WHY I AM DOING THIS?

I wanted to launch Eat – a Scottish Borders based site, to showcase all that is wonderful in The Scottish Borders: From the  Organic food producers, the shops and deli's, to the outstanding restaurants in the area.   I include some impromptu recipes in honour of my Mother who died young, and who wanted to share our family recipes with the world. 

When my school friends were tucking in to Fish Fingers and Chips my Mother was dishing up Blanquette De Veau.  From a young age I learned respect for food, and the living ingredients that had sacrificed their life, so that I have nutrition.  I believe in respect for nature too. I am ‘pro-organic’ I do not want to eat GM – Genetically Modified ‘Frankenstein food’. I want my Fish, Meat & Vegetables to have had a happy life. I want them without chemicals and pesticides. I don’t want my food ‘modified’ in any way. I want it, as nature intended.  I expect my food, fresh and of the highest quality. I hope you do too. Remember we get the life we think we deserve.

I also believe balance is everything.  Having a wide range of food, including several vegetable based meals a week, as well as Meat, Chicken & Fish, is normal. I don’t like the term ‘vegetarian’. As a meat eater, I like these foods as well.

I don’t want to hear people say that Organic foods are more expensive. The more we buy, the more the price will lower. Shops supply what WE demand, remember that. Furthermore I never hear of people complaining about the price of alcohol, drugs or fatty fast-food. I find it odd that society wants to complain about the price of higher quality, healthier and better looked after produce.  Eat better - because YOU are worth it! Give new foods to your children when they are young. They are worth it too. They will not find food strange when they grow up eating them from a young age. I was a small child, given all manner of things to try. MOST of them I loved. I still try new things. An adventurous nature is born from adventurous parents. You all deserve more!

WHO AM I?

My first memory is of sitting on the kitchen counter watching my Mother make a Steak Pie.  I had some Plasticine and started forming it into a pie shape. I was too young to talk.  My Mother placed some spare pastry and a small pie-dish in front of me.  My hands quickly turned it into a pastry case, she put in the filling. I put on a pretty lid. She baked it for me, and so began my love of The Kitchen, Food & all things culinary.

When I was Six, My Mother and I baked some Deep-dish Apple pies, golden, juicy, and crisp with a sprinkling of sugar.  We took these in a wicker baskets to Camden Lock Market, (where we were living at that time) we sold them on a red gingham tablecloth. Within an hour, every delicious slice of those twenty pies sold out. Passion for food was elevated to passion for making food for others.

In my Twenties as a hobby I opened a Crêperie it was successful, but my day job demanded more of my time.  Close to my dream but not close enough.

During my Winter breaks in the 90’s, I didn’t take a holiday instead, I became a volunteer-chef at various different restaurants in Edinburgh (Mexican & Fine Dining) just for the fun of it. They were glad of my help; word of mouth references ensured that they knew I was more than capable.

In 2007 I was a little ahead of my time.  I took some time out over the Christmas period and sold gourmet street food in Edinburgh. I lovingly prepared Gourmet Venison Burgers, topped with a red wine sauce, nestled in the most artisanal of organic rolls. In 42 days I sold well over 6000 burgers. Locals and tourists returning daily to get another ‘fix’.  Thousands of portions of vegetarian food satisfied those who could not enjoy the beautiful Scottish Wild Venison. The business ended after the Christmas Market. Edinburgh was not prepared to issue licences out-with the Christmas market.

I am a successful artist (my day job of the last 30 years) whose medium is Metal.  My other passion is food.  Join me on the next step of this adventure. Premises permitting, I want to combine my profitable studio, with a café to delight you.  A steading would be great, but they all seem to be renovated for housing. I WOULD BE HAPPY IF ANYONE KNOWS OF A SUITABLE SHOP TO RENT, THAT WOULD BE LARGE ENOUGH HERE IN THE BORDERS. If you hear of somewhere please let me know! (I will give you a free cup of coffee once a week for the rest of your life) I want to be able to re-create those mouth-watering delights for you too! In the meantime I will be cooking for free, for charity, for me the passion is in the ‘giving’ and ‘sharing’ of food.