Fizz Feast organiser unveils ‘Fizz Friday’ online tastings

THE annual Fizz Feast wine and food festival may not be taking place in Edinburgh this autumn but organiser Diana Thompson has created an online “bonanza of bubbles” to take its place. Thompson, who runs Wine Events Scotland, has organised five “Fizz Friday” tastings on video conferencing platform Zoom. They begin on 30 October and…

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Alcohol-free ‘spirits’ up 30%

SALES of alcohol-free “spirits” in the UK are up 30% year-on-year, according to market research firm Neilsen. Shoppers have spent ÂŁ5.4 million buying 171,000 litres of alcohol-free “spirits” in supermarkets so far this year, analysts said. Many alcohol-free “spirits” use herbs, berries, roots and botanicals to create flavours similar to gin, prompting their use in…

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Fairlie protégé becomes head chef

CHEF Lorna McNee, protĂ©gĂ© of the late two Michelin starred chef Andrew Fairlie and Great British Menu’s “Champion of Champions” 2019, has taken up her first head chef role at Glasgow’s Cail Bruich restaurant. Chris Charalambous, co-owner of the three AA rosette restaurant, is stepping away from the kitchen for the first time since it…

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REVIEW: Rabble, Edinburgh

Stephanie Abbot explores the menu at Rabble in Edinburgh. A MID-WEEK dinner out is always a welcome treat.  It breaks up the monotony of the painfully dull and uninspired dinners I’ve been making of late, mostly because work has been keeping me busy (which I’m thankful for). I can recall flipping through the Argos catalogue…

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REVIEW: Putting on a fine sprEHd

Peter Ranscombe tucks into a grazing box full of Scottish ingredients from delivery service sprEHd. WHEN you’re eating out, it’s the little things that matter – the butter being soft enough to spread, the lighting being bright enough to see your plate, the napkin being rough enough to stay put instead of sliding out of…

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We all scream for ice cream…

TWO Scottish ice cream companies are bringng a sweet splash of sunshine to the autumn. Mackie’s is going to give one fan a lifetime’s supply of ice cream, while Spar is stocking a further nine flavours made by Equi’s. The winner of Mackie’s “Simple Pleasures” draw will be named on Monday. They will get two-litre…

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Restaurants get 100,000 free glasses of wine to tempt customers back

As the UK Government’s “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme ends, wine importer Hallgarten is giving restaurants and bars a helping hand – and Peter Ranscombe picks some exciting bottles from its warehouse. MANY restaurant owners have hailed the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme as a massive success, bringing customers out for early week…

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Review: 111 by Modou

Elis Elliot is swept away by both the food and the heart-warming story at 111 by Modou in Glasgow. SELDOM have I dined in a place with such a heart-warming and life-affirming story as 111 by Modou in Glasgow’s Kelvinside. But I’ll come back to that in a little while, mainly because I am desperate…

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Ivy’s floral flourishes in Edinburgh and Glasgow

THE Ivy restaurant chain has brought a splash of colour to its outlets in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Ivy on the Square in Edinburgh has turned its terrace into “a magical greenhouse and garden”. Meanwhile, The Ivy Buchanan Street has brought “a touch of the jungle to Glasgow’s Style Mile”. The Glasgow branch has created…

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