Fonab Castle, the luxury five-star hotel and spa resort with fine dining restaurant in Pitlochry, is an impressive setting for a Burns Night supper.
The traditional Scottish baronial mansion house dating back to 1892 sits within an 11-acre rural estate. Executive Chef Rikki Preston is set to bring together the local community and visitors this year for a meal that celebrates the food, drink and culture of Scotland. “I remember Burns Night, back in the day when I was a commis chef and it was something you would look forward to in the kitchen, there would be a buzz about the celebration. We want to bring that passion back” he says.
“On the evening, there will be a bit of theatre and performance to what we will do, we have someone who will read Address to a Haggis and other poetry, a piper will play, we’ve gone back to the old silver service and chefs will be presenting dishes in the dining room, then a cèilidh band afterwards. It will be an occasion, something to get your heart going.”
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A whisky master from Bowmore Distillery will lead a tasting throughout the evening. “His knowledge is just phenomenal, whisky is an important part of hospitality at the hotel.” The meal will start with a cock-a-leekie soup with chutney consommé and dumplings, followed by oak-smoked salmon with pancakes. Then, haggis, neeps and tatties: “it’s a Burns Night classic but any time we have that dish on the menu in the hotel it gets a big reaction.”
This will be followed by Aberdeenshire fillet of beef with rumbledethumps and whisky sauce. The dessert for the event is a recipe that Rikki picked up from a former colleague from Orkney: “I like to get recipes that have a bit of history to go with them, this his granny’s clootie dumpling which I will serve with clotted cream ice cream.”
To finish, a selection of Scottish cheeses from local suppliers with oatcakes, then coffee and fudge. Rikki says: “We’ll be keeping Scottish traditions alive and the food will be full of memories. We’re passionate people and Burns Night is a chance to bring the local community together and show what we can do.”
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