The (‘hannel 4 Taste Festival can normally be relied upon to roll out some big names to appear at the festival. Big in both length and lame are llugh l-‘earnley Whittingstall (Friday. both sessions) and .lean—(‘hristophe Novelli (Sunday. both sessions). while Nick Nait'n (Saturday) heads tip the list ol’ local heroes with lidinburgh's Michelin glitterati. including Tom Kitchin and Tony Borthwick also hanging some pans.
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Fourteen local restaurants are the centrepiece of Taste. with top-end venues such as Number One at the Balmoral. The Tower and Abstract setting up camp for the weekend. There’s also the chance to make the acquaintance ol‘ some of the newcomers to the city‘s dining scene in the last l2 months. with the kitchens from Hotel du Vin and The Rutland making a debut this time around.
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Finding a tipple to tickle your fancy shouldn‘t be too hard. with downs of drink specialists coming to the Taste party. There are wine ranges from big beasts such as Penfolds and Wines of Chile to local wine merchants such as Henderson Wines and Lockett Bros: whisky on show includes Bunnahabain as well as boutique brands such as Sheep Dip or Benriach and there‘s beer from lidinburgh breweries
('aledonian and Stewart as well as .-\lloa's Williams Brothers tFraoch etci. lixpect to lind some imaginative cocktail tnaking going on at various spots including the restaurants t‘rom the Montpeliers and Festival lnns groups.
The holy trinity as tar as l‘oodies are concerned is made up of hatn. cheese and wine. Scotland‘s contribution to the lirst category has been l‘airly limited tunless yoti count the bacon
buttyt. but ('hris and Denise Walton ol
Peelham Farm Produce are starting to change that with Italian-inspired salamis. sausages and hams lrotn rare-breed pigs created in their new on-larm butchery in the Borders. Other places to lind good local larm l’ood are (iosl‘orth Farm Bothy (wild boar) and Damhead (organic veg). as well as a group ot' producers from liast l.othian.
It the sun bla/es (or even il’ it doesn‘t). hunt
out the ice cream from the Stewart Tower
Dairy. a small operation based just off the N) between Perth and l)unkeld. Meanwhile. Angus Sol’t Fruits should be showcasing some
ol’ the season‘s first strawberries and
raspberries. including those sold under their
pesticide-Tree (iood Natured Fruit brand. An alternative burst of sunshine comes in the bottles of Perthshire's Summer Harvest oil. one of a number ol‘ small rapeseed oil producers to have emerged in Scotland in recent years.
Pix/a is one ol' the world's great outdoor l'oods and La Favorita's wood-fired ovens turn out the best in lidinburgh. Fortunately they've got one on wheels for moments just like these. Stand nearby just to get a wait of the delicious
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aromas. For healthy salads and a range ot‘ other local and organic food turn to the ever-reliable Henderson‘s with their selection of vegetarian and vegan snacks including bread baked in their city-centre premises. It' you prefer something a little meatier. Biggar-based Bernard :\lessi will be showing off his remarkable Simple Simon pies. each a complete gourmet meal for one wrapped in pastry.
The matching of wine with l'ood is a lamiliar theme at l'ood events. but Aussie wine outlit Yellow Tail are trying something different this year with a challenge to match wines with music. Their Sample Session suggestions include Rose with R&B. Shira/ with 90s pop and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc with disco — well. wine and cheese always was a winning combo.
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lidinburgh has always enjoyed its continental connections. particularly in the world of food and drink. These are much in evidence throughout the show. with one of the cooking theatres dedicated to French Flair. with locally based chel’s such as Michel Bouyer of the Bonham and Pierre Levicky ot' (Thez Pierre sprinkling a bit of elan on proceedings. Meanwhile the Italians are out in force among the restaurants. with Valvona & Crolla’s Vin(‘al‘l"e. Santini. Bella Mbriana and Centotre all showcasing their signature dishes.
Taste of Edinburgh, Inverleith Park, 29-31 May, www.tastefestivaIs.comledinburgh. For your chance to win tickets, see Offers, page 6.
14—28 May 200-9 THE LIST 2:;