Ooh, saucy!
A report from Heinz popped into my inbox yesterday. It was commissioned ‘to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Heinz’. The phrase ‘the Heinz’ makes the company sound rather like The Hoff but, among the puff,...
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Here’s a tip
There is a stooshie going on at the moment as the government tries to regulate the laws regarding tipping in restaurants. The Independent has been running a campaign for a few months now to try to ensure that restaurants...
The tonic to a rainy afternoon
Imagine my bafflement and surprise when, having fought my way through the wind and rain on my way into work this morning, I found a piece in the Guardian about the perfect summer cocktails! I wonder how many of these cocktails, including...
Which whisky goes with cheese?
Whisky has been much in the news of late thanks to Whisky Month and the launch of the Diageo Claive Vidiz Collection at Edinburgh’s Scotch Whisky Experience. Comprising 3384 bottles of Scotch which he acquired...
Saints and dinners
Mike Aikman and Jason Scott, the brains behind Edinburgh’s Bramble Bar and Lounge, have just opened a new bar diner on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge. Called The Saint, it has taken over the basement premises once occupied...
Costly cutlery
Terrified of swine flu? Why not cheer yourself up with this nice wee cheery bit in the Independent about The Ten Best Cutlery Sets. Worryingly though, one of the sets is priced at £1626; a fair amount to fork out? ...
Wish List
The List’s annual Eating and Drinking Guide is published with the magazine today and it’s a must-buy for anyone who enjoys eating out in Scotland. Having worked for the magazine and co-edited the Guide in the...
Birthday celebrations and whisky galore
The Carlton George Hotel in Glasgow is celebrating its tenth decade in May and is marking the occasion by offering ten of its rooms at £10 a night on Sunday 17 May. To enter the draw for a one night stay, email your...
You say it best, when you say it with meat!
Meaty business cards look set to be the must have accessory for the wannabe Gordon Gecko in 2009 We start with 100% beef jerky, and SEAR your contact information into it with a 150 WATT CO2 LASER… As added bonus when you get...
Sticky stuff
Edinburgh’s Broughton Street is a buzzy little strip with so many eating out options that you could eat in a different place every night for a fortnight. Last weekend, Treacle joined the crowd. Formerly Baroque bar, the place...
Pasta master
On a rainy Monday morning with the papers full of stories about swine flu, it is not always easy to look on the bright side of life. However, there are little rays of sunshine piercing the gloom and two of them go by the name...
The perfect restaurant
Part of my job involves reviewing restaurants which means I’m often asked what my favourite one is. The admittedly disappointing answer is that it depends on the occasion. If it is Monday night and I can’t be bothered cooking then...
Australia eats humble pie
The new prime minister of New Zealand, John Keys, has spoken eloquently and bravely about his country’s long struggle in the face of adversity; Australia have been putting the word about that they invented the Pavlova, New...
Eat to the beat
Just under 400 years ago today, William Shakespeare shuffled off this mortal coil and went to the great theatre in the sky. He was a great one for using food in his writing and, if you are that way inclined, there is a...
We will fight them on the breakfast tray
It’s hard to decide whether to be impressed or feel slightly ill at this story about Winston Churchill’s breakfast habits. While crossing the Atlantic in 1954, the famous war time leader wasn’t too thrilled with the airline...
Mother's Ruin or Cocktail Classic?
Anyone else for a Tom Collins? I for one am delighted to see that gin is making a comeback. The spirit has finally banished it’s tawdry image of being Mother’s Little Helper, and is the staple ingredient of many classic and...