Menus for a Scottish Showcase

We are spoiled for choice with the Scottish larder and, as we put these menus together we wanted to showcase some of our favourite and finest ingredients and broad inspiration from holidays, cook books and meals out. These two suppers are our way of celebrating the start Scottish Food Fortnight and appreciating the ingredients we have so readily and deliciously available to cook with. They also mark the end of our extremely busy but rewarding Summer season with almost 200 diners at our Table.

On Friday

To start
Manchego, rocket and Parma ham with homemade honey and walnut soda bread.

To follow
Venison, mushroom risotto and vegetable crisps

To finish
Chocolate delice, vanilla ice cream, pistachios

On Saturday

To start
Manchego, rocket and Parma ham with homemade honey and walnut soda bread.

To follow
Cod, tomato farro, salsa verde

To finish
Chocolate delice, vanilla ice cream, pistachios.

Menu for a late Summer night

Saturday's guests will enjoy:

To start
Rare roasted beef, garden salad and butternut squash crisps

To follow
Cod with braised lentils and proscuitto

To finish
Home grown apple and rhubarb crumble with elderflower ice cream.

Menu from west to east and back again

We're so busy in the kitchen, we forgot to post our menu. This is what we're making for tomorrow's guests. Are you hungry?


To start
Rare roasted beef, garden salad, squash ribbons

To follow
Pan- fried sea bream, madras curry, samphire

To finish
Chocolate tarts, white chocolate and mascarpone ice cream, strawberries.

Menu for a birthday girl

There'll be a bit of a party at our Table tomorrow night with this menu:

To start
Chicory, blue cheese, walnut and strawberry salad with Chris's homemade soda bread.

To follow
Beef, salsa verde, truffled beans and peppers, crispy potatoes.

To finish
Summer fruits, mascapone and white chocolate ice cream, petite chocolate brownies.

For a Scottish, Italian feast #2, in pictures.

A group of friends were reunited at our Table on Saturday night, the chatter, wine and later port were wonderfully free flowing and the bright colours and flavours of our dishes savoured and enjoyed. Here are the photos.

My favourite kind of blue.

Bringing the garden in.

 To welcome Caledonian blue cheese mousse, homemade oat biscuits.

 A selection of homemade breads including date and walnut and sun dried tomato (thanks Tara).

 To start Nectarine, Mozzarella, Parma ham, green leaves.

 To follow Beef, salsa verde, green beans, crispy potatoes.

 A cheeky cheese course Fig, nectarine, Tallegio, homemade crackers.

  To finish Ricotta and white chocolate cheesecake, strawberries with basil, walnut and date shards.

A sweet Summer supper, in pictures

It happened and the little ladies slept through it and it felt so good to be back to hosting. Friday was our first supper club in a long time, we were nervous and out of practice but we cooked with love and care and welcomed our guests with warmth. Thank you to our vivacious guests for making it memorable and rewarding us with clean plates, huge praise and the perfect satisfaction of a noisy, happy table behind the dining room door. It certainly won't be so long before our next one.

 Chive pom poms.

Vegetable parcels.

 To welcome Stilton gougeres.

 The Table.

Peonies about to burst with excitement!

To amuse  Courgette, coconut, orange and mint soup.

To start Pea and prawn risotto.

 or pea and feta risotto.

To follow Beef, tarragon hollandaise, green beans and peppers and (out of shot) crispy potatoes.

A rare shot from the Table.

To surprise Crowdie, pear, spiced walnuts, honey.

To finish Chocolate tart, pistachio brittle, yoghurt ice cream, meringue, berries and cherries.

Menu for a sweet Summer supper

It's been a while since we hosted a supper club, so it is with a mix of eagerness and huge excitement that we post this menu and prepare to welcome a wonderful group to the Table on Friday. In some ways a chance to ease ourselves back to hosting but we're certainly not holding back in the kitchen!

Chris will be cooking:

To start

Prawn {or feta}, pea, mint risotto, Parmesan crisps.

To follow

Fillet of beef, beans, peppers {or baby corn}, crisp potatoes, tarragon hollandaise, truffle oil.

To finish

Chocolate "tart", frozen yoghurt, berries, hazelnut meringue.

For wise men and women, in pictures.

The last of our Winter suppers made for a very busy, fun weekend and resulted in another rather full recycling bin! On Friday we welcomed a delightful group of friends and friends of friends with a roaring fire and glass of fizz. At the Table there were delicate white flowers, standing tall complemented by warm, white candlelight and then, a supper. We even had an informative tale and toast to St Andrew.

To welcome Gruyere gougeres.

A taste of grouse with horseradish.

Home grown rosemary.

To start Roasted beef, squash and rocket salad.

To follow Pan-fried scallops, Thai prawn risotto.

To finish Marmalade tart with orange and vanilla ice cream.

Menu for wise men and women.

Despite rota imposed complications coordinating a group mainly made up of medics and their wise friends, supreme organisation has prevailed. We hope there's a star to guide our guests (though our address will be revealed in advance) and we've even cooked up an edible taste of gold, frankincense and myrhh alongside other delights.

To start
Roasted beef, squash and rocket salad.

To follow
Pan -fried scallops, Thai prawn risotto.

To finish
Marmalade tart with orange and vanilla ice cream.

For a birthday boy, in pictures.

The atmosphere on Saturday was happy and relaxed as a group of friends gathered to celebrate a laid back birthday boy's special day with our special meal and a beer or two. It was our pleasure to play hosts.

To amuse Spicy parsnip, apple and pear soup.

To start Venison carpaccio, mozzarella {and for those who like them} mushrooms and hazelnuts.

To follow Asian braised beef, hot and sour salad.

To finish Rum and raisin chocolate brownies and ice cream or 

 for our wheat intolerant, dairy free guest, rum and raisin Winter fruits with her own brownie.

Time for tea.

For Thanksgiving, in pictures.

A merry crowd of guests gathered at our Table last night and we were especially thankful for the left over banoffee pie! It was great to welcome friends and their friends, several guests for the second time and others including two future supper club hosts and our first truly international guests from Holland and Germany, starting their stay in Scotland with our dining experience. And if we ever get chance to pay a visit to them in Utrecht, she works in this amazing ice cream shop. I want to go there. Now.

 Sweet potato crisps, a preview.

The Wintery Table.

 All set.

To welcome Avocado mousse, hot smoked salmon.

 Seared beef, horseradish cream.

 To start Scallops celeriac puree and truffle vinaigrette.

or seabass, celeriac puree and truffle vinaigrette.

To follow Venison with mushroom risotto, root vegetable crisps

or chicken with mushroom risotto and root vegetable crisps.

To finish Banoffee pie, cinnamon ice cream.

With coffee Petite chocolate and hazelnut macarons.