Getting competitive with coffee

Comedian and podcaster Al Murray has made a whisky to commemorate one of the boldest raids of the Second World War, and he made only 265 bottles, one for every Commando who took part. Scran's Rosalind Erskine sat down with him to find out about the liquid and the history behind it. The whisky is Vat 01 Whisky 'Operation Chariot', the first spirits release from AVRE Industries, the label Al co-founded with historian James Holland. It marks the St Nazaire Raid, in which British forces attacked the dry dock at St Nazaire in occupied France in March 1942, and which Holland describes as one of the most daring and successful Commando raids of the war. ABOUT THE WHISKY 🥃 A single batch of just 265 bottles, one per Commando on the raid 🥃 A blend that, as Al says, can never be made again 🥃 Bottled in a 1940s-style bottle, wrapped in paper printed with an aerial photograph of St Nazaire taken from a Spitfire the day after the raid 🥃 Released through the audience of Al and James's hit podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk Listen to hear why Al wanted to put a raid in a bottle, how the whisky was made, and the history behind every one of those 265 bottles. 🥃 More from The Scotsman on food and drink: https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink #AlMurray #Whisky #StNazaire #OperationChariot #WW2 #Scran #WeHaveWaysOfMakingYouTalk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black pudding is one of Ireland's oldest foods, older than the potato, and it's disappearing. In this episode of Scran, The Scotsman's food and drink podcast, author Kate Ryan and food historian Peter Gilchrist explain why the ancient art of cooking with blood is dying out, and what Ireland and Scotland stand to lose with it. With Halloween only weeks away, Rosalind looks at the ancient foods traditionally made and eaten at this time of year, starting with black pudding. KATE RYAN ON BLACK PUDDING Kate Ryan is an award-winning food writer and the founder of Flavour.ie. Her book, Blood, Guts & Black Pudding: Ireland's Dying Art of Blood as Food, is published by Nine Bean Rows. It charts the history of Ireland's black and blood puddings from pre-Christian times to today, and asks "what else is lost when the blood is gone?" Kate tells Rosalind the history of black pudding in Ireland, why it's dying out, and what that means for food culture and our shared food history. PETER GILCHRIST ON SCOTLAND'S FOODS AT RISK Friend of Scran and food historian Peter Gilchrist joins to talk about seasonal Scottish foods we're at risk of losing, including sparls, a dried Shetland sausage. IN THIS EPISODE 🐷 The history of black pudding in Ireland 🩸 Why blood as food is disappearing 🌭 Sparls, the dried Shetland sausage 📖 Scran listeners get 20% off Kate's book when they buy online with the code PODCAST20: https://ninebeanrowsbooks.com #Scran #BlackPudding #FoodHistory #ScottishFood #IrishFood #Halloween #Shetland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this very special bonus episode of Scran where we've partnered with World Class to bring you an insight into the upcoming Scotland Served Cocktail Festival as well as the exciting international competition for bartenders that is running alongside it. Rosalind speaks to last year's winner of World Class, Emanuele ‘Lele' Mensah and Stefanie Anderson who is the Diageo World Class Great Britain and Luxury Portfolio Scotland Ambassador. Lele tells Rosalind all about how wonderful it was to win the competition. He talks about how important it is for him to have won for the people that support him, but also for all people of colour who work in the industry. He also shares the very exciting plans for his new Shoreditch bar Asase. Stef fills Rosalind in on how the competition came about, why it's important for Diageo and the opportunities it presents for the bar staff who get involved. She also gives some details on the competition 'challenges' they face like the theatrically entitled 'Slow train to Singleton'. Rosalind also paid a visit to one of the bars who are taking part in the 'Scotland Served Festival' - Kirstie Oattes runs Kelvingrove Cafe in Glasgow with her husband Barry - she tellls Rosalind all about the festival and what cocktail-lovers can expect.  You can find out more about the Scotland Served cocktail festival by visiting their Instagram page, 'ScotlandServed'. To hear more about Lele and Matt Arnold's journeys head to 'World Class Great Britain' on Instagram. Please enjoy responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Celebrated chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi joins Rosalind on this episode of Scran to hear all about his new Edinburgh restaurant. Foodies have eagerly looked forward to its arrival, and Rosalind is keen to learn more about what we can expect. Yotam tells Rosalind where his passion for cooking comes from, explains the 'Ottolenghi Way,' and shares his hopes for the new business.He also gives us insight into what we can expect from the menu and we learn how Yotam has worked with Woven on a new whisky, which will be served in the restaurant. Not only is he a successful restaurateur, but his multiple cookbooks have been an international hit, and he tells Rosalind more about the latest one 'Simple Too.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are continuing our celebration of award-winning Scottish food and drink businesses on this episode as we talk to Nick Watkins of El Perro Negro. Winner of multiple best burger awards, Nick stepped into the industry with an idea and determination - more than 10 years later El Perro Negro is still recognised as one of the best burger restaurants not only in the UK, but the world. Nick is refreshingly candid in his views on the industry, how change needs to happen to sustain food and drink businesses and his motivation in setting up the business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now into our tenth season we wanted to start the series with something a little different so over the next few episodes we'll be looking a little closer at some of Scotland's award winning food and drink businesses.And as we hold on to the last of summer for dear life what better way to kick off this celebration than to go for ice cream - specifically Equis ice cream in Rutherglen! Rosalind wanted to find out more about the family business and the significant investment they've made in recent years. Father and daughter team David and Alex Equi took her on a tour of the factory - which at points was not for the faint hearted - we're talking about the blast freezer visit here. Rosalind saw a modern, high spec, busy business and learnt a great deal about this award-winning producer. You'll hear parts of the tour here interspersed with Rosalind's chat with Alex and David.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's that time of year again - festival time! Producer Kelly and Rosalind hit Edinburgh recently to catch some food and drink shows and we were not disappointed.  First stop was the Malt Whisky Society on Queen St. There they enjoyed the Whisky Wanderer experience where you learn all about the different whisky regions through an imagineative and eye-opening whisky and food pairing. Rosalind chats to host Bethany Grindle, who is a true whisky fan and aficionado. The team battled their way through the throngs of people over George the Fourth Bridge and up to Summerhall for The Speakeasy Experience. This show was an absolute hoot which included two Pickerings-gin-based cocktails. Tour-guide and performer Marina told Rosalind all about what visitors can expect from the show. Rosalind and Kelly then headed along to the Cowgate to their final show of the day, some stand up with Alan Anderson and Whisky for Dafties. As the title indicates this show is indeed for everyone as no knowledge of whiskey is required. There is a quite a bit of booze drank throughout and you may even learn something if not about whisky, then the people in the audience - good fun all round. You'll hear some vox-pops  they did throughout the day too chatting to people working and attending the fringe - that is, when they could find people who weren't just eating pot noodles and meal deals - that's the fringe for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 The Glasgow Coffee Festival took place recently and as part of that the UK's Best Coffee Roaster was named as Glasgow-based Jonathan Martinez and Andrew Wong won the UK Brewers Cup competition.  On this episode of Scran Rosalind chats with both of them about their passion for coffee, how they got involved in the competition, about the trends in coffee and how they manage to sleep when 'coffee' is constantly on the menu. It's a fascinating chat where Rosalind learnt a lot more about coffee varietals and where the high end of the market is at. Best enjoyed with a nice cooling iced-coffee - unless you're listening back to this beyond summer time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Scran Rosalind chats to David and Michael Neave - the father and son duo who have played more than an important part in the success of Amber restaurant. Amber celebrates 25 years in business this year. Located in the Scottish Whisky Experience it was one of the first visitor attractions to launch a restaurant and since then has gone from strength to strength. David founded the restaurant and when Michael was young he would come to visit his father at work where his fascination for cooking began. She speaks to them both about the significant family history that is tied up in their work. About how the restaurant was a forerunner of many trends we see in food and drink today and about their passion for good food.To celebrate 25 years in business Michael developed an anniversary menu which became a project many of the longstanding team got involved in. Each dish was chosen for the memories it carries of the suppliers, the team, and the guests and all those who shaped the restaurant over 25 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this Scran on the Road special, producer Kelly and Rosalind spent two days travelling around Orkney, thanks to Orkney Marketing and ⁠Orkney.com⁠, where they encountered so many interesting people and places that they couldn't fit it all into one episode. On the second part of the road trip, Rosalind goes to Barony mill where she meets Alister Harcus. This is a fascinating look at such an historic building still functioning as well as the day it was built. Alister shows Rosalindl around the mill, explaining the different processes and history.  A trip to Orkney wouldn't have been complete without a visit to Highland Park. Rosalind sat down with Graham Bruce, Visits and Retail Operations Manager to hear all about the changes to the distillery in recent times. They also discuss the downturn in the industry and a change in their marketing strategy which had peaked her interest. You'll hear parts of the tour of the distillery Rosalind went on too with tour guide Darren. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices