There’s more to Edinburgh than the Festival.
The Mayans considered cocoa to be sacred - a food of the gods. This is not perhaps true of the sugar- packed so-called 'chocolate' rubbish stacked on shelves in newsagents the length of this land. So book a place on 3 Chocolate Connoisseur Evening and taste something of heaven. Learn how it‘s made. how to recognise quality. and taste some supermodels of the chocolate world. Wash it all down with a glass of French Banyulus, a rich French Grenache, regarded by chocolatiers and chefs alike as the only true
accompaniment to chocolate.
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CHRIS SMART. head chef at Vermilion, talks porridge. oysters and nappy detergent.
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l 5 words to describe your cooking fun. i'iiagsiiati‘.'<‘:. tasty. artistic and eclectic
4 things people have to eat while in Scotland Porridge. I 'ike lllll‘(? wt'i i)l<).‘./'t sLiga' and organic Scottish
cream. f you're f(:()illl(} extravagant. arid :i splash of yoii'
78 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE .2 ' ‘ Av; ."
t; vourite malt ‘.'.'hisky. or try making savoury porridge with chicken stock. hutter. Parmesan. crispy bacon and fresh herbs. Scottish shellfish scallops. oysters. mussels and. of course. Scottish iohster. Keep it smple with butter. lemon jLi‘Cff. (trusty Mead and a crisp glass of wnite wine. Scottish game. venison in part:cular. It’s low in fat and versatile. lry roasting it with coffee beans for a fantastic natural smokiness. l urig z-rnet'ner it's our small. sweet apricot tasting girolles to {liiitlllll‘ chanterelles. our mushrooms are UK) there with the pest in the world.
3 things you love about Edinburgh in August
l love the l>u// in the city and the i.'»./eathei' too. Whether it's gio'ously sunny or .vnisei'al)le with rain. you can't fail to adrnne our capital (:in for its architecture and history. The diversity of (:ultiiies the festival 'orings to the city and the ama/ing iange of shows. plus I ohviously love a busy restaurant. entertaining my clients the way I know best.
2 things you hate about Edinburgh in August
liie dithering tourists caught up in their own world. When you are ill a iush. they seem to have all the time in the world and manage to take up the whole pavement. Not having the opportunity to experience as much of the festival as I would iike due to work commitments.
1 way to get your whites whiter than white
liie best way is to use nappy detergent. It‘s softer on skin than hieacli. Alternatwely. let your coinmis chef do the messy ichs.
I Sample Chris Smart '3 cooking at Vermilion, the Scotsman Hotel, North Bridge 5536 53:31 55).
morag.bruce@list.co.uk
Can you feel it?
There are many sensory experiences synonymous with Auld Reekie. They tickle your ear drums, they’re a sight for sore fingertips and will bring music to your taste buds.
I Sight Head to the top of Corstorphine Hill. From here you can see Edinburgh's greatest hits in all their glory. Instead of being up Arthur‘s Seat looking down. you get to experience it as a glorious backdrop to Edinburgh Castle. Lothian Buses. number 26 going westwards to the Clerwood Term/nus, 555 6363.
I Sound It‘s tradition (adopt it or stick out like a sore thumb) to look at your watch and say 'it's one o'clock’ when the one o’clock gun fires. It started as a means of giving an aCCurate time check to the ships in Leith Harbour. and Tam the Gun. AKA District Gunner Staff Sergeant Tom Mackay MBE. has been firing the gun since 1978 and he's written a book about his experiences.
Mon—Sat. Edinburgh Castle, at . . . yes. I pm.
I Touch Nature is very good at texture. The ground on top of Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park is strange. spongy and mOSSy. Get yOur toes out. Alternatively the Botanic Gardens has some fantastic spikey Monkey Puzzle trees. soft ferns and bouncy hedges to fondle.
Roya/ Botanic Gardens, 20a Inver/e/th Row. 552 7 7 7 I.
I Taste Each of your 10.000 taste buds will be delighted to be drenched in ice cream from that Edinburgh institution. S Luca. Try the toffee fudgy wudgy flavour. for a moment of head melting. unadulterated euphoria.
S Luca, 76 Mornings/do Road. 446 0233.
I Smell Given the right wind direction. the entire city can smell like a jar of Marmite thanks to its various breweries. Some people will inhale deeply and smile: others will spend the day looking a bit queaSy. Very polemic. Sticking with brown stuff, Edinburgh is pretty much alone in its usage of brown sauce on chips. Walk past a chippy and the sharp. spicy. cheap aroma is unmistakable.