The Edinburgh Reporter May 2024

OVER THE YEARS I’ve entered the odd food

or cooking competition including MasterChef,

but that was more than 20 years ago, when

Lloyd Grossman, (him with the strange accent)

was still the presenter.

I reached the regional selection process and a

cook-off at Edinburgh Napier University when

I cooked herb crusted rack of lamb but I didn’t

make the TV round, unlike Highlander Sarah

Rankin, who reached the Finals Week on the

BBC’s MasterChef in 2022.

Although she didn’t clinch the title, she’s

certainly winning at life, epitomised by the

launch of her debut cookbook, ‘Kith’, (a word

which refers to family, friends and other close

relationships), by Edinburgh-based publisher

Birlinn.

Since her MasterChef stint, Sarah’s culinary

adventures have extended beyond the kitchen,

hosting Supper Clubs, catering for events,

writing about food, and sharing expertise at

food festivals. Remarkably, she still finds time

to lend her marketing skills to a select group of

clients.

Sarah’s passion is seasonal Scottish food, and

her recipes celebrate Scotland’s larder and the

wonderful producers who nurture it. At the

heart of Kith’s theme of food at the heart of

family and community, Sarah also extends this

love to the environment through her focus on

sustainable cooking.

“Food is love,” Sarah says. From researching

and planning a new dish to all the effort that

goes into its creation, serving food to the ones

you love is a meaningful way to form bonds

and nurture relationships. Sarah explains that

‘the act of cooking and serving something

delicious to someone brings her so much joy.

And sitting together to share even the simplest

of dishes always lifts her spirits.’

She said: “Being a food lover encompasses

all. Loving the ingredients, of course, but also

the seasons – the weather that brought them to

you – and the people who tend, harvest and

17

Culinary capers in the capital with Kerry Teakle

MasterChef finalist Sarah Rankin delivers

celebration of food community and sharing

Food is love

prepare them for you.”

Divided into four seasonal sections, her

cookbook, a treasure trove of 100 sensational

recipes, features a blend of traditional and

contemporary recipes, celebrating the

remarkable diversity of Scotland’s larder. Each

recipe reflects Sarah’s unwavering passion for

quality ingredients and thoughtful cooking

techniques. The book also features a selection

of tempting drinks and canapes, along with a

section titled “Firm Foundations”, designed to

empower novice cooks with essential culinary

skills and a repertoire of sauces, stocks, pastry,

bread and pasta, and butter and creams.

During an exclusive dinner party at Birlinn’s

historic venue in Newington, I had the

privilege of experiencing Sarah’s culinary magic

firsthand. With her infectious enthusiasm and

attention to detail, she crafted a memorable

six-course meal, each dish infused with stories

of its origin and inspiration from the potted-

pigeon shot by her friend Jerry to her pre-

dessert palate cleanser, a delightful

seabuckthorn (sourced from her dear friend

Kirsty) and blood orange ice lolly.

But what sets Sarah’s recipes apart is their

accessibility. Even novice cooks will find joy in

recreating her dishes. Personally, I’ve savoured

her Lemon, Basil, and White Chocolate Fudge

and the exquisite Lemon Posset with

Caramelised White Chocolate and Oat

Crumble, both of which are easy to reproduce,

and which elicited rave reviews from those

fortunate enough to taste them.

Kith is more than just a cookbook. It’s a

celebration of food, community, and the joy of

sharing a meal with loved ones. Whether you’re

a seasoned chef or a novice cook, this

cookbook is a

must-have for

anyone looking

to embark on a

flavourful

journey through

Scotland’s

gastronomic

delights.

Kith, £25 –

Hardback - ISBN

9781780278360

By KERRY TEAKLE

NEW OPENINGS – The Spanish Butcher,

from independent Scottish restaurant

group, RUSK & RUSK, officially opens in

Edinburgh on Friday 10 May on North

Castle Street.

Famed for its distinctive Galicia meets

Brooklyn proposition – incomparably

unique in Scotland the new 90-cover

addition to the capital’s dining scene,

encompasses vibrant Spanish and

Mediterranean-inspired flavours,

showcasing some of the finest dry-aged

beef in the world across an à la carte

menu, married with the very best

homegrown produce from Scotland’s

larder.

UNCORKED

To Book – Ticket Offer - Have you got your

tickets booked for the Edinburgh

Uncorked Wine Fair with Susy Atkins on

Saturday 1 June at The Assembly Rooms

on George Street? It promises to be an

incredible tasting with hundreds of wines

to taste, from all over the world. Discover

more unusual wines from the likes of

Ukraine to the classics of Burgundy or St

Joseph in the Rhône, to many New World

favourites. There are two sessions to

choose from, either 12-3 pm or 4-7 pm.

The Edinburgh Reporter has a 15%

discount code off the full-price ticket,

normally £30. Quote

EDUNCORK#REPORTER15 when booking.

bit.ly/EdUncork

Edinburgh’s hola to

Galician delights

Photos from Sarah’s book

Sarah Rankin