Fresh back from nine days in the U.K., I launch my latest foray into blogging and my return to writing about food. Two days in London and seven in Edinburgh were restorative in the best sense—a time to connect with my husband Mark in holiday mode, to reunite with our friend Susan, and to be part of a fortuitously well-matched group of seven Americans sharing a flat in Edinburgh.
Among our adventures, we got an inside look at Buckingham Palace, enjoyed a scenic train ride across England to Scotland, took in a performance of the oh-so-Scottish Tattoo military music review in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, and celebrity-sited Tom Hanks at afternoon tea in the Balmoral Hotel. And most memorably, we ate some great food—Japanese, Indian, Nepalese, Thai, Spanish, traditional Scottish pub food.
Once we discovered Broughton St., around the corner from our flat on Hopetoun St., it was inevitable that we would also do some cooking. The street is home to some interesting shops and restaurants, but none more appealing than the food vendors. A butcher shop offering Scottish sausages and meats, a small but well-stocked organic grocery, and a fishmonger with a whole window full of fresh fish inspired us to see what we could pull off in our simple kitchen. Continue reading →