WHATS IN SEASON IN : JANUARY

January is a time when many of us try to eat a little healthier or at least try! We’re also heading into the heart of winter in Scotland so hearty soups and stews are a plenty - thank goodness as the root veg is in abundance. It’s also Veganuary, giving us all an excuse to eat more vegetables.

It’s also time to celebrate our great Bard - Rabbie Burns. Time to get your Scots on, recite a verse or two, don the kilt and eat yourself some haggis!

 VEGETABLES

Try my Mushroom and Tarragon Soup, recipe HERE or if you are in need of a full on Scottish food hit, order Ghillie Basan’s wonderful new cookbook, A Taste of the Highlands HERE.

You also might be in need of something very sexy on which to serve up your vegetarian/vegan platters - why not try Just Slate, for gorgeous tableware.

FRUIT

HERBS AND NUTS

BURNS NIGHT SUPPER

Typical Menu : Starter of Scottish Salmon with some Heather Honey, Mains of Haggis Neeps and Tatties and dessert of Cranachan.

You’ll need some beautiful Scottish Salmon, good haggis, potatoes and neeps (turnips); a thick whisky sauce, a dram or two of a great whisky,

raspberries, oats and cream. For your haggis and vegetarian haggis try these Scottish producers (most of their products are available from major supermarkets)

MEATS

TO TOAST IN THE BARD

You’ll need some seriously good whisky for your Address to the Haggis, the Toast to the Haggis, Your Dinner, The Immortal Memory,

Toast to the Lassies, the Reply to the Lassies and Auld Lang Syne - so basically you’ll be drinking whisky all night!

Here are my TOP CHOICES OF WHISKY for Burns Night

Starter - go with Old Pulteney 12yo or Balblair 12yo.

Main - go with an Ardbeg Wee Beastie or Johnnie Walker Celebratory Blend

Dessert - go with The Glenlivet Caribbean Cask or the Tomatin Legacy

Other whiskies I’d recommend for a Burns Supper are:

Islay - Kilchoman 100% Islay

Highlands - Highland Park Viking Tribe

Speyside - Glen Moray Sherry Cask and The Balvenie Doublewood 12yo

Lowland - Bladnoch 14yo



‘Freedom and whisky gang thegither, Tak aff your dram!’ ~ Rabbie Burns

FISH