Monday 15 August 2016

Edinburgh Festival Insider Tips and Tricks


With the Edinburgh Festival in full swing, who better to ask for advice than the amazing bloggers of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Bloggers team have been hunting down posts on everything festival related from top tips, to what to see, to where to eat and pulled them together here in one handy post.

Top Tips

Edinburgh Festival Top Tips by Tartan Brunette




What to See


Fringe Highlights by Kimberley in the City

Girl Power at Edinburgh Fringe by The Meneghin Girl


Where to eat

7 Places to Eat During the Fringe by Kimberley in the City

Where to Eat in Edinburgh by Water Painted Dreams

Finge Nods to Jazz and Juleps by Yankee Doodles


*If you have written a post on the Edinburgh Festival please let us know so we can add it to our list.

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Foodies Festival Returns to Edinburgh This Weekend

Foodies Festival Edinburgh Returns to Inverleith Park with a Feast of Culinary Delights and Foodie Fun 5th to 7th August


  • Scotland's Michelin-star and top chefs cooking live in the Chefs Theatre
  • Focus on Brazilian street food on the Street Food Avenue for the Olympics
  • More award-winning producers than ever before
  • Champagne, wine and whisky masterclasses
  • Burlesque Baker Charlotte White in the Cake & Bake Theatre
  • New Bug-Eating Challenge and the famous Chilli-Eating Competition
  • New 1920s themed VIP Tent with grand piano and Mirror Bar sponsored by Simpson & Marwick
  • Local bands competing to win the Unsigned Music Awards
  • Giant Pimm's Teapot and Mojito Ship return
After a record breaking 10th anniversary festival last year, which welcomed over 38,000 visitors, Foodies Festival enters its second decade as the UK's biggest celebration of food and drink with a tantalising menu of new culinary features, top chefs from across Scotland and a line-up of foodie fun that promises a great day out 5th - 7th August.

Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre
Scotland's culinary masters will showcase their skills and share insight into this year's food trends while answering questions from the audience. Chefs confirmed include:
  • Jacqueline O'Donnell - The Sisters and Great British Menu regional champion
  • Marcello Tully - Kinloch Lodge (Michelin-starred)
  • Brian Grigor - Number One at The Balmoral (Michelin-starred)
  • Stuart Muir - DINE
  • Mark Greenaway - Restaurant Mark Greenaway
  • Jamie Scott - The Newport and MasterChef: The Professionals winner
  • Colin Fleming - The Printing Press
  • Gordon Craig - The Field
  • Fraser Smith - Angels with Bagpipes
  • Fraser Allen - The Pompadour 
  • Graeme Pallister - 63 Tay Street
  • Paul Wedgwood - Wedgwood's
  • Neil Forbes - Cafe St Honore  
  • Stuart Ralston - Aizle
  • Edward Murray - Gardiners Cottage
  • Gillian, Nichola & Linsey - Three Sisters Bake 
  • Tony Rodd - MasterChef Finalist 2015
  • Kaori Simpson - Harajuku Kitchen 
  • Kim Kaewkraikhot - Chaophraya
  • Ian Pirrie - Edinburgh School of Food & Wine

Drinks Theatre
Champagne enthusiasts can relax in the Drinks Theatre with 'The Fascinating Story of Champagne Canard-Duchêne and Pinot Noir' masterclasses presented by writer Brian Elliot or learn how to match wine with seasonal ingredients with TV wine expert Charles Metcalfe. 

Tutorials in craft beer are also available with beer critic Melissa Cole, and for those who enjoy Whisky, R&B Distillers host whisky tastings - perfect for both whisky novices and connoisseurs.


Street Food Avenue
A feast of international flavours and delicacies are served on the Street Food Avenue. Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Argentinian, Turkish, Indian, Korean, Mexican, French and African are just some of the cuisines on offer and can be enjoyed in the every growing Feasting Tent, ensuring hunger is banished and tummies are full. 

There’s a special focus on Brazilian street food this year to celebrate the Olympic host’s cuisine, including traditional Brazilian BBQ and Rio’s favourite dish Feijoada made from black beans, salted pork, trimmings, smoked sausage and jerk beef, which is cooked in a traditional clay pot. Brazil’s national cocktail Caipirinha, a mix of lime, sugar and Cachaça (made from sugarcane juice with an ABV of 48%), and Brazilian coffees will be available.

Artisan Producers Market
This year there are more award-winning producers at Foodies Festival than ever before with a glittering array of Great Taste Award winners available to shop and sample from, each being hailed as a producer of ‘Exquisite, Outstanding and Simply Delicious’ food and drink – a fantastic opportunity for visitors to meet artisan producers from the local area and across the country, learn their story and stock up on award winning produce.

New Vintage Tea Room and Cake, Bake & Tasting Theatre
A beautifully decorated new Vintage Tea Room offers visitors Afternoon Tea with a selection of cakes, scones with clotted cream and jam, and finger sandwiches served on china from a tea trolley by vintage styled tea ladies and gentlemen.

Baking extraordinaire Charlotte White, master chocolatier Fiona Sciolti and top local cake-makers work their baking wizardry on the Cake & Bake stage, inspiring visitors to reach for their whips and spatulas at home and create show-stopping cakes and delicious summer bakes. A neighbouring Chocolate, Cake and Bake Village sells freshly baked breads, sponges, tarts, jellies and trifles to enjoy with a bubble tea or fresh juice. 

Into the Jungle
Festival goers can munch their way into the depths of the jungle this summer with a trip to the Vietnamese Street Food stand, where those with a taste for the exotic can indulge in insects, including grasshoppers, caterpillars, mealworms, beetles, scorpions, locus and ants.

For those brave enough, there’s a daily Bush Tucker Trial on the Challenge Stage, where visitors compete against one another by eating jungle insects, from small ants to large juicy grubs, with the contestant eating the biggest and the most being crowned champion. 

Childrens Cookery School
The Olympic theme continues into the Childrens Cookery School, where little foodies can decorate their very own gold medal with coloured icing, glitter and edible ribbon.  Pizza and cupcake making classes also allow kids to explore their taste buds and learn basic cookery skills to practice at home.

Chilli-Eating Challenge
The famous Chilli-Eating Challenge continues in 2016, inviting fans of spice to beat an eye-watering 16 million scoville record set by Shahina Waseem last year. Participants start at the low end of the chilli spectrum by eating bell peppers, but things quickly get a lot hotter with Habanero, Scotch and Carolina Reaper (world's hottest chilli) chillies being added to the menu. Those still standing are then inflicted to pure chilli extract, increasing in strength, until a winner is crowned.

New Deco Noir VIP Tent
This year's 1920s themed Deco Noir VIP tent offers those looking to relax in style at Foodies Festival a decadently decorated VIP Tent sponsored by Simpson & Marwick Property. VIPs can enjoy a red carpet reception with a welcome glass of bubbly and goody bag, and take advantage of priority entry to food and drink masterclasses between relaxing in the VIP Tent with private Mirror Bar, live jazz music and refreshments throughout the day. 

Live Music and Pop-Up Bars
After a day of feasting and fun, visitors can picnic on the grass with friends and soak in the atmosphere with live music from award-winning local bands at the Unsigned Music Awards Stage and a glass of bubbly or refreshing cocktail from the Giant Pimm's Teapot or Mojito Ship. 


Tickets: 
Tickets are on sale now at www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111

Ticket prices:
Friday adult ticket £10.00/£8.00 concession
Saturday/Sunday adult ticket £14.00/£11.00 concession
Three day adult ticket £20.00/£16.00 concession

VIP day ticket £38.00/£35.00 Friday - includes a glass of bubbly with red carpet welcome, use of the decadent Deco Noir VIP Lounge and Mirror Bar, refreshments throughout the day, priority entry to food and drink masterclasses, show guide, and goody bag to take home.

Children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.

Open times:
5th August - 11am - 7pm
6th August - 10am - 8pm
7th August - 10am - 7pm