Posts by Peter Ranscombe
Queen’s Christmas present from Banffshire dancers
A BOOK and CD to commemorate 90 years of the Banffshire branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society has been despatched to Windsor Castle as a festive gift for the Queen. More than 50 Banffshire dancers had an audience with the Queen when they were invited to dance at Balmoral Castle when the group…
Read MoreHospitality launches ‘Taste Edinburgh’ campaign
CHEFS have launched a campaign to encourage customers to buy gift vouchers for their favourite Edinburgh restaurants, bars, and hotels this Christmas. The launch of the “Taste Edinburgh” scheme was attended by Michelin-starred cooks Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart. Other restaurateurs taking part in the campaign include: James Thomson from Prestonfield House Hotel and The…
Read MoreWine to Dine – January 2021 – The Seafood Shack
Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe reels in five bottles that will make a splash with seafood. SEAFOOD is always one of the most exciting “star ingredients” when it turns up in the food feature in the printed Scottish Field magazine – which is also available to buy online. There’s something very special about wines…
Read MoreScottish rowan up for European tree award
A ROWAN tree near Moffat will represent Great Britain in a European contest. The Woodland Trust has chosen “The Survivor” at Carrifran to represent Great Britain in the “European Tree of the Year” competition. The public selected “The Survivor” as Scotland’s “Tree of the Year” back in October. It has now beaten off competition from…
Read MoreHighlands and islands gift boxes launch
A GIFT box service dedicated to showcasing products from the Highlands and islands has been launched. A Whale of a Time brings together products from independent businesses spread across Inverness, Lochaber, Moray, Wester Ross, and Wick, as well as islands including Harris, Islay, Lewis, Orkney, and Skye. Its range of eight gift boxes stretches from…
Read MoreGizzi Erskine: ‘Soil can be sexy’
CHEF and food writer Gizzi Erskine teamed up with dairy farm Yeo Valley to mark World Soil Day on Saturday. Data released by the United Nations showed that the equivalent of one football field of soil is eroded every five seconds across the world. Yeo Valley invited Erskine to its organic farm to shine “the…
Read More‘Spectacle of Light’ opens at Dalkeith
DALKEITH Country Park’s second “Spectacle of Light” opened on Saturday. The display runs until 4 January. Midlothian residents are taken on a light and sound journey up through Fort Douglas, Sky Maze, Mini Maze, Rainbow’s End, and into the new Fantasy Forest. The historic Orangerie is also lit for the occasion. Read more stories on…
Read MoreAlexander Wines serves up Christmas with a twist
Peter Ranscombe pops the corks on some exciting alternative festive choices. I’M AS guilty as anyone else when it comes to reaching for the same old favourites at Christmas. A bottle of Chablis, a bottle of pinot noir, and a bottle of something with bubbles in it, and I’m usually set for the festivities to…
Read MoreReview: When venison meets beef
What happens if you combine venison with beef? Peter Ranscombe finds out – courtesy of Mac & Wild’s ‘venimoo’ kit. I’VE always had a soft spot for Mac & Wild. Scots Andy Waugh and Calum Mackinnon opened their first restaurant in London in 2015, adding a second site the following year. I’ve interviewed Waugh for…
Read MoreThe story behind Gleneagles’ Christmas tree
GLENEAGLES may be closed until the end of January, but that hasn’t stopped staff from erecting the hotel’s traditional 47-foot Christmas tree. It took head gardener Duncan Clephane and his team of eight gardeners and two tree decorators a full week to add more than 6,000 lights to the tree. Clephane said: “Deciding on the…
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