Posts by Kenny Smith
Ruth and her very own chocolate factory
For the sweet-toothed among us chocolate is an indulgent pleasure, but for chocolatier Ruth Hinks it is a form of art and a way of life. It’s difficult to think of a fate worse than being deprived of chocolate. But throughout her childhood, this was a reality for UK World Chocolate Master and daughter of…
Read MoreThe strong and steady revival of the pine marten
Playful and inquisitive, the pine marten has been making friends all over Scotland – with the exception of gamekeepers, of course. As I sit by the window, I spot an otter with cubs crossing the bay. They cruise playfully through sea the colour of pewter before disappearing behind the rocks. There is a great northern…
Read More10 Scots who were welcomed to the jungle
Scots get all over the world in the name of science. These heroic explorers risked life and limb to travel around the globe and discover the species of fl ora that make our gardens the beautiful places that they are today 1. Thomas Thomson (1817-1878) When he was only seventeen, Thomson discovered fossil mollusca on…
Read MoreInspired by nature and Orkney’s unique traditions
Orkney Distilling’s growing range of hand-crafted gins fuse the traditional with the progressive, drawing inspiration from the Norse heritage of the islands, while delivering a contemporary spectrum of botanical flavours. It’s an approach that’s unmistakably Orcadian, merging tradition with innovation and the quest for excellence. Orkney Distilling approached the creation of their new distillery and…
Read MorePicture perfect book that’s all write
Over thirty years on, photographer Angela Catlin has updated her first collection of striking black and white portraits of Scotland’s finest writers, each accompanied by examples of their work. Among the 49 snapped for posterity are writers Alasdair Gray, A L Kennedy, Ian Rankin, James Robertson and Ali Smith, poets Ron Butlin, Jen Hadfield and…
Read MoreThe whisky distillery that has Royal approval
Lochnagar Distillery was founded in 1845 by John Begg who was granted a long lease of the Lochnagar site by Abergeldie Estate. Queen Victoria first visited Balmoral, half a mile away from the distillery, in 1848. John Begg invited Prince Albert to visit, knowing how keen he is “to make himself acquainted with all things…
Read MoreBring spring into your home with houseplants
Now that spring is on its way, we’ll be starting to think of plants in our homes and gardens. It won’t be long before the grass is needing its first cut of the year, and we’ll be thinking of what our borders, flowerbeds and hanging baskets will need in 2019. But it’s just as important…
Read MoreAll the arts in ten days at one Scottish festival
The city of Perth is ready to welcome both international names and the hottest emerging Scottish talent from the world of music, arts and culture this May for the 48th Perth Festival of the Arts. As one of Scotland’s leading independent arts festivals, Perth Festival of the Arts continues to diversify around its long-standing classical…
Read MoreIt’s a stunning home on the banks of Scots river
A beautiful lodge house on the banks of the River Don in the heart of Aberdeen is now on the market. Presented by Strutt and Parker, Glenseaton Lodge, on Kettocks Mill Road in Aberdeen, dates back to the 14th century when it was originally a two-roomed miller’s cottage. John Forbes White, a patron of several…
Read MoreGive your mum a bottle to mark Mother’s Day
Edinburgh-based distillery, The Old Curiosity, is spoiling mums this Mother’s Day, by adding a ‘sprinkle of love’ to one of its most popular colour-changing gins. For those looking to gift gin to mum on Mother’s Day, until the end of March, every 50cl bottle of the distiller’s Apothecary Rose gin will come with a free…
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