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i v e Q & A ’ s F e s t
VIC HENDERSON HARMONIUM
SCOTT SMITH NORN
To turkey or not to turkey? What else could work as a centrepiece?
There’s tons of vegan goodies that would set centre stage. We
even do a thing called a tofurkey which, believe it or not, actually
comes with all the vegan meat trimmings like pigs in blankets, and stufi ng. You also can’t beat mushrooms, in any form; they take on so much l avour and are so versatile. I like to use a mix of portobello and brown chestnut mushrooms and also pop some jackfruit in there and do a really lovely rich and unbelievably
tasty bourguignon with puff pastry and all the trimmings or use a
similar idea and do a Mushroom Wellington.
We’ve been eating that fl aming Christmas pudding for centuries, can you give us an alternative big fi nale?
Sea buckthorn and chocolate cheesecake with vanilla ice-cream. It’s not too sweet but it’s totally decadent, plus a really unusual taste with the sea buckthorn just coming through. Plus you want to leave room for that vegan cheeseboard after so you don’t want to be weighted down with a massive stodgy pudding.
Animal-free dining has been big in 2017 – any ideas for a fancy festive vegan dish?
One of my favourite dishes right now, which we have on at
Harmonium and would totally work as a nice starter on a festive menu, is seared king oyster scallops with burnt sage butter,
samphire and chorizo. I’ve been told I could take that dish to LA. I mean just taking it back to Glasgow to have on Christmas Day
would be enough for me.
What’s the best breakfast on New Year’s Day? Hangover cures welcome
Haggis and smoked tofu hollandaise bagels with Tabasco .You need as much stodge as possible to soak up the booze and knock you out for a few more hours sleep, so you can go out again that night for one last knees-up before you go back to work.
Harmonium, 60 Henderson Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6DE, facebook.com/harmoniumbar
68 THE LIST 1 Nov 2017–31 Jan 2018
What’s the best way to celebrate Scotland’s food and drink during the festivities?
It’s got to be enjoying the stalls at the Edinburgh Christmas Market. Great place to soak up the atmosphere, eating some
great bites from local guys, and from further ai eld. And always warming up with mulled cider or wine. Important to carry a
l ask of your favourite Scottish whisky too!
What would you magic away from the traditional Christmas menu?
Overcooked sprouts. Sprouts are one of my favourite Christmas meal sides, but overcooked they are awful. Unless done
properly, they shouldn’t be on the table.
We’ve been eating that fl aming Christmas pudding for centuries, can you give us an alternative big fi nale?
Not very Scottish, but I really enjoy a well made clafoutis and clotted cream to i nish the meal. You can use any fruit you want in it. Figs at that time of year are really nice. With brandy on
the side instead of l aming over the top.
What edible (or drinkable) present will be in your letter to Santa?
Same as every year. Balvenie Double Wood. It wouldn’t be a complete stocking without one.
Animal-free dining has been big in 2017 – any ideas for a fancy festive vegan dish?
Squash is great and versatile. Scoop out the middle and i ll with a stufi ng of chestnuts, onion and sage, and bake.
What’s the best breakfast on New Year’s Day? Hangover cures welcome
Tend not drink a great deal on Hogmanay (even though some of the above answers may suggest otherwise), so New Year’s breakfast is usually a big treat. Champagne, smoked salmon
and oysters.
Norn, 50-54 Henderson Street, Edinburgh EH6 6DE, nornrestaurant.com