THE KITCHIN, EDINBURGH

After several visits up to Edinburgh and various recommendations, we finally had dinner at the The Kitchin, a former whisky bond located on Edinburgh's stylish waterfront. Opened in June 2006 and run by Tom Kitchin and wife Michaela, the food served is a harmonious unification of seasonal Scottish produce with a French style of cooking, showcasing their philosophy 'From Nature To Plate'.

We started off with some cocktails in the chic bar area, the interior a mix of rustic and contemporary designs, with its classy dark wood floors and subdued shades of grey wooly furniture. 
I had a fruity gin-based Bramble, whilst Viv had a floral and refreshing Blooming Flower, alongside which we were served some appetizing crispbreads (or rye crackers?) and dips.

Upon being seated at our table, we were each handed a map of Scotland, locations marked from where the ingredients are sourced. A fragrant, warm loaf of sourdough was brought to the table with some luscious creamy butter, followed by an amuse bouche of a light and flavourful tomato consommé.

 I was really tempted by the tasting menu, but in the end we ordered from the A La Carte menu, from which I ordered one of their classics of Pig's Head & Langoustine. The boned and rolled pig's head seasoned in cumin was deliciously tender and moist, and the pigs ears were really crispy and moreish. Next to it was a juicy roasted tail of langoustine, with the claws placed in a small bowl for you to pick at your hearts desire.

Equally tempting was the oysters which Viv ordered - six Giga oysters from the Isle of Cumbrae prepared six ways. I particularly liked the oyster ceviche  and the one which had a sort of Thai and chilli marinade. We both favoured the ones which were still fresh as opposed to the cooked ones where some of the fresh flavours which we enjoy were diminished or overpowered by the sauces.

Always in the mood for some game, I ordered the roasted grouse from the Borders served with Perthshire girolles, wild lingonberries and bread sauce. The grouse was not quite as pink as I have had in the past, but nonetheless perfectly tender and drizzled in mouth-watering jus. Girolles are undoubtedly one of my favourite mushrooms and I surprisingly quite enjoyed the bread sauce which was smooth and creamy (they also provide you with an extra serving of bread sauce on the side should you wish to indulge more...) 

Viv went for the Newhaven lobster cooked a la plancha and finished with a rich escargot butter and topped with squid. Nice flavours and texture, but presentation-wise personally, I think could be refined...

Whilst Viv ordered another cocktail, I obviously could not resist ordering at least one dessert - because no meal would be complete without dessert...

This beautiful creation below is a Perthshire strawberry and basil millefeuille with basil ice cream - light and crisp puff pastry and and wonderfully fresh flavours.

I just wish that I had space for more of the desserts.

The Kitchin clearly remains a popular venue judging by how full it was on a Tuesday evening. 

We both very much enjoyed our evening - service was pretty smooth-flowing and the food was satisfyingly good.

Portion sizes are decent, however the price is still quite high for Edinburgh standards, so I would advise that you be prepared to foot out about £100 per person (or more if you're a bit more of a wine aficionado...)

The set lunch does look like a bargain at £29.50 for three courses, and the tasting menu price of £75.00 seems quite reasonable.

The Cheekster, signing out x

EDINBURGH GIN DISTILLERY

Whenever I get asked if I 'drink (named fluid)' I would often hesitate for a while before nodding in agreement, wondering if it was possible to be intolerant to a particular alcohol. I do enjoy a classic G&T every now and then, most commonly in a pub setting when I struggle to think of an alternative choice besides beer, which I am generally not so keen on.

The Edinburgh Gin distillery is a hidden gem nestled within Rutland Place, and in 2014 became the first in the heart of the capital in over 100 years, their creations taking inspiration from iconic Edinburgh landmarks.

They have a variety of tour packages available, from which we booked ourselves in for the Gin Connoisseur Tour on a fine Monday afternoon after a visit to the zoo, as you do. 

We were first guided through the history and production of gin before getting a more intimate look at the distillery area. Pots of dried herbs and ingredients were passed around so that we could get a whiff of them - fresh juniper, coriander, citrus peel and orris root, and milk thistle for that extra bit of magic...

Now for a little bit of history...

Gin is believed to have first been produced in Holland in the early 17th century when it was largely used for its medicinal purposes. Juniper berries were later added by the Dutch to make it more palatable  where it then started to become a popular drink.

British soldiers fighting in the Low Countries during Eighty Years' War drank gin to calm their nerves prior to battles, hence the origins of the term 'Dutch Courage'. Eventually the returning soldiers brought bottles of gin back to Britain here it then became a cheap and popular alternative to beer and ale.

Gin became vastly more popular When King William III, also know as William of Orange, occupied the British throne with his wife Mary in 1688. Gin production was encouraged and distilling laws were relaxed, which gave rise to hundreds of unlicensed distilleries across the country - unsurprisingly leading to the cheap production of crude, inferior forms, where it was more likely to be flavoured with turpentine (!) as opposed to juniper. 

Widespread consumption among the poor and working classes soon led to various social problems, a period known as the Gin Craze - famously depicted in William Hogarths Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751).

The Gin Act eventually came into enforcement, leading to improved distillation techniques and became a more refined drink, and its popularity remains to this present day.

And the rest is pretty much history.

We were then 'introduced' to the two stills which create the gins, quietly working away behind the glass panels - Caledonia, a tall and elegant column still; and Flora, a rotund pot still.  Their method is perfectly simple and inspired – ‘begin at the beginning, go on until you come to the end: then stop!’

And as all tour should end, we completed ours with a tutored- tasting session in a cave-like booth, where we sampled the different types of gin that they produced. The trio of glasses contained their delicious gin infusions: raspberry, elderflower, and rhubarb and ginger.

We also got to try the Cannonball Gin and the intriguing Seaside Gin, made with seaweed, scurvy grass and ground ivy.

And at the end we each got to select our choice of a 20cl bottle gin to take home with us! 

I went for the Rhubarb and Ginger which I surprisingly began to grow more fond of with each sip - it also had a lovely shade of pink, and everyone knows how much I love pink... 

I shall be having some rather gin-teresting evenings at home... (pardon the pun).

The Gin Connoisseur Tour costs £25 per person, or you can check out their website for other packages available. There is also the Heads & Tales bar  should you be looking for an evening of cocktails and concoctions alongside some light bites.

And lastly, for the gin fanatics out there, a variety of Edinburgh Gin Club events are hosted throughout the year which may be worth checking out.

A taste of Edinburgh to to be missed.

The Cheekster, signing out x

AFTERNOON TEA AT COLONNADES, THE SIGNET LIBRARY EDINBURGH

It has been just over a year and a half since we last visited The Signet Library in the heart of Edinburgh Old Town to attend the beautiful wedding of Ross and Vivienne. 
Step through the doors and you will notice just how  welcoming and calm it is inside in contrast to the bustling Royal Mile.

The Lower Library where the reception was held has now been restored to its former grandeur and reopened under the name Colonnades, which is a reference to the ornate, classical columns that grace the building. The tables have mirrored surfaces and are set with the finest bespoke silverware, some of which are original to the building.

Our glasses were filled with chilled sparkling Allier Gran Brut, and we also ordered a couple of pots of their special Signet Blend from their range of teas by the Wee Tea Company - a rich breakfast style blend with a balanced mix of Assam and Ceylon tea.

We were first served a warming cup of soup before the first course of delectable freshly made sandwiches and savouries were brought to our table on a silver tiered stand. 
 Mini prawn cocktails, sausage rolls, warm cheese and celery tartlets...it all looked so good that it was hard to choose which to start with first. I was particularly a fan of the mini scones with goats cheese - mini scones are definitely the way to go.
At the bottom tier were some of the more traditional sandwiches, with the classic egg sandwich given a little twist and topped with a quail's egg and caviar.

If you thought that the savoury delights looked impressive, then take a look at the stand of desserts and patisserie that arrived later on...
The miniature desserts ranged from the fruity peach melba, and tangy lemon meringue tartlets to the more indulgent chocolate and sea salt caramel tartlets. The strawberry mille feuilles were a little tricky to eat but nonetheless delicious. My favourite was undoubtedly the mini raspberry eclair which was sweet and dainty.
And last but not least, were more mini plain and raisin scones which we generously smothered with jam and clotted cream. 

After all that rich food, we were served a palette cleanser - a zesty lemon sorbet served in a tall glass.

Intrigued to see what the hall upstairs looked like in the day, they kindly agreed to our request to have a quick visit. Ascending up the stairs, the large doors were pushed open to reveal the great hall which looked just as grand.

And here are a couple of photos from that enchanting evening not so long ago...

If you enjoy afternoon tea as much as I do, then I would definitely recommend a visit - a decadent afternoon guaranteed.

The Cheekster, signing out x