism is edging further into the mainstream. More people than ever signed up for Veganuary in 2019 and plant-based dishes are becoming ubiquitous at dining venues throughout the country. Scott Smith, chef patron at Edinburgh’s Fhior said, “Although it has already started in smaller pockets, I think less protein is going to prevail more on menus. I think we should be eating better quality meat and fish and less of it.” Smith believes we’ll see a rise in vegetable-led cooking with more stand-alone vegan restaurants opening in Edinburgh and beyond.

Aizle: Isle of White tomatoes (Lewis Notarangelo)

SEAWEED

Seaweed is ripe for the picking during the colder months so there’s still time to get on board with the trend this year. Pepper dulse is one of the most popular varieties among chefs for its intense flavour. Often referred to as ‘the truffle of the sea’, it requires no cooking and goes with a wide range of ingredients. Billy Boyter, who forages for seaweed at the beach in front of his Michelin starred Fife restaurant, The Cellar in Anstruther comments, “The quality of seaweed is better in winter because the water is colder. We use pepper dulse, which is phenomenal. You can dry the pepper dulse and put it into cures for fish or use it as a seasoning.”

ASIAN FLAVOURS

While Indian and Chinese dishes have long been a staple of British diets, 2019 will see chefs experimenting with lesser-known, more authentic and lighter Asian ingredients as consumer awareness of global cuisines continues to grow. Stuart Ralston, who runs ingredient-driven restaurant Aizle in Edinburgh, comments: “The thing I’m most excited about at the moment is koji, the fungus species that Japanese chefs use to make sake or miso. We’ve been using it to help age our meat faster and it’s a really cool process which gives a great flavour.” Other Asian ingredients to look out for this year include shiso leafs, jackfruit and Szechuan peppercorns.

GAME

The popularity of game meat has rocketed in the UK and Scotland and in particular, with game dealers in the country reporting a five-fold increase in demand for grouse according to Shooting UK. As diners become more adventurous with their meat choices and chefs seek more sustainable produce, it will be more common in 2019 to see game on menus across the country. Roberta Hall McCarron, chef patron at The Little Chartroom in Edinburgh comments: “I have had a great time using game since the shooting season started. It has rarely not featured on my menu over the last five months.” Restaurant manager and Hall McCarron’s husband Shaun, adds: “When we first opened we were scared to put grouse on as the only meat option but when we put it on as a special it sold out every time and then we had hare and we sold loads of it.” Ben Watson, executive head chef at The Bridge Inn at Ratho, adds: “Wild game is healthier than intensively farmed meats. It has virtually no fat, it’s high in omega 6 and 3 and hasn’t been fed antimicrobials and it tastes better!”

Wedgwood The Restaurant: Pigeon, haggis, neeps and tatties.

CULINARY CANABINOIDS

While cannabis is more often associated with getting high, CBD has become the latest culinary craze for adding health benefits to your meal. The non-psychoactive compound can be extracted from cannabis and used in oils, cocktails, or sprinkled on dishes. Paul Wedgwood, owner of Wedgwood the Restaurant comments, “It’s a very talked about ingredient and it won’t be long before a high-profile chef starts using it in their dishes, or until we see dedicated cafes getting in on the trend.”

KITCHEN SCRAPS

As well as recycling and reducing plastic, chefs are increasingly finding inventive ways to reuse their food scraps with processes such as fermentation or drying. Scott Smith says, “Utilising food waste is a nice creative challenge for our team. We dry peelings and blend them with salt to use in our cooking and we use whey to make caramel for desserts or a sweetener.” As well as aiding gut health, fermentation can help reduce wastage and preserve out-of-season ingredients and can be done with everything from vegetables to meat, fish and herbs. “If a supplier has a large yield of a particular seasonal product, we’ll use it fresh on the menu then preserve and ferment the rest so that when it’s not seasonal we can use it in preserves,” says Scott. For example, Scott uses wild garlic fresh in the spring and in the winter as a preserve, or fresh swede in winter then to brighten dishes as an acidic preserve in the springtime.

Fhior: Whey Foam

INSECTS

From the streets of Bangkok to the supermarket shelves of the UK, insects look set to become one of the more controversial food trends this year. At the end of 2018 Sainsbury’s hit the headlines when they introduced Eat Grub’s Smoky BBQ Crunchy Roasted Crickets and Paul Wedgwood of Wedgwood the Restaurant believes more and more chefs will be adding creepy crawlies to their menus soon. “As chefs look to become more sustainable, it’s the next logical step,” he comments. “I’ve eaten insects in Noma in Denmark, one of the world’s best restaurants. I also work closely with some foragers who are keen to push me down that route.” Deep fried, dried insects can be used as a seasoning to add a fresh, lemony flavour to a range of dishes, or if you’re after a trendy pre-dinner snack, why not offer your guests a crunchy cricket canape?

 

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Press contact: Crystal Chesters at Sound Bite PR, email Crystal@soundbitepr.co.uk /01383 828239

Acclaimed Muir of Ord bakery and café, Bad Girl Bakery, has expanded into Inverness city centre by Eastgate Shopping Centre with the launch of the Cake & Coffee Caravan.

The Cake & Coffee Caravan will serve coffees and hot chocolates alongside a range of the bakery’s cakes and gourmet doughnuts in Falcon Square. The selection will change daily to make the most of seasonal ingredients and unusual flavour combinations but flavours like crème brûlée doughnuts; cherry cheesecake brownies; vanilla caramel fudge cupcakes filled with caramel and topped with Orkney Fudge; and apple cinnamon doughnuts; all sold out within a few hours of opening on the days when the caravan was tested.

Jeni Hardie, owner of Bad Girl Bakery said:

“The response to the trial weekend of the Cake & Coffee Caravan has been phenomenal. We sold out around 400 cakes by lunchtime each day so we know there’s an appetite for our produce in Inverness!  We’re really enjoying meeting fellow cake fans and are looking forward to a busy few months.”

The sleek, retro-style aluminium caravan was built to order and will be based in Falcon Square from 10am to 5pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays into the spring.

Bad Girl Bakery opened its bakery and café in Muir of Ord in 2017 and has since built a reputation for its outstanding cakes and customer service.  In October, the bakery won the Business Growth category in the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards.

www.facebook.com/badgirlbakery

 

Media information: Martha Bryce at Sound Bite PR – martha@soundbitepr.co.uk; 07905 761 525.