Picnicking on the Harry Potter Train

Holidaying in Scotland can be unpredictable so when me and my friend Grainne finally booked the trip on the Harry Potter Train (otherwise known as the Jacobite Train) that we’d been planning since university, I decided not to leave things to chance and ordered a spectacular picnic lunch from the lovely Wendy at Inside Out Chef.

From the off, Wendy knew exactly what I was after: nothing short of a banquet in picnic form!  Given the news that one of the diners was pescetarian, one didn’t like sponge cakes and everyone loved cheese, Wendy came up with the menu below.  She even lent us a coolbox which we could plug into the car to keep everything cool on our journey to Fort William and an impressively pristine vintage picnic set to use if the weather allowed.

Harry potter train picnic Menu

Tuna, carrot and balsamic vinegar sandwiches

Red onion tart

Cheese platter with 4 different Scottish cheeses, crackers, homemade banana chutney and fruit

Cheese and dill scones

Strawberry crumb cakes

Strawberries with chocolate dip

The gorgeous vintage picnic set that we borrowed from Wendy for the weekend. Unfortunately, because of the rain and the cold we didn’t get a chance to use it.

Unfortunately in the haze of rain and excitement, I forgot to take photos of the delights of the picnic but I can assure you that Wendy had thought of everything: knives for the scones, forks for the strawberries and chocolate, napkins, printed menus, tea and coffee, labels on everything… If I had prepared the picnic, we’d have been lucky to get enough food for everyone, nevermind cutlery and napkins!

If only we could dine like this every day!

A wee extra: a selection of scones and banana loaf to keep us going on the journey.

Finally the time came to tuck in! The weather may have been shocking but we set up camp on a table in the train and enjoyed a lunch fit for a king!

Finished in style: fresh strawberries and chocolate dip!

And finally, here she is: the Harry Potter Train (aka The Jacobite). What a beauty!

Unfortunately, this was our view from the train for most of the journey. The picnic certainly made up for it!

A huge thank you to Wendy for preparing our picnic. It made all the difference to a dull and dreich day in Fort William!

Wendy also provides afternoon teas, freezer fills and luxury hampers.  For more information check out her website www.insideoutchef.com.

Lunch at The Three Chimneys

I pity the restaurant that comes after my visit to the Three Chimneys, I really do. It will be a truly tough act to follow.

Having never dined at such a well-renowned restaurant before, I was unsure what to expect. Reports from my younger brother on the service included utter astonishment (and a mischievous joy) at the fact that the staff, without being in the room to witness your exit, would rush to fold your napkin and place it neatly on the table should you happen to leave your seat to go to the bathroom.

My parents couldn’t deny the quality of the food during their recent visit but described the grouse in less than admirable terms.  My dad however, who rarely offers judgement on anything he eats, praised the whisky parfait as “the best dessert ever”.

I was intrigued to say the least.

Situated on the shores of Lock Dunvegan in the north of the Isle of Skye, the journey to your table is almost as spectacular as the meal itself – providing you’re not the poor soul gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles on the single track road while peering desperately around the next bend to see if that was in fact a large caravan or a rogue sheep you saw approaching.

Excited much?

Walking into the restaurant, a modest 2 storey whitewashed building which at one time served as the village shop, is, as my brother described, like walking into someone’s living room: compact, cosy but by no means cramped. Retaining the character of the old building, the ceilings are low, the wooden beams overhead still visible but the tables are adequately spaced to ensure that you don’t felt like you’re sitting in someone else’s lap.

The service was at times alarmingly attentive to the point where me and my fellow diners had to test it out by each going to the bathroom to see which of us would be lucky enough to have our napkin folded in our absence. None of us did.

But enough of the prelude, bring on the main act: the food! Me and my other half were lucky enough to find something on the menu that we both adored. Our two dining companions were less lucky but opted for the options they were most likely to enjoy and between us we had most of the menu choices covered. There is however probably little that I can say about the food at the Three Chimneys that hasn’t already been said. As expected, everything was perfectly flavoured, perfectly balanced and perfectly presented.

My starter: Andy Race smoked haddie and ham terrine with Brunigill Farm quail egg, chicory, syboes, apple, orange and nasturtium

Starter no. 2: Dunsyre blue cheese, nectarine and pumpkin seed salad with mustard leaves, shallot and thyme relish

Starter no. 3: Individual Blackface lambs haggis with neeps, greens and peaty gravy

My main: pan fried Mallaig hake with new potatoes, local summer vegetables, razor clam and tarragon butter

Main no. 2: pot roast crown of Perthshire wood pigeon with tattie scones, Ayrshire bacon, Highland chanterelles, young leeks, Glendrynoch watercress

Main no. 3: Baked beetroot, pearl barley and broad beans with Totaig kale and horseradish cream

Dessert: chocolate and blaeberry mousse

if you are on Skye you have to try the Three Chimneys.

With superior food, excellent service and surroundings like few other restaurants, it is simply not to be missed.

Baking course – Tennent’s Training Academy, Glasgow

Chef John Quinn

With little information about the course on the website, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my baking course at Tennent’s Training Academy.  I was lucky enough to have had a peek at a couple of cookery demonstrations by chef John Quinn at the 50 Plus Show in Glasgow in November last year (I was exhibiting, not attending!) and had chatted to the staff on the stand about the courses they offered so I was delighted when I found vouchers for the Academy in my Christmas stocking.

As a home cook and baker (who may want to branch out into something more professional in the years to come!) who is eager to learn as much as possible, one of John’s mottoes stuck with me:

“Become a cook before you become an artist”

Well said! I always have an idea of what I want my cakes to look like but if they happen to be slightly lopsided, a tad caramelised or a wee bit different to my expectations, as long as they taste amazing and bring a smile to the faces of everyone eating them, I’m happy!  It’s for exactly this reason that John’s courses highlight three things: flavour, flavour and flavour.  It’s all well and good attending a course and learning how to create gourmet food with all the gadgets of a professional kitchen if you then face the frustration of not being able to recreate the same product at home.  With that introduction, the day got off to a very good start!

I must admit that I spent the first 15 minutes just looking around me but unfortunately have very few photos to show. On display around the kitchen are not only the fresh, vibrant ingredients used for the more savoury courses but also an array of state-of-the-art kitchen gadgets including Kitchen Aid mixers, Magimix food processors and a hand blender that looked big enough (and powerful enough) to power a small boat.   I was lucky enough to be the only person taking part in the course and as such had very little time to stop and capture the moment.

Shortbread and raspberry tower between two lemon ricotta cakes topped with homemade lemon curd and fruit

The concept for the day was an Afternoon Tea in Miniature with classic recipes perfected and reduced in size. On the menu were:

Shortbread
Foccacia (which was made into goats cheese, tomato and basil sandwiches)
Croissants
Parmesan pastry (for mini chicken pies – by far my favourite thing we made!)
Lemon ricotta cakes
Lemon curd
Chocolate fudge cakes
Lemon meringue pies
Meringues
Brandy snaps

Meringue with a brandy snap, chocolate croissant, lemon ricotta cake and fruit filled brandy snap basket

John had certainly set up a challenge to get through all of this in just 7 hours but we succeeded! My favourites from the day were undoubtedly the mini chicken pies with parmesan pastry and the lemon ricotta cakes.  I can’t describe how unbelievably tempting the parmesan pastry smelled as it was cooking and all the way home as it sat next to me on the bus.  As my first attempt at making pastry, I can guarantee that I’ll be making this one again.  The lemon ricotta cakes are equally delicious. Despite having a distinctly heavy feel, they are in fact gloriously light and very moreish!

Goat's cheese and tomato foccacia, mini chicken pie, lemon meringue pie and a brandy snap

A very happy pupil!

I was given all of the recipes that we made on the day to take home and hopefully recreate in equal splendour but I won’t be sharing them on here.  If you’re keen to know how to make the dishes above, you’ll just have to go and see John yourself!

As well as their trade courses and more intense leisure courses, the Academy has also branched out into a more accessible form of cookery courses, including Cook, Curry and Comedy, Cupcakes and Cocktails and Saturday Night is Steak Night.  These shorter courses combine creating your own culinary masterpiece with having a few drinks with friends and even heading out on the town.  Perfect for those who are looking for a different night out.

Afternoon tea at Hettie’s Tea Room, Pitlochry

This weekend I’ve been in Pitlochry enjoying some time with my other half to celebrate our wedding anniversary so I couldn’t resist the discount deal that popped into my inbox for afternoon tea at Hettie’s Tea Room in Pitlochry.  Given our often limited budget it’s unusual that we would indulge in the luxury of an afternoon tea so this was the perfect opportunity for a break from the norm.

The tea room itself is a wonderfully brightly coloured shop front in the centre of Pitlochry with huge slabs of cake in each of the windows to entice passing hungry tourists. The turquoise and pink colour scheme continues inside where the modest shop front opens into a large airy space ideal for accommodating coach parties in the height of summer. Unfortunately, the table that was reserved for us was slightly cramped when laden with two cups of tea, teapots, plates, cutlery, an egg timer and a cake stand. It was however kitted out with charmingly mismatched vintage-style cups, saucers and crockery – appreciated by me but not so much by my other half who likes everything to match exactly.  Despite being rushed off their feet (no doubt due to the amazing discount deal that many others had also found hard to resist), the staff were still able to give us a warm greeting and attentive service.

Having not been for afternoon tea very often I can’t offer any comparisons on the food itself. I can say however that the selection of food available was more than adequate to bring on a suitable sugar high for me and my other half! In an attempt to regulate our sugar levels, we first tucked into the ham and tomato and egg sandwiches. Not the most sophisticated of choices but they certainly filled a hole. And when we could resist no longer we finally dived head first into the cakes. First on the hit list was the magnificently large fruit score which adorned the top tier of our stand. Topped with cream and jam, it was the perfect scone: not too dry, not too moist with just the right amount of butter and fruit.

Next came a blur of meringues, lemon drizzle cake, chocolate brownies and caramel shortcake. Fit to burst, there were certainly no complaints about any of them.  When we finally managed to prize ourselves off the seats and waddle towards our hotel, we were pleasantly surprised by the two sample packets of Hettie’s tea blends that we were presented with.  I had no idea that they were included in the deal but they made a very welcome souvenir from a wonderful indulgence.

By the looks of it though, we’ll have to buy ourselves an egg timer before we’re able to brew either of them properly!

Wagamama: my kind of fast food

I was lucky enough to discover Wagamama’s way back in 2004 while on a visit to Dublin. I was so enamoured with this new oriental-style dining (and therefore refused to shut up about it) that I was given the Wagamama cookbook for my birthday that year. I have never attempted anything from the book as the list of ingredients required for each recipe baffles me but it has never stopped me wanting to.

Since then however I have heard very little about Wagamama’s. I began to think I had imagined the amazing culinary experience I had had in Dublin all those years ago.  Until a couple of months ago when a Wagamama seemed to pop up all of a sudden in Edinburgh… and then in Livingston. (To be fair, they could have been there for the last year and I had just been oblivious to them!)

Because I’ve been suffering from a stinking cold lately which has rendered my tastebuds more or less useless, me and my other half decided that Wagamama’s might be a good bet for a post-payday lunch yesterday.  After all, they’re bound to have something spicy enough to cut through a blocked nose! After deciphering the menu, I was finally able to confirm that I had not imagined my experiences in Wagamama in Dublin.

I was first intrigued by the apple juice that I had ordered. It was cloudier than I have ever seen an apple juice and was disconcertingly warm when I put the glass to my lips. The taste however exceeded every expectation I had of the tepid, cloudy looking beverage.  Not only could I taste fresh apple, I could taste the skins, the flesh and the juice individually. Here was a glass filled with what seemed to be a whole crushed apple – I was so gobsmacked I had to get my other half to try it to make sure my cold hadn’t completely screwed up my palate. He confirmed my joy!

Getting back to the reason why we were in the restaurant, I ordered kare lomen with prawns (noodles in a spicy coconut soup with prawns) while my beardy dining partner (he’s finishing his PhD thesis and is not shaving until it’s handed in!) chose teriyaki chicken donburi (chicken glazed with teriyaki sauce served with sticky rice).  We also ordered a side of duck gyoza (deep fried duck dumplings) which conveniently arrived first.

Kare lomen with prawns

The food followed on exactly as the apple juice had left off – with an unrivalled freshness.  My prawns were garnished with fresh coriander, bean sprouts and cucumber which all helped to calm the punchy spiciness of the coconut and lemongrass soup beneath them.  The teriyaki chicken came with carrots, pea shoots and spring onions which all tasted as if they’d been lifted from my grandmother-in-law’s garden that morning! We were definitely not going to be lacking in our 5-a-day.

Teriyaki chicken donburi

Unfortunately, we were both unable to clear our plates. Not because of any problems with the food but simply because we had both been attempting to eat with chopsticks and by the time we were three quarters of the way through our dishes, we had actually had enough to eat.  Instead of forcing an entire portion of food down our necks – as is customary at many UK fast food restaurants – we had been obliged to take our time and savour what we were eating.

I’m not a fan of typical americanised fast food restaurants like McDonalds, even as a guilty pleasure.  Wagamama however has fast food down to a tee.  The food is freshly picked – but perhaps not from my grandmother-in-law’s garden – and freshly cooked – each dish is brought out as it’s cooked so that everyone at the table ends up getting theirs at different times.  I probably still won’t try anything out of the Wagamama cookbook but now at least I can go back to restaurant itself whenever I get a craving!

My US food highlight – the Dump

I have not yet shared my favourite food experience from my recent US trip: the dump.  I know it may not sound particularly appetising but it describes the Iowa phenomenon that was served as part of the rehearsal dinner prior to a friend’s wedding in Minnesota.

The dump starts in the garden on a warm mid-west summer’s evening with the assembly and ignition of two large turkey fryers.

Turkey fryers ready to go

Both fryers are filled with water and the freshest ingredients around: sweet peppers in a variety of colours, button mushrooms, red-skinned potatoes, raw king prawns (shrimp), chopped sausage and Creole seasoning. The pots are then carefully brought to the boil and closely monitored for the next 30 minutes.

The cooking begins!

With the food preparation complete and the cooking underway, the table has to be set for dinner.  First, the outdoor tables are covered in several layers of newspaper before being sealed with a covering layer of tin foil.  Voila! The table is set.

After around half an hour, the waiting is over.  The turkey fryer’s inner basket is lifted from the fryer to reveal a selection of brightly coloured perfectly cooked Iowa and Minnesota produce.

Trying to spoon the food into a basket

As the crowd gathers, freshly cooked Iowa corn is spread across the tin foil-clad tables and the topped with the food from the fryers.

Serving begins

The feast is finished with a mixture of melted butter and Creole seasoning.

Finishing touches

Dinner is served!  No crockery or cutlery is needed.  Just dive in and enjoy (although you may need a napkin or two!).

Dinner is served!

On arrival at the bride’s home, I was expecting a barbecue so I was astounded when the turkey fryers appeared.  I have never witnessed anything so simple yet so tasty and so much fun!  The one ingredient that stood out for me was the sweet corn.  Far sweeter than any corn that’s widely available in the UK, it’s quite obvious that Iowa, the largest producer of corn in the US, has the sense to keep the good stuff for themselves and export the rest to us naive Europeans.

Everyone I have encountered since my return from the States has been freely regaled with my stories of the dump.   I cannot thank the groom’s family enough for introducing me to this impressive phenomenon.  I’m sure at some point – on one of our very few warm, summer evenings in Scotland – I will give in to the urge to recreate the party.  I am however convinced that it will never live up to my initial dump experience.

A few of my favourite things from the US of A

I have had the pleasure of travelling around the United States for the last two weeks visiting friends.  In the process, I had the opportunity to sample some amazing foods.  I’ll br writing a lot more about my experiences over the next couple of weeks but here are my highlights:

From Boston:

Fresh Lemonade

Clam chowder at the Union Oyster House, Boston

Maine lobster and sweetcorn

Red velvet cupcakes

From North Carolina:

Burgers with sweet potato fries

Cupcakes (and cocktails!) from Sugarland, Chapel Hill

From Minnesota:

A very impressive piece of pork at a friend's wedding

Kettle corn

And general delights:

Jolly Ranchers

And…

The illustrious chocolate-covered pretzels!

Pampered Chef: kitchen utensil porn!

Last night I had my first experience of a modern-day Tupperware party: a Pampered Chef party.  It’s a genius concept that taps into the current fashion for cooking and kitchen gadgets.  In the usual way, a group of friends and acquaintances gather to share a drink and for one night only they are treated to their own private cooking demonstration.

Jacqui demonstrating stoneware

The products are incredibly varied, easy to use and of course very pretty!  If you’re not keen on baking up a storm or creating culinary masterpieces, you must inevitably have to cook your dinner every once in a while and who doesn’t want to make that process quicker and easier?

On the menu last night were Mexican chicken ring and mini banoffee pies.  I had a nibble at both of the dishes and was very impressed.  The chicken ring was spicy but satisfying.  A good family meal.  Despite memories of soggy croissants from my childhood (the pastry is made from ready-made croissant dough), it was crispy and held its shape well.  The banoffee pies are not really my kind of desert but they certainly were easy to make and very tasty.  I’d be proud to serve them at any dinner party.

Mini banoffee pies and Mexican chicken ring

The first gadget to be demonstrated was the chopper which I must admit I probably end up buying at some point.  Vegetables, chocolate, herbs, nuts or anything else you can think of are placed on a chopping board underneath the gadget, the plunger is pressed (or rather hammered) a couple of times and voila! Chopped!  I particularly like the idea of chopping nuts – for a baklava – or digestives – for a cheesecake base.

Pampered chef food chopper

The only negative to this item is that it doesn’t do away with the use of a knife completely (and therefore save on washing up!).  Vegetables, or whatever you choose to chop, have to be cut to fit inside the chopper.  In my tiny kitchen, these factors make a lot of difference.  It will however inevitably end up in my collection if I attend another party because I have heard nothing but rave reviews from friends who have already purchased one.

I was also educated in the ways of stoneware last night.  I am aware of the advantages to using stoneware: equal heat distribution, moisture is locked in et cetera but I am yet to be convinced.  My main reason for this is that I have never been able to clean the stoneware I have.  Last night however I learned that stoneware “weathers” and therefore won’t ever look like new once used.  This is news to me but good news nevertheless.

Pampered Chef stoneware

In the end, I refrained from spending my entire wages on new kitchen utensils.  I limited myself instead to a few items which we actually need: a new whisk, a zester, a kitchen tidy (to help store all my future Pampered Chef purchases!) and some corn on the cob holders.

Pampered chef corn on the cob holder

Ok, so I maybe didn’t need the last item but by buying them I did qualify for a free gift of a pizza slicer.  I’m such a sucker for a bit of kitchen utensil porn after a few glasses of wine!

A cute twist on cupcake boxes

I’m absolutely in love with these at the moment:

They’d be ideal for birthdays and any other little cupcake-based presents.  I’ve also noticed similar items are available (such as the Flower Shop below) but I’m still a fan of the slightly more vibrant Patisserie version.

I spotted them at Taste of Edinburgh at the start of July but in a moment of stupidity, I didn’t buy any to take home. I’ve managed to lay my hands on a few but it seems that they are becoming increasingly difficult to source.  If anyone knows where I can find them, please let me know!

Two weeks, two countries, two brunches

Last Sunday I was in Berlin enjoy this feast for Brunch:
It included salamis, cured hams, cheeses, pates, olives, roast peppers, salad, various dips and sauces, pears, apples, red currants, two types of melon and grapes.  It was a veritable feast and an amazing way to spend a lazy Sunday morning.

Inspired by this, we decided to create our own Scottish inspired brunch this weekend.

This was my offering: Scottish smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and a bagel.

And my husband’s was slightly less healthy but nevertheless still distinctly Scottish: back bacon, Stornoway black pudding, toast and lashings of maple syrup (admittedly not Scottish!).

A perfect way to start a Sunday, I think you’ll agree!