Fancy a food-based holiday around this nation’s most exciting culinary hotspots? Anna Millar uses a road trip north to explore the delights Scotland has to offer, from five-course meals to locally caught fish and chips and top-notch delis TRAVEL SCOTLAND
S tanding in the Scottish drizzle at the heart of Monachyle Mhor, a dramatic vista greets us. In front, a stunning Loch Voil. Behind us, bounding black labrador, Betty, a relatively new addition to owner Tom Lewis’ family. The air is fresh, the pitter-patter of rain the only noise. A fellow guest, an American, Mr de Winter, has moments before emerged from a day’s fishing nearby. Greeted by Tom, he happily hands over his catch: a bucket of large, shiny, fly-caught trout. Within an hour, they will land on our plate, a spontaneous last-minute addition to a menu already boasting Kyle of Tongue oysters and Isle of Mull scallops. Our plan, five days before this, had been to head north from Edinburgh, and explore some of the interesting chefs, delis and innovators making their mark on the culinary scene. The result: a full-bellied success.
FRIDAY EDINBURGH TO ST FILLANS AND LOCH EARN There are, of course, many ways to get from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, whether by plane, train or automobile, but for the purposes of our trip we rely on our old banger Dusty to do the hard work, allowing us to make the most of a scenic early evening drive over the Forth road bridge into the heart of Perthshire towards Loch Earn and the Four Seasons Hotel (see panel, page105). Nestled at the end of St Fillans village, this
former school master’s house has been converted into a hotel with chalets also available on the wooded hillside nearby. As the night comes in, the bedroom window affords stunning loch views, with Ben Vorlich just sightable far beyond the jetty outside. A relaxed ambience is encouraged by a couple of informal, quirky living rooms; while the artwork and artefacts from the owner’s global travels give the hotel a pleasantly unfussy and interesting feel.
We’re here though for the food and there’s
little doubt that new chef Peter Woods takes his seriously, sourcing locally, and providing salmon from his own smokehouse, which he set up in his home at Comrie. Any visit should include a taste of his special whisky and lemon-cured Shetland salmon. The view from the Meall Reamhar restaurant, over the Loch, adds a slightly ethereal feeling to proceedings as a four-course meal is presented in leisurely, friendly but informed style, complemented by a very reasonable wine menu. Keen to bring only the tastiest produce to the plate, menus are changed quarterly, with signature dishes of
gateau of limousin beef fillet and hand-dived Scrabster king scallops remaining a fixture throughout the year. A night cap in the bar and early night prepare
us for a pleasant lochside walk the next morning, fuelled by a breakfast of Peter’s finely smoked salmon and fluffy scrambled eggs. As a side note, those food lovers with dogs can take advantage of the hotel’s pet concierge service, while water babies can, and should, take full advantage of the nearby watersports centre at Lochearnhead farther along the A85.
SATURDAY ST FILLANS TO MULL The drive from St Fillans to catch the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry is a pleasant one, with Ben More and Ben Lui to gaze up at en route. If you’re on an early crossing, give yourself time to get there early and pick up a snack at the Kitchen Garden delicatessen (see panel, page 104) or indulge in a crab sandwich, its filling fresh off the boat that morning, from the shack on the pier at the ferry port.
Once on Mull, prepare to embrace a world of single track roads and culinary pit-stops. A drive from Craignure ferry port to Tobermory offers a sight of Loch Linnhe and Fishnish Bay, both home to some of the produce likely to land on your plate in meals to come. Tobermory itself is a treasure trove of finds, from Tobermory chocolate and Tobermory fish to the distillery (see panel, page 104), and all are well worth a visit. We’re staying on the hilltop, recently renovated Western Isles Hotel (see panel, page 105) overlooking Tobermory’s colourful bay, facing out to Calve Island and the Sound of Mull.
While the set dinner in the hotel’s restaurant
proves undoubtedly tasty and worth a visit if you’re looking for a more formal sit-down experience, the Conservatory Bar proves to be the real find, with its incredibly good views and great value for money. A deliciously rich tomato based fish soup, boasting huge prawns, mussels and haddock, is just £5, while the cheese board, including local champion Mull cheddar is big enough to share and doesn’t disappoint as an afternoon snack. For lunch, down on the front, Café Fish (thecafefish.com), perched above the old ferry waiting room on the pier overlooking the bay, is unmissable for fish fans, with owners cooking up shellfish from the restaurant’s own boat along with other fish produce from in and around Mull. On our second day, a meander to the island’s
white sands at Calgary Bay, finds us just a stone’s throw over the water from the Isle of Ulva. Rumour has it that The Boathouse is
PERTHSHIRE PICKS
Don’t miss the array of farmhouse and deli spaces sourcing local produce around Perthshire HOUSE OF MENZIES
The House of Menzies is a unique example of what can happen when Scottish farmers decide to diversify. The doocot and barn at this working farm have been converted into a bright, contemporary space, housing a bustling café, an up-market gift shop and an award-winning New World Wine specialist. The wines here are clearly selected with knowledge and passion, and include some of the greats of Australia and New Zealand in particular. Castle Menzies Farm, Aberfeldy, 01887 829666, houseofmenzies.com
J.L. GILL
A charming little food shop that looks like it belongs to times past. On the outside it looks like a traditional old greengrocers; inside it lives up to its appearance. It stocks all the larder basics, such as oatcakes, preserves and cooking sauces. But you can also stock up the drinks cabinet with their extensive range of Scotch malt whiskies, Scottish wines and ales. 26 West High Street, Crieff, 01764 653011, scottishproduce.co.uk
MCNEE’S OF CRIEFF A culinary labyrinth of locally sourced produce (home-made preserves, dry-cured bacon) and far-flung ingredients (Italian Vincotto, Spanish Brotes de Ajo), McNee’s is a lively delicatessen and tempting chocolatier: the truffle range is a particular favourite. A lot of McNee’s stock is created at home or on the premises – quiches, pies, cakes, jams etc – but nearby businesses are also well-represented: Dalchonzie Fruit Farm vinegars, for example, and Summer Harvest’s cold-pressed rapeseed oil and dressings. 23 High Street, Crieff, 01764 654582, mcneesofcrieff.co.uk
THE WATERMILL Aberfeldy’s former flour mill is still associated with food: while the building is, in the main, an inspiring bookshop and art gallery, the small ground floor café serves soup, quiche and sandwiches as well as good coffee. Mill Street, Aberfeldy, 01887 822896, aberfeldywatermill.com
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