For centuries the traditional sign that summer has arrived is the eruption of the creamy frothy elderflower in the hedgerow. This ancient plant is synonymous with the magic and mystery of nature as bumble bees hum around the saucer-sized blossoms rich with pollen, packing their baskets with yellow gold as they have done for time immemorial, ready to transform it into sweet, sticky honey.
Spring is taking its time arriving, and although we have the joy of light evenings and early mornings, we do still suffer the on-going chilly weather and I feel the need to continue to cook with winter-type ingredients.
The Pier cafe bistro was always a favourite of ours on family visits to Aberdeen beach, so I was saddened when it was destroyed by a fire at a neighbouring restaurant.
This time of year can make chefs a little impatient. We’re so close to spring that we can almost taste it, yet a chill – and sometimes snow lingers in the air, reminding us that winter is only just ending.
Wing Yip – the UK’s leading Oriental supermarket – is encouraging fans of Oriental food to try creating authentic Chinese dishes at home.
When choosing a restaurant to visit, I always like to act on recommendations. So after finding out that a friend used to work at the Learney Arms in Torphins, I marked it down as next on our list to visit.
Forget thick white, seeded or wholesome brown bread - it’s sourdough bread that’s been the big talking point of late.
Families, friends and colleagues are being encouraged to take part in the Be a Star, Bake a Cake campaign which supports Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in April.
“Anchors away!” is usually the cry that signals a safe and welcoming haven for ships at sea, but we bumped into not one but two anchors on sentry duty just inside the entrance to The Silver Darling restaurant at Aberdeen Harbour.
A competition will be held to crown the world’s best buttery, amid concerns that traditional methods of making the delicacy are at risk of being forgotten.
I love it when a restaurant gets you talking, especially if you’re still talking about it days after you’ve dined there.
So many more cafes are now expanding and opening up in the evenings with many trying to do something just a little different, which is a great sign. Kirk View Cafe & Bistro on Union Terrace has just celebrated its first year of trading and is now running theme nights as well as afternoon teas and pre-theatre meals. The cafe states on its website that it is a family-run business that sources local ingredients, so myself and some friends were eager to try it out.
Now and again we enjoy a trip to Inverurie on a Saturday. They have a plethora of independent shops where you can pick up something different, and with a few birthdays coming up I managed to purchase them quite quickly so we had plenty of time to fit in some lunch before heading back to Aberdeen.
There’s one sound I hear that takes me back to my childhood in an instant - the distinctive “clanging” sound of rigging hitting masts.
Anne Shooter talks about her recipes’ family roots and how Jewish food is changing.
I have been a resident of the Mid Stocket area of Aberdeen for a number of years, and while it’s a great spot to live with plenty of amenities, one thing it does lack is a variety of restaurants and bars.
Two-Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux jun is a Norway Seafood Council skrei cod ambassador. Here’s two of his delicous recipes featuring the Norwegian national delicacy.
Michelin-star chef Tom Kitchin shows how to transform a mid-week meal into a culinary treat using local seafish.
Melissa Hemsley talks about removing the pressure and guilt from cooking.
Romance a loved one by preparing dishes featuring watercress, said to be a natural aphrodisiac.
Chase away the winter blues with a bowl of homemade soup made with proper stock.
By the time the end of January swings into view, many of us can feel fed up eating warming but perhaps heavy, meat-based dishes. It’s also the month when Veganuary takes place, when people are encouraged to try going vegan.
It’s funny how the simple purchase of a new bed in the January sales can cause chaos in our house.
Being married to a Buckie quine, I have driven through Keith countless times on the road north from Aberdeen to see her family.
Nothing quite beats a home-made pie at this time of year.
The festive season may be over but chances are, your drinks cupboard may still be looking pretty healthy with lots of spirits and wines waiting to be enjoyed.
"Is everyone at the table OK with insects?”
To celebrate the new year, we asked our food critics to pick some of their favourite places they've had the pleasure of experiencing over the past 12 months.
The dates for the next Stonehaven Midsummer Beer Happening have been announced as June 28-30.
Aberdeenshire-based Donald Russell has gone all out to ensure shoppers have the chance to present a showstopping centrepiece this Christmas by selling a goose that’s guaranteed to be the glittering star of the show as it comes with a 23 carat gold leaf topping!
Sitting half way along a quiet country road between Beauly and Cannich, the Cnoc Hotel, just outside the tiny hamlet of Struy, doesn’t get a lot of passing trade.