The Emerald Isle is my brief this week.
So many Celebrity Restaurants and Hotels etc all over the world and most have never set foot in them.
Are they worth the hype or are they seriously overpriced and overrated just because of a signature over the door.?
I have a feeling I know the answer but we shall see.
I personally feel that Ireland itself is a seriously underrated little Island as regards to the quality of food and the standards of Hospitality. I am a seasoned traveller and never have I returned to a country so often to be repeatedly overwhelmed by it's people,food and Hospitality.
My question would be - Does Ireland really need the big names to impress when absolutely everywhere from small tearooms to inns to Hotels and B&Bs are already impressing?
See my answers here or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or the Newspspers/Magazines in real time.
The Great Craigard Bake-Off was an outstanding success this year, sponsored by The Scottish Baking Awards. Over 500 entries, over 5 different categories, were whittled down to 60 for the final Bake-off on the 11th November 2018 at Craigard Tearoom in Helensburgh.
The 5 different categories were as follows:
Sugarcraft Chocolate Novelty Cake Homebaking and Bread.
The 4 judges were :
Mastercraftsman- Sean McVey from The Breadwinner bakery in Edinburgh
Masterbaker- Melanie Andrews MBE from The Scottish Baking Awards
Multi Award winning Chocolatier- Shona Sutherland from Taystful
Multi Award winning Cake Artist- Anna Dillon Dillons Cakes
The winners in each category were as follows:
Bread - Lily Greig
Novelty -Zuzka Miles
Sugarcraft - Sharon Morrison
Homebaking- Seema Joshi
Chocolate- Gayathri Prakash
Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to our fabulous judges who gave up their spare time freely to encourage and promote Scotland's great new Bakers. Roll on 2019.
The Helensburgh baker, entrepreneur and founder of the Scottish Baking Awards, Melanie Andrews MBE, tells Shereen how cakes and pastries don’t need to be the dietary bad guy; and why teaching skills to local youngsters is one of her many passions.
It was quite a day at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh on the 4th July 2017. I was here to meet Her majesty the Queen to recieve my MBE. The weather was typically dreich and wet but nothing on this earth could have dampened my spirit. There are very few people on this earth that i respect , admire and bow too and Her Majesty the Queen is at the top of that list by a long shot. There will never be another like this remarkable lady - Never. Honoured .