The Creel, Orkney - just perfect.

St Margaret's Hope, Orkney - the view from The Creel kindly lent by Mr Wiks.

So in keeping with birthday traditions, we headed doon the isles of Orkney to St Margaret's Hope to our favourite Orkney restaurant, The Creel. I've blathered on about this exceptional place before, so to find out about it please pop over here.

As always, they don't disappoint, its truly one of the best places to eat in Scotland.

Baskets of warm flour and bere bannocks, arrived as if by magic (and magically refilled).

Crab salad with pickled cucumber and an avocado salad (beautiful).

Tusk and scallops (oh my).

Lemon tart looked gorgeous we were so full at this point we didn't indulge, but happily chatted and laughed quite comfortably until we wanted to leave, no rush, just a lovely quiet comfy sit.

Very happy folks, very happy tummies. 

Huge thanks to Alan, Joyce and their lovely team.

If someone asks you where to eat in Orkney, for a special meal, the answer is only going to be -

 The Creel.

(And, this tummy's eaten a lot of lovely grub, at home and away)

Trenabies Fair Trade Cafe, Kirkwall

A bonnie wee cafe which sits in the middle of Kirwall's main street.  It does everything from breakfast to buns, wraps and french bread pizza's (himself's favourite) to local steak on ciabatta (daughters favourite). They also don't mind if you want your beans on your breakfast in a wee bowl, so it doesn't touch (contaminate) your eggs with bean juice, which is very important in my life (and they serve veggie and normal carnivore brekkies).

Used coffee grains, (not starbucks) just an illustration of the bags you can get full of useful grains for the garden

The coffee is ace and they also let you have bags of used coffee grains for the garden. And whilst this ISN'T a chain - the coffee is utterly fab and yes they do 'to go' although why you can't sit for a while is beyond me. And, they DON'T do internet, nor do you get much of a phone signal - bliss for ten minutes or an hour 'off grid'. 

So if you want a cuppa with superhelpful staff who give you peace but are there is you need them. Pop in. Ironically there are three cafe's in a stride in that area of Kirkwall - all good, take your pick. But this ones a real treat for a cosy, quiet natter either in a booth or on a squashy sofa up the back.

Until next time - take some time out and enjoy the coffee, knowing you're supporting fair trade, local good food and ingredients and by drinking coffee you're also helping someone's garden grow too.

Happy scoffing and mind those beans don't get near your eggs. Bleurgh!

Trenabies Fair Trade Cafe

16  Albert StreetKirkwallOrkneyKW15 1HP  View on map

• T: 01856 874 336

The Peedie Chippie, Orkney

Image by Elliot Erwitt (link)

So, its National Chip Week - as a huge fan of potatoes, I'm happy about that. So in the spirit of this national event I took myself off yesterday night for a poke of chips, you know, just to join in. 

Nae far fae me hoose, about a 1/2 a minute walk in fact, The Peedie Chippie turns up every Friday from 4pm-8pm its peedie van loaded with goodies. It's just fabulous. Perfect, fish, awesome chips and a view out to Finstown Bay with its seals, wee boats and bonnie skies that just accentuates the experience ever more. If you're ever thinking of what to eat on Friday night in Okney, why not pop to Finstown and give it a shot. Its around the island on other days I'll scurry off and find out where and when and publish below. I see Sian's told us its in Stromness on a Saturday night.....

. And, no we don't all go out for chips in our kilts - this is a photo from the Telegraph depicting the local pipe band in all their splendour out grabbing a poke of chips after their practise in the community car park. Yes, you'll often see them there - oddly that doesn't seem strange at all, they need to practice don't they. I'd not like them to do it in my front room, no offence, but bag pipes and drums are LOUD and all that marching is bound to create some dust bunnies isn't it.

What's your local favourite chippy - why not nominate it here and what do you have on yours - I'm a salt only gal. Until next time - look out for your local chippy! Happy Scoffing.

Neeps for sale

As I ambled by the Stromness Chippy the other morning I saw this delightful sign. And, priced at a bargain for such giant neeps. If only it hadn't been 9am and chips still snoozing until lunch time. Its a fine chip shop too and serves mushy peas, in case you were in the mood. But, back to the Neeps, they are Swedish Turnips to you and I, just in case you wondered. And they are fine fodder for making a hearty meal out of including my favourite of clapshot - yum, which is claimed to have been invented here, not sure about that but I'll say for now, its a hearty Scottish dish from many a region!

I did rather like the ingenuity of their sign, quite accurate too as these were enormous. A bit more exciting that the sign in another shop in town. But, given the time of year, I guess some folks aren't maybe as excited about neeps, they are a plenty at the moment. This basket full was also full to bursting at the local tool/ironmongery shop. My word the difference in price between the peeider (smaller) toon of Stromness  (60p a neep) and the city of Kirkwall (80p a neep) some 15 miles east.  I also saw neeps at the charity shop for a similar kinda price - still a bargain at under a quid in my mind! Think of those poor neep farmers having to pull each enormous beast out of the soggy ground.

Its taken me a good 13 years to fathom that Orkney grub is a plentiful and luscious, however finding out where to buy it from is often delightful and unexpected.  There are also neeps in the local garage for sale, where else eh?

Until next time - get a bit of local grub under your belt - wherever you happen to discover it, I'm sure it will be a bargain - Happy Scoffing!

I'm off out neep spotting :) if you see any more local ones which are bargainous do let me know - I love a bit of neep research :)

The Merkister Hotel, Orkney

The Merkister Hotel, Orkney - Image reproduced from their own website.

So, on that day of all hearts (Feb 14th), we ventured out for a meal to The Merkister on the side of a bonnie Orkney loch. A bonnie wee spot with a grand bar and plenty comfy seating galore. We've eaten in the bar before and it was grand, so this time we tried the restaurant, which is really bonnie. They're in the Michelin Guide too. The setting was gorgeous, the food divine and the choices of seasonal local food quite outstanding.

A starter of Orkney Cheese in crumb with a seasonal fruit jelly. Image from their own website.

All in all a reasonably priced meal which was beautifully cooked and presented. No photo's from us as we respected the sign on the door saying please switch off laptops and phones when dining. Fair enough, I'd say.

Was it lovely, yes. Would we go back, probably. The food was great, the service fantastic and the atmosphere and ambiance just lovely. Well worth a trip. The menu changes daily so its always fresh and up to date. Pretty reasonable for good beautiful local food too I'd say. All sourced from the local butcher, fisherman and growers when they can source it. Orkney Aberdeen Angus steaks too as well as a plethora of beautiful fish and seafood.

A couple things I'd think they could perhaps improve to turn it from fantastic to amazing - sliced loaf bread offerings at the start of dinner, aren't really my thing that's for sandwiches at home, some nice bread or rolls would have helped continue the special ambience! And, sadly in my book, they committed regular but,  heinous crime of soggy side veggies. Beautifully presented, great choice, but soggy beyond belief and barely touched by our chops. Had I been a baby teething or weaning perhaps I'd be happier, but I'm not. A few wee tweaks could see that good though eh? 

They look like they do cracking lunches, free wifi and excellent coffee so maybe another trip would be a good idea. Its in the bonniest location which of course is best viewed when its not dark outside!

Until next time - have you tried somewhere new and local to you? Go exploring! Happy Scoffing!

Merkister Hotel, Harray Loch, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2LF

Tel: 01856 771366
Fax: 01856 771515

Or email contact here

Getting there. Halfway between Kirkwall and Stromness on the A965, take the A986 approx. five miles along the road. The Hotel is signposted left at Russland road and is situated at the loch side.

Smoked scallops, home salad & sushi rice

Pan seared smoked Orkney scallops

Pan seared Orkney smoked king scallops. Nom, I think of these as 'sea beasties', seems fitting somehow.

 

I'm not very experienced in cooking scallops, its the kind of thing I order if we're out somewhere and I see them on the menu. So, cooking these, well, its well out of my comfort zone, but I do try new things, just occasionally, especially when no one can see me mess up! However as they're not too expensive and I often see them in our local fishmongers, sometimes I get brave and I give it a go. You see, at the moment I'm home alone and eating what I please! 

Jolly's fish and local produce shop in Orkney

We've a great local fish shop here in Orkney, its quite nicely called 'Jolly's' - and its a very fine place indeed. Really lives up to its name. So that's where we get our fish. Being on an island means that fish/shellfish and alike is seasonal, local and quite nicely priced. So, its affordable weekly. We don't always have scallops, but at around £3 for a handful, they make a nice treat.

And isn't that one of the most fab signs you'll ever see?

Jolly's Fabulous Fish/Meat/Local produce shop in Kirkwall, Orkney

So having collected my scallops (these were smoked, again I've never tried these), and having read lots about cooking said 'sea beasties', I have to say although I read, I mainly ignored all the complicated stuff (especially the bit about patting dry scallops before cooking, I mean seriously WHO has the time to DRY scallops.) So my scallops looked darn fine and not too wet. Very fresh.....

Plump smoked king scallops

 The main thing seems to be a hot pan, so we dutifully obliged with a hot pan, added a knob of butter and the scallops, hey presto, two minutes each side later, they turn into these gorgeous brutes, less sea monster-ish, more yummy......

Seared Orkney scallops

These plump little hooligans were then left to rest for a minute or two whilst I heated up some pre-cooked sushi rice and chopped a bit of salad. Now I love sushi rice and find its sweet seasoned soft texture great with seared fish or shellfish like these scallops. The rice is pre-cooked and seasoned (with a seasoned rice vinegar mix - sushi-su) it doesn't need much in the way of faff, just reheat and shape to please.

Seasoned sushi rice

 A nice salad is always great with scallops the crunch of the salad goes great with the sweetness of the seafood. The lettuce is home grown too, I'm that thorough (cos I don't spend time DRYING scallops)............and I never dress salad before I eat it, just not a fan.

Home grown lettuce, tomatoes and mangetout

So scallops and rice/salad to the plate.....just time for a bit of a 'deglaze' of the scallop pan.

Seared smoked Orkney scallops with sushi rice and salad

 Basically, to my mind a 'deglaze' of a pan just means lob some liquid into a pan you've just cooked your grub in to get all those juices on your plate. So in keeping with my love of spice I put a tiny tot of my own chilli sauce in the pan and a wee glug of water - a fizz and a pop or two and hey presto a nice tangy rich sweet and spicy sauce.

Pan seared smoked scallops, salad, sushi rice with a sweet smoked chilli reduction

Just a tot mind, you don't want anything interfering with the sweet taste of a seared scallop. The smokiness of the sweet scallop perfectly compliments each other. Salad adding crunch (and you know you feel virtuous because of the 'health' aspect) and the sweet sticky sushi rice absorbs all that gorgeous flavour.

So, if indulging with something unfamiliar give it a go (preferably in private, then if its great you can wow folks at a later date). Read a bit, ignore most of it and give it a go!

 

The worst that can happen is that you burn the pan, sometimes it's good to get out of your comfort zone.

 

Until next time, be daring! Happy scoffing.

 

 

When the haggis landed on the wrong page.

As it still feels like the depths of winter here in the frozen north, comfort food beckons. Now you can't get more comfort food than haggis and tatties (mashed

Potatoes).  Doesn't this look bonnie? This version of an old classic was beautifully presented with a whisky sauce. Given the presentation you can see it was cooked by someone else at the lovely Kirkwall Hotel. So its in the 'eating out' category of life. I'm not known for my culinary artwork. I'm more the eating before its ready type.

So if you fancy quenelles of tattie and haggis delightfully adorned with micro salad shoots,on a plate, try The Kirkwall Hotel. Their menu never fails to deliver, even when serving up this classic.

And for main, monkfish, roast pepper sweet and sour glaze with a chorizo, spinach and tattie mash. Now, I'd like to tell you this was amazing, but I could only drool at my partner in crimes plate. Too quickly devoured to get a photo of this modern take on humble monkfish, it was THAT good.

Compliments to the chef!

Until next time, whether its old comforts or modern twists, happy scoffing.

And be careful with smart phones, they only make you look daft!

Kirkwall Hotel Ltd, Registered Office: Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1LE.Registered in Scotland Co no 452534. Telephone: +44 1856 872 232      Fax: +44 1856 872 812      Email: enquiries@kirkwallhotel.com

Girl needs porridge

This lass loves porridge, cooked with water and a pinch if salt, milk and a tiny sprinkle of sugar at the side, it's delicious. In the olden days I hear that the use to cool it and set in a drawer, taking slabs off as needed. Sounds a bit yuk until you think of flapjacks, perhaps that's the modern version?

Oats are a superfood don't you know. I wonder how you take yours?

 

Until next time, happy scoffing - love your porridge!

The finest of Orkney dining - The Creel

 Orkney Tusk, Scallops and Braised Celeriac - photo from The Creel

The thing about those who like to nosh, is that sometimes it can be ordinary good grub, but sometimes it can be quite fine dining and even a bit posh. The Creel down on one of the south isles of Orkney is an extraordinary experience. Friendly atmosphere, the food has always been immense when we've eaten there. (I'm happily almost at double figures) They offer a small menu of fresh local produce, always a fish and a meat choice, always gloriously gorgeously cooked and presented. I hear they also do amazing puddings, not being a pudding fan, I can wholeheartedly say that even I think they LOOK amazing. And, the cheese board is fantastic.

Highly recommended, in several places including the Michelin Guide, if you're going to eat anywhere in Orkney, eat here. The views across the bay are just breathtaking, a quiet wee place which is just amazing.

Oh and they make their own bread in the aga.

Fresh bread - photo The Creel

For a bread head like me, forget pudding I've got my eye on a lovely warm freshly baked sour dough. And, yes we did have two generous baskets full.

Oh Ok, I'll show you a pudding then too, Scapa Special (Beer) Ice-Cream was epic.

Chocolate Tart, Scapa Special Ice-cream with Beer Nuts. Photo - The Creel

You'll find thier Facebook here and their website here.

And a cunningly fab map here. Just in case you're in the area, or plan to come.

A three course dinner is £40, and an utter bargain. They have a really lovely wine selection which doesn't break the bank either.

Until next time, fill your boots! Happy Scoffing!

Alan and Joyce Craigie

   Creel Restaurant and Rooms

   Front Road

   St Margaret's Hope

   Orkney KW17 2SL

   Email: creelorkney@btinternet.com

   Tel: (01856) 831311 (UK)

   Tel: +44 1856 831311 (International)