Emma Webpage – Taste of Edinburgh
Operating over three days, the Taste of Edinburgh foodie heaven showed the world what Scottish produce is all about. Local producers mixed with world famous names such as Rachel Allen and Jean Christophe Novelli made this the place to be over the dreich holiday weekend. However the weather didn’t hinder the crowds who turned up to quaff the pimms, clug the oysters and generally mill about the various theatres where the chef’s showed how to utilise the produce to it’s best.
Rachel Allen enjoys herself at the Scottish Power Taste Theatre
and the crowd lean in to catch her every word.
With the rain threatening to cast a shadow over the event, the organisers showed their worth – free boxes of ponchos around the site!
In the middle of the festival was a jam area with music on throughout the day which helped the party atmosphere along. At one point a couple took to the grass to show us all how to dance, and were greeted with a round of applause, I think they may have been at one of the many champagne stalls!
Many local companies including Findlays of Portobello as well as Stockbridge retailers and those from around the UK came to show off their wares. This included Olive Oil, Dips, Cheeses, Tea, Beer, and even Rhubarb Rum. The attendees were kept happy with some good discounts for festival purchases.
An array of Edinburgh restaurants in attendance showing off their culinary skills for the price of a few crowns. These crowns can be purchased from the Taste of Edinburgh bank. Each restaurant offers a starter, a main and a dessert and you can mix and choose from all the places on offer. Mains are around 8-10 crowns which equates to £4-5. I am still licking my lips over the delicious slow roasted pork pittas. Delish!
We wandered into one of the celebrity chef demonstration areas and surprisingly saw Jean Christophe-Novelli surrounded by women! I don’t think he minded at all.
Jean Christophe-Novelli gains a new fan
The crowd happily spending a few hours eating their way around the festival.
I’ve never been to a foodie festival before, but will definitely be back to this one – a great day out with some new food added to the shopping list.
