The past few times we’ve had visitors in Edinburgh, Paul and I have taken them out for a traditional Scottish fry-up. This time, with Nick visiting, Paul offered to cook the breakfast himself. Making a full Scottish breakfast is an ambitious undertaking, especially with only one frying pan! At most restaurants I’ve found that not all of the usual items are always included. Sometimes there isn’t toast, and most times we don’t find fried potatoes. Using the oven to keep everything warm as he went along, Paul made eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and fried potatoes (home fries) along with the traditional Scottish favourites: haggis, potato scones, black pudding, and beans. Nick and I were thoroughly impressed and filled to the brim by the end of the meal.
The change of seasons is remarkable for reminding us about foods we’d nearly forgotten. I only toast pumpkin seeds once a year. This year, the weekend before Halloween I had a surprise visit from my Parisian friend Fiona. To my surprise neither Fee nor Paul had ever carved a pumpkin! After making our jack-o-lanterns, which came out pretty well for a pair of rookies, I set aside the seeds for toasting.
I let them dry overnight and then divided them into two pans. In one pan I covered the seeds in olive oil and in the other I used butter. I sprinkled a fair amount of salt into both pans and toasted them in the oven for about an hour at 130C. Both batches were delicious, crispy and salty. As I grabbed a handful, warm from the oven, I was reminded of the fresh crisp (chip) stand at the farmer’s market. Thinking about all of the different seasonings used to flavour the crisps made me wish I had some garlic salt, or paprika to add to the seeds. Well, there’s always next year.
Earlier this month Paul and I opted for an impromptu meal in Stockbridge and Paul recommended Maxie’s. He had enjoyed a sandwich there earlier in the week and claimed it was just packed at lunchtime. I had passed the unassuming Maxie’s many times on my way to The Store, but never thought much of going in.
It is a fairly small cafe and we arrived a bit early for lunch to avoid the crowds. We watched a family enjoying a late breakfast of poached eggs on a muffin (biscuit) that looked delicious. We chose a table by the window and glanced up at the blackboards and at the menu on the table.
The menu was simple but varied, containing many breakfast choices not usually available, like pancakes. I considered the French toast for a while before deciding on a sandwich. Being unable to choose between the chicken and cranberry and the Brie and cranberry I decided to combine the two. Paul chose a ham and Swiss cheese sandwich and grabbed his usual bag of crisps (chips) to accompany the meal. I noted the only brand offered was Tyrrell’s. After checking their site I found that Tyrrells, based in Herefordshire, “… are the only small UK chip maker to grow our own potatoes & process them into delicious chips on the farm”. Paul picked Jalapeno chilli and lemon and I’ll admit I sampled quite a few.
We liked having the choice of breads and while Paul opted for a baguette I chose a bloomer. The bread was incredibly fresh and the sandwiches heartily filled. Paul commented on the thick slices of ham in his sandwich, and mine was a delicious combination with fresh chicken breast, soft Brie and a touch of sweet cranberry. Each came with a small side salad and we were both stuffed at the end. What is amazing is the price. At around £3 a sandwich you simply cannot go wrong.
It is worth noting that Maxie’s also carries a variety of jams, dips and sauces as well as crackers and biscuits (cookies). We’re looking forward to returning for breakfast. For a casual but surprisingly tasty lunch in Stockbridge I would highly recommend Maxie’s.
I cannot believe an entire month has passed since my last post. I have experienced many tastes and treats in the past 30 days and it will be my goal to post more frequently in hopes of sharing these with you.
On my first night of work at Le Monde here in Edinburgh I had the good fortune to serve a table of lovely people who work at a restaurant called Orocco Pier. At the end of their meal they encouraged me to dine at their restaurant and even gave me a mobile number on which to reach them as well as directions. At the end of September my boyfriend Paul and I headed out to South Queensferry to celebrate our 14 month anniversary.
Orocco Pier is situated on the main street of the rather quaint town South Queensferry, offering a waterfront view and a panorama of the famous Forth Bridge.
We were greeted upon entering the restaurant and welcomed by rich wooden tones. The lighting though dimmed wasn’t too dark but intimate and warm. The atmosphere was at once comfortable though posh with the levels of music offering privacy even in the seemingly booked restaurant.
Due to the fairly expensive prices we decided to order only mains but were brought fresh bread, which we welcomed. I chose the asparagus and wild mushroom ravioli on a bed of wilted spinach with a pecorino, garlic, thyme and cream sauce. Paul decided on the chicken stuffed with basil, gorgonzola and sun dried tomato on red pesto risotto. The ravioli were flavourful and rich but were a bit overpowered by the saltiness of the garlic cream sauce. I found Paul’s chicken to be moist and the flavours blended nicely without the gorgonzola overpowering as I thought it might do. Our meals were £11.50 and £13.95 respectively, a price we thought was well worth the experience and taste.
As a treat Paul booked us a room in the hotel for the night. The room was fairly small but comfortable and nicely decorated and had a balconey that supplied another beautiful view.
In the morning we had the full Scottish breakfast and I opted for the vegetarian option. The vegetarian sausages, as in my previous experiences, were a let down as they were too dry and lacked interesting flavour. The vegetarian haggis however made up for this being quite flavorful. I was most dissapointed with the “fruit dumpling” which ended up being a slice of fruit cake that was actually fairly hard and contained only raisens.
Overall I quite enjoyed Orocco Pier especially the atmosphere in the restaurant and the mains at dinner. I would recommend it, www.oroccopier.co.uk, and also suggest the small specialty shop down the street from it where I bought delicious Arborio rice with truffle.
I am a philosophy major hailing from New Hampshire, USA, but have been studying for the past three years in Montreal, CA. I have just recently moved to Edinburgh to complete my final year of university as an exchange student at the University of Edinburgh.
I have been told that when I was a small child just beginning to speak there was a phrase I would utter at the dinner table with a nervous and uncertain air, “But, what if I want more?”. I have never been denied food or made to go hungry. I simply love food with a passion, always have, and always will. I love learning about food, trying new foods, finding interesting recipes, exploring specialty shops, and enjoying cultural experiences at restaurants.
Having recently arrived in Edinburgh the city is even more enticing for a curious foodie like myself. There are so many restaurants and specialty stores I am anxious to explore, including The Howard and Lupe Pintos .
Though I have not been in Edinburgh long there are already a few places that I am keen to write about, including The Farmer’s Market, The Store, The Blue Parrot Cantina, Zest and Indigo Yard (for drinks).
Alex Asacker is a freelancer living in Toronto's West End. 
