The time for spice

There’s no denying it, our culinary horizons have broadened. With the streets of Scotland awash with international eateries, we’ve come a long way since the days when mince and tatties were the most exotic thing on offer. Nowadays, we take delight in offerings from further afield, with a tendency to use spice to curb those hunger pangs, so much so, that the humble curry is voted time and time again Britain’s favourite dish. It was this love for curry that encouraged Darren Mollan to set up Chilli Papas, a company that takes all the hard work out of making curry, by offering oil free, fresh spice blends, making it easier than ever before to make a delicious family meal. I had a chat with Darren about Chilli Papas and its success within the Kingdom of Fife.

How long has Chilli Papas been a fixture in the local community?

We started the business in February of this year. Considering we’ve only been established a short time, the response from retailers across Fife has been overwhelming.

What inspired you to start Chilli Papas?

Last Christmas, when things were at their most frantic, my sister-in-law wanted to cook a curry. As everybody knows, time really is not of the essence around Christmas and New Year, so my wife Lynn suggested blending the spices and including cooking instructions. It was a resounding success, and prompted us to start the business.

How have the Fife community reacted to Chilli Papas?

The support for the oil free curry mixes has been particularly impressive. The local community have really embraced our products, which has resulted in us building up a large bank of loyal customers. We have also been very well supported by regional retailers throughout Fife.

What were your initial thoughts upon hearing about the Crail Food Festival?

As a local resident, I don’t think there is enough of a celebration centred around Fife produce. The Crail Food Festival is exciting and very worthwhile. I really do look forward to it becoming a regular fixture in the foodie calendar.

Why did you decide to become involved in the Crail Food Festival?

It’s such a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of the Chilli Papas brand. We’re also very excited to be involved in something that will get Fife the coverage it deserves for its local produce. I really can see this festival being a key fixture for years to come.

What makes Fife produce so special?

Here in Fife, we have one of the most unspoiled landscapes in the world, which allows us to produce goods of the highest quality. From seafood, meat and poultry, to the freshest fruits and vegetables, Fife producers are renowned for their quality. With a landscape so rich in opportunity, it’s easy to see why Fife has upheld its reputation as a world class food producer.

Cochrane Cottage

How much do we really know about the foods we eat? This was something that troubled Carol-Anne Doyle, owner and co-founder of Cochrane Cottage, an artisan producer of flavoured balsamic dressings and fat free vinegars. This train of thought prompted her and her husband to establish Cochrane Cottage in November 2009. Since then, their commitment to using locally sourced produce in their range of delicious condiments has resulted in a business that has gone from strength to strength. I had a chat with Carol-Anne about Cochrane Cottage and how they have developed over the years.

How did you become involved in the Crail Food Festival?

My husband Kevin met one of the organisers of the festival at another food event. They got chatting about the festival and its aims, and we were really excited to hear that someone was being proactive in their approach to promoting local produce. We knew that this was something that we wanted to become involved in, so we got in touch with the organisers and asked if we could be part of the festival.

Cochrane Cottage has gone from strength to strength since it launched in 2009. What do you attribute to the success of your business?

Our customers are definitely attracted to the fact that they recognise all of the ingredients on our labels. People want to know what they are eating and feeding their families, and with our products, they have the guarantee that they are produced locally using quality ingredients. Furthermore, we grasp every opportunity that comes our way. We try not to say no to even the smallest event, as everything should be considered a development opportunity. At the moment, our growth has far outweighed our initial expectations. We always had faith in the quality of our products, but to have the business grow to a point where we now have our own outlet shop in the Silverburn shopping centre in Glasgow is truly amazing.

What promotional tools did you use to raise awareness of the Cochrane Cottage venture?

We made good use of modern technology, ensuring that we had a media profile to offset our aims. We also participated in a number of tasting sessions, took our products to sell at events, and as I said before, we rarely missed a networking opportunity.

In your opinion, what more can be done to help support local businesses?

Good feedback is invaluable. Providing a quality product itself is not enough. You need to get people talking about it and recommending it to extend your customer base. This approach encourages people to buy local, which is what we are really striving for.

 What makes Fife produce so special?

Nothing is better than local produce. It’s fresh, doesn’t taste mass produced and you know where it comes from. This alone gives local produce the edge over anything you could buy in the supermarket.

Castle Garden Flowers

Over recent years, there have been general concerns over a lack of community spirit, with the media urging us to believe that this sense of community has now been shelved, and people are far more detached from their neighbours. In the Fife community, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and having been fortunate enough to work with the lovely people that are participating in the Crail Food Festival, I feel privileged to have seen how their passion for local produce has encouraged them to unite. This has very much been the case with the relationship that has developed between Castle Garden Flowers and Ardross Farm. A venture that has been in place since March of this year, Sue Rabjohns and Karen Wilkieson talked nicely to Fiona and Nikki Pollock of Ardross Farm, who kindly allowed them to grow salads, flowers and herbs in the Ardross Farm garden, which they then sell in the farm shop. I had a chat with Sue about Castle Garden Flowers and their involvement in the Crail Food Festival.

Castle Garden Flowers has been with us since March of this year, what made you undertake this venture?

The idea came to us around a year ago. Karen and I are both keen gardeners with a particular passion for herbaceous perennials. We were in the process of looking for a suitable site to establish a nursery, when Karen became aware of the possibility of setting this up within the beautiful walled garden at Ardross Farm. This encouraged us to have a chat with Fiona and Nikki at the farm and set up Castle Garden Flowers.

What sort of produce do you sell at the Ardross Farm Shop?

We sell flowers, herbs and salad leaves. Our pot grown herbs are proving popular, and we are looking to extend the range over the coming weeks. We have also really enjoyed the challenge of ensuring we grow enough salad leaves to supply the farm shop on a daily basis.

How did you become involved in the Crail Food Festival?

We attended the Fife Diet East launch event at Kellie Castle earlier this year, where there was already a buzz around the festival. We knew that there would be many like minded locals and producers involved, which was an added incentive. Teamed with the fact that Karen and I are passionate about both eating and supporting locally grown produce, we were happy to give up our time and promote the cause in any way we could.

In your opinion, what makes Fife produce so special?

The East Neuk is blessed with a fantastic range of produce. This should be more readily acknowledged, and people should be encouraged to take greater advantage of it. With concerns over climate change and the rise in petrol prices, we have a greater responsibility than ever before to both think and shop local.

Ardross Farm

There are exciting times ahead in Crail as their first official food festival draws ever closer. With many local producers now confirmed to be taking part in the festival, I was fortunate enough to chat with Nikki from Ardross Farm, whose family firmly do their bit to promote local produce. Having farmed in the local community for over a century, the Ardross family saw the benefits in opening up the fruits of their labour to the hungry folk of Fife. Their venture has proved hugely successful, culminating in a broad customer base, which spans across Fife and beyond. The business has retained its family values, with Nikki now managing the farm shop. Despite the till constantly ringing, Nikki still found time to answer a few of my questions about Ardross Farm shop, and the part they are soon to play in the Crail Food Festival.

How did you become involved in the Crail Food Festival?

I met Graham at a meeting, and at that point, the festival itself was in the early planning stages. We were asked to contribute to this, due to the positive relationship we have with a number of local food producers, and being passionate about local produce, we were more than happy to help.

What were your initial thoughts when you were asked to become involved?

From the outset, I was really excited about the festival. I was aware of how much work would be involved in piloting it, but with the wealth of produce that Fife has to offer, I knew with the right people on board it could be a success. At Ardross Farm, we are ready and willing to fly the flag for anything that helps to put the East Neuk of Fife on the map.

How much of the produce you sell is produced on Ardross Farm?

Around 40% of our sales can be attributed to home grown produce. The majority of the remaining 60% comes from the sale of local products.

Why do you think people are more inclined to shop in supermarkets, rather than make better use of local amenities?

Some people don’t have the option. There has been a decline in local shops recently, and the ones that do still exist don’t have the same buying power as supermarkets. They have the ability to bulk buy, which in turn drives down the price for the customer. For other people it’s a case of convenience. That’s why we were so keen to be involved in the Crail Food Festival, as it’s a great opportunity to show people how spectacular the local produce is, with the added benefit that it’s right on their doorstep.

Finally, what makes Fife produce so special?

We have a melting pot of local produce, the key being in the word local. Why opt for food that has travelled land and sea, when we have a landscape rich in opportunity. With spectacular sea food, fresh vegetables, some of the best barley the world has to offer, not to mention the lamb and venison. It’s the quality of this produce that’s igniting interest in Fife’s food. And when you need a break from your own kitchen, visit one of the many tearooms and restaurants in the local area that are proud users of the local bounty. Being surrounded by all of this should surely help to cement Fife as one of the true champions of fresh, local produce.

Speckled chocolate muffins

As a savoury fiend who turns to wine, cheese and olives in my hour of need, chocolate tends to fall off my foodie radar from time to time. However, I'm not completely inept to the charms of the brown gooey stuff, as the half eaten jar of Nutella in my kitchen cupboard will tell you. I do enjoy chocolate, but there's one thing I find just a little too rich on the chocolate front, and that's the double chocolate muffin. I always struggle to finish one, and as much as I enjoy the moist, chocolatey goodness, I felt that I had to look for an alternative that would result in just a trail of crumbs across the plate.

Speckled chocolate muffins were born of necessity, designed to give me enough of an energy kick to get me through the afternoon, without feeling like I needed forty winks afterwards. Their pale mochaesque colour denotes that of a wholemeal muffin, already relieving some of the guilt you may otherwise feel with the double chocolate variety. On the off chance you're beginning to think that this muffin's a bit wimpy, two tablespoons of Nutella thrown into the mix should fill you with faith that this chocolatey treat packs the proverbial punch. Enjoy!

Without this stuff, we wouldn't have any muffins:

2 tablespoons Nutella

50g chocolate chips

2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

100g caster sugar

60g rolled oats

275ml milk

280g plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

1 egg lightly beaten

100g melted butter

Now for the fun bit:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease or line a muffin tray. This mixture should give you 10 muffins.

2. In large bowl, throw in the oats and cover them with the milk and vanilla extract. Stir the mixture, then leave the oats to soak up the flavour of the milk and vanilla.

3. Whilst the oats are soaking, mix the baking powder, flour, salt and sugar in a separate bowl. Now add the chocolate chips and give it a good stir.

4. Add your butter and egg to the oat mixture, followed by two tablespoons of Nutella. Stir the mixture well before combining it with the dry ingredients. Mix the two together until just combined.

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes. When you take them out the oven, they will smell delicious, but try and resist the urge to eat them, until they have cooled in the tin. Around ten minutes should do the trick. Then turn onto a wire rack and enjoy!

Cakies

Whether or not the term 'Cakie' has been previously coined, it was the only suitable adjective I could think of to describe the happenings at Fredericks Coffee House yesterday evening. Comparatively, this event was reminiscent of a convention, perhaps not that far removed from what I'd imagine a Star Wars convention to comprise, lots of over excited people, tongues at the ready with nothing but praise for their favourite topic. Apply this principle to 30 cake lovers, and you should be able to get a feel for last night's event. If only you could actually have tasted the cake!

Upon hearing all us Edinburgh cakies calling, Lynn boarded the train from Leeds, bound to try and test the talents of us bakers that live north of the border. Having firmly established The Clandestine Cake Club, Lynn is a cake expert, who put all her expertise into organising this wonderful event. And weren't the cakes a thing to behold!

Not one for letting food defeat me, my approach to this evening was simple, everything in moderation. I failed to have a whole slice of anything, but a sliver goes a long way, meaning that I got to sample twice the number of cakes I originally anticipated. There were so many combinations, and since I didn't take any individual photos, I won't take you through them all, but I have to say I was bowled over by the quality. The cakes generally were outstanding, and each one more delicious than the next.

My contribution to the evening was my chocolate and hazelnut cake. A rich Italian cake, which unfortunately looked rather modest amongst the more grand baking gestures. But the lovely comments from my cake tasters were touching, and left me feeling proud of my more plain looking contribution.

Last night didn't happen all on its own. There were so many people involved in making it the event that it was, so firm hats off to Lynn, Fredericks and of course the bakers. My mouth's watering and tummy rumbling for the next Edinburgh Clandestine Cake Club.

Treacle Review

This review previously appeared on Edinburgh Spotlight.

It seems that some people get everything right. In the case of the good folks that brought us Hamilton’s in Stockbridge, it comes in the form of Treacle. Situated at the top of Edinburgh’s fashionable Broughton Street, Treacle has become a firm favourite with locals, lured by their ample drinks list, good food, and an atmosphere other Edinburgh bars wish could be bottled and sold.

Upon entering Treacle, it’s hard not to feel trendy. With the exposed brick walls and pop art feature areas, the decor is reminiscent of Hamilton’s, but with a more intimate feel. The menu is varied and affordable, with starters, mains and desserts ranging from £6 to £10.  Incorporating food from the length and breadth of the globe, you would be hard pressed not to find something to satisfy your appetite. I opted for the organic steak and ale pie with home cut chips (£8.95), whilst my dining partner veered to the other side of the continent with his choice of crispy chilli beef noodles with honey and sesame (£8.95). The first thing that struck me as our plates arrived was the unique presentation of our food. The steak pie was served on a wooden board, with the chips oh so coolly presented in a stainless steel pail. They say you eat with your eyes, and this theme was to continue as my dining partners noodles were served in a quirky New York style box, looking just as good as they do on the TV.

As we dived in, our lack of conversation wasn’t the result of nothing to say, but rather due to sheer enjoyment of the wonderful food. My steak pie had a glorious crust, and oozed with sumptuous pieces of steak in a deliciously rich gravy. The chips were thick cut and crispy, the perfect accompaniment to the pie. I washed this down with a large glass of Pinot Grigio Rosé
wine (£4.90) which was sharp and refreshing.

My partner’s noodles were strewn with soft slices of battered beef, before being dressed with sesame seeds and soy sauce. The noodles were perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of chilli to accompany the dish. Add to this a pint of Staropramen (£3.80) and I had one very happy dining partner.

I unfortunately don’t have an ever expanding stomach and was too full for dessert. However, my dining partner’s pudding had me loosening off my trousers and asking for another spoon. Belgian waffles, lathered in nutella, served with ice cream and strawberries. This desert was truly a thing to behold and even by our greedy standards, it was polished off in record time.

After leaving a very happy, if not gluttonous customer, I couldn’t help but think that this establishment really has got everything right. Good food, a great selection of drinks and excellent customer service, I think there is very little more you could ask for.