BIG BURRITO

If you’ve dined out, visited a pub or gone shopping in the last week, you might have noticed that its a little quiet. This is due to the new guideline from the Scottish Government that was implemented on Friday 14th August, that no background music or TV volume may be played as this might cause people to raise their voices and lean in to hear one another. |t does make for a strange atmosphere but at least we are able to eat/drink out.

TARTANSPOON WEEKLY WRAP - NEWS FOR YOU TO DIGEST

FOOD

Whisky Forager, Edinburgh - this pop up is based in Stockbridge and only around until the end of September. Read my review and then book. www.tartanspoon.co.uk/home/review-eat-whisky-forager

Urban Fox, Edinburgh - they’re back open and they’ve had a refurb. Read how I got on with the Fox Burger www.tartanspoon.co.uk/home/eat-review-urban-fox

Pier Brasserie, Edinburgh - what a setting. Watching the sunset at Newhaven Harbour. I popped down for an early dinner and here’s how I got on www.tartanspoon.co.uk/home/review-eat-pier-brasserie

Innis and Gunn, Edinburgh - launch their 4th pub in Scotland this week. Today (Friday 21st August) Leith Taproom opens at The Shore. For those that have missed any of my socials this week, you’ll find 1m long hotdogs and a 1m beer glass as a gentle reminder of what 1m social distancing looks like.

Lidl, Scotland - Lidl is helping Scots shop smarter and save money with a special shopping list that helps families eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire week for just £40. With more Scots embracing the weekly ‘big shop’, the retailer has developed the ‘Great Taste, No Waste’ list in response to the nation’s changing shopping habits. The downloadable shopping list and meal plan includes all the ingredients needed to make seven days of breakfasts, lunches and dinners for a family of four. Some of the dishes cost as little as £0.73 per person and include tasty options like:

• Chicken enchiladas - an easy-peasy take on a Mexican classic

• Burger and French fries - an everyday family favorite  

• Chorizo and butterbean stew - a one-pot crowd pleaser

• Peri Peri chicken drumsticks - a healthy ‘fakeaway’

• Spaghetti cacio e pepe - a delicious yet simple pasta dinner 

Developed with Love Food Hate Waste Scotland, the list helps Scots buy the right amount of food; ensuring nothing goes to waste and shoppers get maximum value from their shopping. The Great Taste, No Waste weekly shopping lists and meal plans are available to download now from www.lidl.co.uk/greattastenowaste 

The Loveable Rogue, Glasgow - will open on Great Western Road (where The Hebridean use to be) this Autumn. Owners Joe Lazzerini and Amalia Colaluca will offer a flexible, relaxed and accessible pub style dining, think comfort food alongside a wide selection of wines, locally brewed ales, beers & spirits. Expect twist on family favourites including Lobster Mac'n'Cheese and a Classic Kiev with Curried Cauliflower.

New Chapter, Edinburgh - along with many other restaurants, are extending the Eat Out to Help Out scheme into September so you can continue to get a maximum of £10 pp off your bill for food, Monday -Wednesday.

Hickory, Edinburgh - Following the success of its limited edition at-home meal service during lockdown, award-winning caterers Hickory has launched a new gourmet home events delivery service, designed exclusively for small gatherings. Hickory’s innovative ‘handmade from scratch’ sharing dishes, previously only served at Scotland’s grandest castles and luxury private venues, are now available for small private events in the home.  Starting at just £33pp inclusive of nibbles, sharing mezze, tapas-style dishes and desert plus half a bottle of wine, a delivery from Hickory@Home Events is ideal for a family birthday, belated graduation celebration, intimate garden wedding or staycation treat. Hickory Head Chef Gillan has devised two menus to choose from - a Scottish-inspired or Mediterranean-inspired. The menus include the perfect nibbles to start, a selection of sharing mezze and tapas-style dishes plus desserts - all beautifully designed, neatly packaged and hand delivered. All that’s left to do is simply unwrap the gourmet delivery and lay out on the table or warm up, using the cooking instructions provided. Dietary requirements are also catered for with clear labelling to avoid contamination.

Gluten Free Oats - The market opportunity for gluten free oats drove six Aberdeenshire farmers to investigate a new supply chain that guarantees provenance, assurance and full traceability. The group recognised that, while oats are naturally gluten free, there was no oat assurance scheme that guaranteed that oat storage post-harvest and milling facilities hadn’t been contaminated with gluten from other cereal grains. The supply chain is based on blockchain principles and was managed by Paul Mayfield from SAC Consulting, the specialist agrifood and rural consutlancy business. The processing plant is on Andrew Booth's farm in Aberdeenshire. While oats are naturally gluten free, many of the processing facilities aren't and contamination is an issue, which is why this project is so important.  This is a state-of-the-art plant and we understand it to be one of only two dedicated gluten-free plants in the UK, and the only one in Scotland.

Brossies and Frickles - Bross Bagels has opened a brand new shop in Moorgarth’s Waverley Mall next to the train station called ‘Brossties and Frickles’. They will specialise in their brand new and first of a kind brossties – (Toasties a la Bross) - exclusive to Waverley and will not be available in any other shops and frickles – (fried pickles) with coffee and drinks.

The Fat Flamingo, Edinburgh- Shawarma Shack are back at the Pitt Market. New name, same great food!

Bread Meats Bread, Glasgow - is closing today (Friday 21st August) but fear not, they are only relocating to bigger grills. New premises to be announced soon.

Yo! Sushi closures - Glasgow Fort and Edinburgh Airport are among the 19 Yo Sushi restaurants across the UK to close.

Greggs Drive Thru, Glasgow - Greggs will open their first Scottish drive thru in Glasgow at the Great Western Retail Park in Drumchapel serviing customer from 5am to midnight, 7 days a week.

PRODUCTS

Benchies Nuts - started by an Edinburgh husband and wife team, Alex and Karina, who got fed up eating unhealthy nuts and so started their organic peanut company, Benchies Nuts. They have a variety of flavours including Garlic, Rosemary & Sea Salt and Cinnamon. I have to say these are completely more-ish and you’ll just not stop eating them. Their shop is on their website www.benchies.uk/

Mellis Cheese - are you dedicated to cheese? are you a cheese lover? Mellis are looking for full time cheesemonger to join their team.

Isle of Wight Tomatoes - I adore tomatoes and I’m kinda obsessed with Isle of Wight Tomatoes Instagram page. Beautiful varieties of tomatoes, beautiful photographs and nice reciptes. You can order a box of IoW Tomatoes direct from their website. www.thetomatostall.co.uk

DRINKS

Stags Breath - raising a glass to the weekend with this whisky liqueur with honey that is made by the Miekle family in Newtonmore in the heart of the Cairngorms, Scotland. I seen a recipe for making Stags Breath fudge and I feel a strong need to make this….

Isle of Raasay Gin - Congrats to Isle of Raasay Gin who has been awarded a bronze medal at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2020. The ISC medal is an internationally recognised symbol of quality, and an endorsement from a panel of experts from across the world of spirits.

Whisky Colours Festival, Speyside - this will go ahead this year and takes place 8th-12th October. There will be a warm welcome for you if you go to Speyside for the festival (some distilleries are open) but you can enjoy it at home with online whisky tastings. There won’t be any masterclasses in a hall or distillery tours but there will be whisky and Speyside in the Autumn.

Caitriona Balfe Forget Me Not gin - following in the footsteps of her co-star Sam Heughan, Caitriona Blafe will release a Scottish gin in support of the arts, helping to raise funds and awareness of the arts.

OTHER

Western Isles - anyone with a campervan or caravan planning to visit the Western Isles any time soon, needs to make sure you have your official camping sites booked in advance or don’t visit. Wild camping and roadside camping will not be tolerated by authorities.

Tobermory Open Air Producers Market - on every Monday 11am-2pm at the harbour, Tobermory Bay. Great way to support small and local.

Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas - want to be on the telly? Kirsty is looking for people to join in the Christmas programme and participate in making ‘The best gingerbread house’, ‘best decorated Christmas cake and ‘best Christmas party food’. If you are interested email christmas@raisetheroofproductions.com

That’s all for this week folks!

if you would like to be featured or know someone that should be, drop me an email.

Adele x