Category Archives: Locations

Ayrshire, Delis, Food Analysis

There’s a New Cheese in Town

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I’ve often thought that if I worked in food production in any way, making cheese would be the thing for me. That or baking cakes for a teashop where presentation was low on the list of priorities.

I’ve been to cheese festivals, seen umpteen programmes about how cheese is made, eaten I have no idea how many different cheeses, and even wasted a couple of hours messing around and making a song about it (I know…I’m not sure what came over me). However I’ve never actually made any.

I have recipes for soft cheeses kicking around, and keep meaning to try them, but until I do, I’m going to content myself by supporting the industry and eating yet more cheese.

That’s why I was thrilled to come across a new local cheesemaker earlier in the year: Barwheys Dairy.

barwheys smoked cheese

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Ayrshire, Bakeries, Beverage Specialists, Butchers, Cafés, Delis, Fishmongers, Greengrocers, Shops, Sweet Shops, Takeaways

An On-Foot Food Tour of Troon

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While down south sunny days and unseasonal heatwaves have been occurring, up here we have been having a lot of rain, broken up by grey skies, strong winds and the occasional burst of hail.

Noting the potential arrival of a single sunny day, I reserved it for another food tour, and some research and a print-out later, I was in the seaside town of Troon.

I have only been to Troon a few times before, and never into the actual town. Instead I’ve gone to the harbour to Wee Hurrie, a great fish and chip shop that fries while you wait, and the neighbouring McCallum’s Oyster Bar, where I eschewed oysters in favour of some wonderful fish. I really must write about them sometime.

However though the town itself is small, it’s definitely worth a saunter round, followed by a bracing walk along the beach to burn off a few cake calories.

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Ayrshire, Eateries, Eating/Drinking Out, Reports, Restaurants

Afternoon Tea at Turnberry, South Ayrshire

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I live not too far from the Turnberry Resort, which is beautifully situated on the Ayrshire coast overlooking the Ailsa golf course.

It is a very luxurious place, with room prices retailing outside the reach of normal man. Now that H is working, I selflessly thought it would be the perfect place for him to take me on a date, and luckily for me, he agreed.

As most of the wonderful-sounding restaurants fall into the same “you don’t have to be rich to come here, but…oh who are we kidding, you do” bracket as the rooms, I felt the noble thing to do was to opt for afternoon tea, which was still pretty jaw-dropping at £26 a head.

cream and jam

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Food Analysis, Holland

Dutch Food Analysis: Oliebollen

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Before you get envious/astounded that I have been on holiday so soon after being abroad for months, don’t worry. The oliebol may be Dutch, but I bought it in Kilmarnock at the Global/Continental Market mentioned in my post on macaroons.

Given that this occurred a few weeks ago, there is really no excuse for my taking so long to write about it. All I can say is that my mind has recently been focused on job-seeking, which hasn’t left much room for anything else.

oliebol

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Food Analysis, Markets, Scotland

Scottish Food Analysis: Macaroon Bars and Coconut Macaroons

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I am a big fan of French macarons. The stunning colours, delicate flavourings and chewy textures… the only thing I don’t like is the price. Seriously. Considering the price just one of those tiny little delights retails for, I almost expect them to be diamond-encrusted.

Of course I appreciate they are a fiddle to make. I’ve had my fair share of cracked tops, sandy textures and uneven splodges to contend with, and after watching a recent episode of one of my favourite tv programmes “The Great British Bake Off”, I can see I am not alone.

Coconut macaroons are a very different beast, and something that are strangely Scottish. I say strangely, because coconut palms don’t line the shores here, but perhaps they come from the same tropical stable as pineapple tarts.

macaroon bar

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