I have been in Scotland since 1995, serving crème brulée ever since. The only thing that has changed in our recipe is the eggs: we have been using duck eggs now for a decade. I find them richer and healthier to work with.

Confit is the classic, earthy food eaten by generations of French families around the table. This recipe is so simple and can be made ahead and preserved. This is the traditional way of preparing food, cooking it, preserving it and serving it.

The secret of a good Bourguignon is very simple. The longer it takes, the better it tastes! You can even break up the cooking time to enhance the flavours. Cook it for an hour, cool it down, then cook again the following day. It’s even better that way, just like my grandmother used to make it. The beauty of any dish like this is that you can cook it well ahead of serving it, meaning you can sit down with your friends or family to enjoy without stressing about having to cook on the big day.

This dish is simplicity at its best, and full of flavour. The taste of Armagnac with dried Agen prunes and vanilla is exquisite. When ready, they can be eaten on their own, but they also will go very well in a game or rabbit casserole. They’re also a delight in a clafoutis. Remember, the longer you keep them the better - and that’s a year minimum!

Mussels are little beauties - so tasty and so easy to cook. It will make the youngest and the oldest happy anytime. This recipe is very basic and so simple, it can be cooked as below, or you can let your imagination flow and add a dash of double cream, a sprinkle of curry powder, a mix of chopped, fresh herbs, some pine nuts with bacon, some diced fresh tomatoes and basil, smoked haddock bits and potatoes. All will provide a great meal. The options are endless and the choice is yours. One bit of advice though, is that the mussels should be very fresh, well-cleaned and of a good provenance. Then you’re  guaranteed success every time. 

“A rare Scottish sheep that subsists entirely on seaweed, and whose meat is highly revered, has officially become the first Slow Food Presidium in Scotland.” 

Many of you will know that we started growing our own vegetables, salads and herbs at a Georgian walled garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh in 2017. Fred has been working hard to bring a beautiful, but rather neglected, garden back to life with the help of the owner Mary. Last summer and autumn both restaurants were using an impressive amount of produce grown just a few miles away. Here’s a quick update from Fred, who’s been busy preparing the garden for this year’s crops.

There is nothing quite like the anticipation we feel for the third Thursday in November. For that is the day we welcome the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. Come along to help us celebrate!

Since March, I have been growing and harvesting fresh salad leaves, herbs and vegetables at Newton Walled Garden, just outside Edinburgh. It is one of the most satisfying things that I have done as a chef. At the height of the summer, the garden was supplying both escargot restaurants with all of our salad leaves and a little more than 50% of all the herbs we need. 

Late last year, my favourite type of email dropped into my inbox. It was a completely unexpected email from a farmer in Perthshire who had somehow accidentally acquired some pure breed Mangalitsa pigs.