FOOD : Kinloch Lodge, where menus are inspired by Skyes' larder

A knock at the door brought with it a fairly large parcel. Inside was an extremely beautiful book, Fifty Years, Kinloch Lodge, Isle of Skye and an invitation to the book launch on Skye.

I have always loved books and have a decent library. Most are about art and food with a few novels and autobiographies thrown in for good measure. I have a few exceptional books of stunning imagery that fill the large glossy pages, those books that will one day be piled expertly on a hand made coffee table in my dream home.

The 50th Anniversary book/recipe book, will be in that pile too although I think it might end up with a fair few floured fingerprints on it! It truly is exquisite and a wonderful representation of Scotland - the landscape and the food.

REVIEW OF 50 YEARS OF KINLOCH LODGE COOKBOOK LAUNCH, ISLE OF SKYE

Nearly all of my family at some point, except for my dad, has worked in hospitality - housekeeping, receptionist, GM’s, restauranteurs, chefs. And now my partner is a chef, restauranteur and bar owner whilst I forge a pathway in food, drink and travel; so I know that working in hotels has come a very long way in the last 20 years never mind 50 years!

On the opening page of the book, there is a passage that really struck a cord with me. For most of us we all have heard about the heavy footprint of tourism on the Isle of Skye, but can you imagine this….

“We opened our doors on April 4th, 1972 to four guests. In those days, visitors came to Skye for at least a week, with some staying for a month. Many came without cars using, what in those days was, excellent public transport. No one would check in or out on a Sunday and the sale of liquor was prohibited unless taken with a meal. Getting to the island was lengthy and difficult. Travelling from Edinburgh by car or train meant a journey of eight to twelve hours. There was no television and only four telephone lines served the whole of Sleat. Provisions were difficult to procure; wine and spirit orders came by sea to Armadale and could take four week to arrive” ~ Godfrey Macdonald.

With book in hand, I travelled the now only 4.5 hours from Edinburgh to Kinloch Lodge, to attend the book launch. And what an escape it was. This is pure restoration for the soul.

Two days of some R&R with unbelievable food, meeting the wonderful, very inspirational, and kind Isabella, who now manages the lodge, and meeting almost everyone that had something to do with this beautiful book including Alisha Fernandez Miranda (the person who penned the book) and her husband Carlos, Claire and Godfrey Macdonald, Isabella’s mum and dad, and the people that started Kinloch Lodge in 1972, Peter McDermott photographer, Jordon Webb Chef, Mitchell Partridge Ghillie and all the fabulous staff.

Read all about my stay here at Kinloch Lodge - www.tartanspoon.co.uk/home/stay-kinloch-lodge

We dined on exquisite food for breakfasts and dinners with a launch lunch which was a spectacular showcase of recipes in the book.

Kinloch Lodge menus are inspired by Skye’s larder. From the early years when Claire was cook to present day where Chef Jordan Webb continues to use local ingredients. Game and shellfish, fresh vegetables and fruit, many from the polytunnel and the kitchen garden a few feet from the kitchen door and when local ingredients aren’t available, Jordan sources them from mainland Scotland.

Kinloch Lodge also rely heavily on their local suppliers and Ghillie, Mitchell Partridge, who is in charge of taking guests out foraging, fishing, wild walking and stalking. Much of what he finds out in the rich Skye terrain makes it back into the Kinloch kitchen.

The recipe book, 50 years of Kinloch Lodge includes incredible mouth watering dishes, some of which I got to sample at the launch lunch and throughout my stay. The recipes inside the book cover four sections - Forest, Field, Coast and Garden. Recipes suited to each area have been chosen with care, each recipe showcasing one or two particular ingredients that are the star of the dish.

I can honestly say that every single dish I ate here, from breakfast to dinner was fabulous. You can always tell when a lot of love has gone into creating a dish - the particular way its been plated, handled with care and each ingredient as important as the next.

The best way to give praise over the fantastic food at Kinloch Lodge is to show you - so here are a lot of photos of delicious food. Set your tastebuds to drool!

BREAKFASTS

All meals are served in the dining room. A space filled with gilded framed paintings, tables with white linen tableclothes and a cosiness that makes you not want to leave.

Breakfasts were a simple occasion - which I love. No overly fussy breakfasts, just gorgeous plates of food beautifully cooked. There’s Homemade Granola with dark chocolate chips, apricot, raisin and toasted seeds and nuts, or the Oatmeal Porridge with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. If you are feeling hungry you can tuck into Eggs Florentine, Benedict or Royale OR Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs OR Avocado and Tomato Salsa on Toast with or without an egg (I am told this is incredibly tasty!).

However, first day I chose the Hearty Scottish Grill with pork sausage and bacon from Letterfindlay in Fort William, black pudding from Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, grilled vine tomatoes, butter-fried mushrooms from Isle of Skye Fresh Produce in Orbost and free-range eggs from Allarbain Eggs in Elgin.

DINNERS

The incredible food didn’t stop at breakfast, in fact dinner was probably some of my favourite meals. It was as if they knew what food I loved and created a menu just for me (which they hadn’t of course, I’m just a Scottish foodie lass at heart and love what Scotland offers)

Seared Skye Scallop with Jerusalem artichoke veloute and a polenta artichoke wedge. Stunning dish where every mouthful came with an ‘mmmm’ of deliciousness. The scallops where cooked to perfection. My knife cut through them like butter but with a slight firmness of mouthfeel. Scallops from Sconcer!

TRY THE RECIPE : Seared Scallop and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup. Page 109

Seared Monkfish Loin with homemade tagliatelle, Lewis mussel cream, caponata and braised fennel. I was all about the seafood this evening but other choices included the Organic Perthshire Duck Breast with kimchi and pink ginger or the Caulifllower Rarebit with sweet potato and sherry braised red onion.

My monkfish was exquisite. So fresh with its firm flesh and the tagliatelle that wrapped itself lovingly around it. The cream sauce and the fennel worked so well. Just Hooked from Portree is their seafood supplier.

TRY THE RECIPE : Crab Tagliatelle with butter fried crumbs. Page 126

Cheese Board with four Scottish cheeses - Tain Minger, Blue Murder, Morangie Brie, Blairlaith cheddar, oatcakes and chutney. All the cheeses from Highland Fine Cheeses in Tain.

Miso Glazed Pork Belly with spiced carrot, Asian salad and crackling. Loved, loved, loved this dish. The pork belly had the perfect proportions of belly fat and pork; the charred sweetcorn rib added another level of umami sweetness and the miso just raised this dish. Peltey Pigs from Tain is their pork supplier.

I was very tempted by the Portree Monkfish Ceviche with Lochalsh Crab, whipped avocado and pico de gallo.

I got to indulge in one of my all time favourite meats, venison. This was Haunch of Skye Venison with beetroots, chestnut duxells and locally foraged girolles. Oh my, I really wish I could have somehow time warped into Ground Hog day, as I would have been so happy to sit there and eat this dish over and over again. Local venison supplier, Davie Urquart, North Skye.

TRY THE RECIPE : Venison loin, green peppercorns, red cabbage and game fondants. Page 41

To finish it was Caramelised White Chocolate Cremaux with passion fruit curd, pistachio ice-cream and honeycomb. Whats not to love!

LAUNCH SHOWCASE

After some beautiful speeches from Godfrey and Isabella, I got to sample some of the recipes in the book. From top left to right:

COAST - Skye Scallop with cauliflower and almond. Page 115

COAST - Cured Hebridean Salmon with roe vinaigrette. Page 117

FIELD - Highland Beef Short Rib with crispy potato skins. Page 62

GARDEN - Pumpkin Tortellini with toasted seeds. Page 171

FOREST - Skye Venison with marrow, sage and walnut polenta. Page 38

COAST - Sea Buckthorn Custard Tart with yoghurt sorrel sorbet. Page 125

FOREST - Wild Raspberries, cranberry granola and panna cotta. Page 32

COAST - Squid Ink Cracker with Lochalsh Lobster and Langoustines. Page 111 (no image of this unfortunately)

As a foodie, Kinloch Lodge has stolen my foodie heart. I can’t say this enough, the food is incredible and so well suited to this lodge. I am so impressed with Kinloch Lodge, they are one of the very few places who do what they say on the tin! They truly are a hotel that is deeply rooted in its history and sense of place; they have created a hotel that looks after your every whim and delivers exceptionally delicious food!

A massive congratulations and thanks to Isabella for this wonderful opportunity to have stayed and sampled all the Kinloch Lodge has to offer. My soul came home well rested.

If you would like to purchase the 50 years Kinloch Lodge Recipe Book /coffee table book, £35 + P&P - use this link - www.kinlochlodge.recipebook

Kinloch Lodge, Sleat, Isle of Skye, Scotland, IV43 8QY, 01471 833333 reservations@kinloch-lodge.co.uk