Hurrah for Scottish Butchers!

Well I hope you enjoyed your haggis and ate lots of super breakfasts last week! Meanwhile we spent a very happy Sunday with a family of butchers, John and Linda Lawson and their delightful sons (below) at the reopening of their newly refurbished flagship family butchers in Uphall. Glen, the Quality Meat Scotland Brand Ambassador (pictured with me) was there in kilted regalia and one cheery customer was the winner of a wonderful hamper. What a super butcher’s shop - you know some countries have lost their high street butchers so we in Scotland really have something to celebrate. They also have stores in Winchburgh and Broxburn, just a short trip from the west of Edinburgh, and their beef and lamb are from John’s brother’s farm.

After a week of making cock-a leekie soup with students I relished making something different at the weekend - nutty fruit breads and chocolate fondant puddings! Our good friend had a special birthday this week, and, with a black and white theme in mind, she cleverly devised a party menu of wild mushroom soup with white truffle, blackface lamb served with Pinot Noir….you get the idea…. Dessert was the birthday cake, by yours truly, a dark rich chocolate gateau disguised as a monochrome Ascot hat!

If your thoughts are turning to romance how about some mead? Known as the oldest alcoholic drink in the world, mead is a rich, sweet honey-based drink, originally consumed at weddings, but equally good for Valentine’s, just around the corner…from liquid deli Demijohn.

Posted on Monday, 30 January 2012