Food & Drink
SOUPS 8. Sit \‘~.’S JU 117a/121 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, 0131 225 1552
The Laigh Bakehouse was an institution and by many's reckoning the capital's oldest cafe. But alas Largh slipped away and this historic basement space became a tad rnouldy. Stuart Petr'ie has changed that: he's destroyed the damp and revrved the spirit of the old Largh with his new takeaway cafe restaurant called Juniper.
He's retained the seminrustrc feel. thanks to 19th century cast iron stoves. Carthness flagstone floor and a Belfast style sink in the rear dining room. But the space is brighter y/rth \.'~.Ia|l- to wall pine panelling l1()‘.'/Slll[)()(l an‘ray. Homebaking is emphasised again. =.'./ith a range of cakes from mrllronarres' to ginger bread and chocolate polenta cake to rhubarb apple crumble. Petrre might eyen ‘.‘.’lf3 i to go as far as to res-:tore the old honesty box he recalls from childhood vrsns — but then times have changed.
The printed menu Wllll its list of sandmches is less irriportant than the specials board. x'rhere the rundown of regularly changing soups and stews rs listed. ()hef Sally Findlay iex l‘ishersi favours fresh Ingredients. sometimes organic. and game as available. lyprcally you might find Cullen skink. minted green pea or Ukrainian borscht. but don't blush if peppered hare is there. too.
Stews are as hearty as expected: chilli yeniseir. chicken gumbo.
Side dishes
An extra helping of news . . .
,_ 'L L i 3'7 ~ "' “Hm-‘1 1".
I MYCOLOGISTS ARE
expected to gather in the Trossachs on 24 November for the second Aberfoyle Mushroom Festival. The four-day event includes a fungal forage into Queen Elizabeth forest park. Early info says the magic of mushrooms will be combined with the cooking skills of curry master Tommy Mia. No mention is
made, however, of magic mushrooms’ contributions to the occasion. Visit www.aberfoyle. co.uk for information.
I ON THE WEEK THAT COLIN BARR launched his new Republic Bier Stube on Glasgow's SOuthside came additional news that he was bringing the brand to Sauchiehall Street as well. The first Republic was launc'ied in 1999 on Gordon Street and Barr- expects to set-up another one in HWHZr-I: Edinmrrgh‘s Old Town soon With a SWEETS: A HISTORY OF TEMPTATION range of 100 plus beers. bespoke Tun R.(;lizrr< son lHill‘iitlll‘ Press 8‘ 1 :5. o. sausages from a continental producer and pre-club shenanigans.
I LEITH’S (FITZ) HENRY restaurant has a new head chef, seen the pencil. tulips and coffee coxered exhaustinely 'r: single tomes. At least John Paul McLaughlin, who joins the operation from Amaryllis restaurant in Glasgow. McLaughlin has also worked at another Michelin certified restaurant: Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Oxford. That doesn’t mean that (fitz) Henry will necessarily be chasing stars, or bibs (which it once earned in the days of David Ramsden). ‘Our plan is to give the customer what they deserve in the way of a top- quality dining experience,’ says despite the many insights. he is ultimately more hagrographer than historian. Ver‘j. little critical (lisfartce comes he: .'.’t:(3l‘ management.
mussels Wflll garlic and creme. and yeggie options as \sxell Soups and Stews' was the working title for the restaurant eye" the three years Petrie has been devising the venture ~ a return to catering 1:") years after running La Vie en Rose.
He ‘.'lSll()(l NYC and got first—hand inspiration from the s >up shor: explosion. ‘Fast comfort food.' he says. But the takeaway cour ter is Just one element of Juniper. Indeed wrth a 1am refreshment licence in hand. the plan is to stay open until 10pm at the weekend later if
the occasions arise. Long hours giyen that Juniper opens at téavr‘. for breakfast. lBarry Shelby;
There may be an inexhaustible supply of (:criirrior‘ goods. plants and products
about x'rhicl‘. book length ‘l‘ristories' can be lien. l". recent years. .'.'(3 l‘él‘.(3
author lllll Richardson has come up with a '.'.'::"th', topic: s'.'.'eets. l le :ioesrl't mean puddings or desserts. really. but rather confectzoriery in air its sugar, candy coated glory.
Indeed. Richardson calls himself the .'.orl:l's f';rst international confectione". historian. I had hoped this ll()ll()"£l"1tllll was i"a<le ri‘ostly .n }(}f3l. but "(2 annoyineg refers to himself in the third person tisir‘g the title. '\.'.'hat is the \.'.'orld's first f;‘.'.’(}(:-!'r" he ‘.'.’lll(}f;. ‘lhis is the per‘ectl', reasonable (iiiest'en continually asked of the international ccntei:t oner, historianf (Emit-.1 a rest.
Richardson certainly brings a s'ncere enthasiasin .o his s,ir>,<;t:‘.. Art-:i r‘e has
done his homework. too: tracing the fist sweet to artcier‘t India and quite adequately explaining why Inhabitants of these islands 'and Scots in particular cane siiztl‘ a si'xeet tooth to" reason; such as perceptions of luxury and international trade. After all. the port of (Breenock mas :>'i<:e ::all-;:-:l "sugar;>i:c..s'. lint
him and h s filll)](3(ll. Worse still. in the crunch. his saccharine prose can fail llll" (:l‘l?l{?l‘,. Barry. Shelby.
n as Lunch
X 1 1.50 per head
Sunday Lunch £2
11-13 Williams Street West End Edinburgh
()71 Sunday rig/lumen” 0117' (liq/‘3‘ pry/2m? £27.50 per head 0131 226 3161
w [1 Superb and l717101’l‘llll’c’ 71mm. erax a and crzjrn' a ll’071/1'67fitlfi)117‘-L‘()It7‘56 ~ m'" ° [mu/1 and afllrm rgfifz'zz.
a y . _ Menu runs from o um. Excellent value at £17.50 per person.
.1: 3 12 Ashton Lane 'l‘cl 0141—334 5007
116 THE LIST ' ’
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8“: Xmas Dinner :3 0
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lst- 24th Dec inclusrve