A shelli sh platter, as served at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Cairndow
OCTOBER
EDINBURGH COFFEE FESTIVAL 3 October, Mansfield Traquair The capital’s inaugural coffee festival is coming! Certain to stimulate senses with the gorgeous aroma of coffee, exciting demos, live and music and more, the festival promises to be an unmissable occasion for café culture vultures, discerning coffee lovers and those in the industry.
BALMAHA’S BRAW WEEKEND 3 – 4 October, The Oak Tree Inn Drawing on the excellent food and drink credentials of The Oak Tree Inn, head to Balmaha for local food, live music and events during the daytime, and a more grown up real ale, whisky, beer and music festival on the Saturday night.
NOVEMBER
PERTH FESTIVAL OF CHOCOLATE 21 – 22 November At Scotland’s first outdoor chocolate festival, expect fine chocolatiers as well as some more unusual cocoa products, from candles to soap, and demos in chocolateering! It goes without saying that tastings will be an integral feature of the weekend…
THE WINE GANG WINTER WINE FESTIVAL 28 November, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Following sell-out festivals in London and Bath, this pre-Christmas treat promises ‘unstuffy’ introductory wine tastings, an incredible masterclass programme and the chance to get some discounts on your favourites on the day.
EVENTS Enjoy a feast of events and festivals happening all over the country during the Year of Food & Drink. Here are a few.
AUGUST
ELGIN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL 22 August A chance for all the family to enjoy the city centre with Jamie Scott, winner of MasterChef The Professionals 2014, and true scot Norman of Great British Bake Off fame appearing.
GALLOWAY COUNTRY FAIR
22 – 23 August, Drumlanrig Castle An all-round celebration of rural life, this year’s fair is shaping up to be a feast for food fanatics with their largest ever Food Marquee, baking competitions and cooking demos. g
SEPTEMBER
CRAFT BEER RISING 4 – 5 September, Drygate Brewery, Glasgow Proudly returning to Glasgow for their second year, CBR presents 40+ breweries for your sampling pleasure, amidst an array of fine street food, top DJ’s and music entertainment.
BEST OF THE WEST 12 – 13 September, Inverary Castle Whether you relish fine dining or get excited about tucking into Argyll’s local specialities, you’ll definitely enjoy the gastronomic offerings showcased at the festival alongside energetic Scottish folk music.
SCOTTISH BRAVES CHILLI FIESTA 19 – 20 September, Scone Palace, Perth Enjoy the ‘hotly’ anticipated chilli festival, two days of fiery fun with stands showcasing everything from fresh curries and c fresh curries and chilli chutneys to chilli ciders and cocktails, a celeb cocktails, a celebration of food, drink horticulture and more. and more.
There are plenty of other ways to get your foodie fix er ways to get your foodie fix this year. Farmers’ and Community Markets are a great way to meet the producer in person, learn about where your food comes from and get some cooking tips, at thinklocalscotland.co.uk/farmers-markets
Get more inspiration on facebook.com/visitscotland and join in the discussion on twitter using #TasteScotland
C L
SPOTLIGHT ON . . . SPOTLIGHT ON . . . THE NIGHT MARKET THE NIGHT MARKET 16 S t 16 September, Balgove Larder near St Andrews Wednesdays are the new weekend at Balgove Larder! With dates throughout the year, these unique events offer entertainment, local crafts, fresh food and drink from the farm shop and butchery alongside a selection of o other producers. Past events have featured small-batch jam from Cochrane’s Kitchen; versatile sauces from The j Whisky Sauce co; seafood from Arbroath Quality Fish; and W delicious, healthy dishes from Good Food Good Feelings. d The September event is set to have an autumnal feel, T profi ling speciality local beers. p b balgove.com | @Balgove | fb/balgovelarderfarmshop