“We have been supplying Fred and Betty for many years with wild Scottish game. It started in Glasgow and carries on today in Edinburgh at l’escargot bleu. To keep such a long work relationship going needs good communication and understanding by both parties, which I believe we have!” by Johnny from Burnside Farm Foods

Charlotte Blacker has written a few words for us on her free-range livestock grazed on wild and cultivated herbal pastures in the Perthshire Hills.

Today is a big day at l’escargot bleu as we await the arrival of a whole pig from Herb Majesty in Perthshire. It’s a cross breed that’s has been fed only on grass, so no added substitutes or grains. I’m very excited. The legs will be turned into a blanquette for this week’s menu and I hope you recognise the very special flavour when eating it, it should be treat.

Today is La Chandeleur in France, known here as Pancake Day. In the north east of Brittany a crepe is a thin, sweet, wheat flour pancake, and a galette is a thicker, savoury pancake made with buckwheat, water and salt. The argument between villages has been going on for generations.

“Take, for example, our l’escargot bleu dinner last night. Hand-delivered by a masked Fred, it came with easy reheating instructions. All we had to do was open the wine. The snails were paired with ‘sassaermaet’, a traditional, highly spiced sausagemeat from Shetland. Ronnie Eunson’s son Jakob makes it not only for l'escargot bleu but for Shetlanders to buy in food shops such as Ann Johnson’s wonderful emporium Scoop in Lerwick.” by food writer and novelist Sue Lawrence

“A warm Angus welcome from us, Jillian and Neil McEwan of Lunan Bay Farm. We’re really exciting to be working with Fred again. This time, showcasing our pasture-fed Lunan Bay goat meat. Back in 2019, we started supplying Fred with our Lunan Bay asparagus. In May-June, we deliver our seasonal, Scottish spears straight to l’escargot within 6 hours of hand-cutting, which guarantees an asparagus experience like no other - the freshest  asparagus combined with L’Escargot unique culinary flair! “

“Neighbourhood restaurants are an essential part of the community. There’s no impersonal internet ordering – it’s a human on the other end of the phone, Sophie or Betty, which says it all. We know that when we order from Fred and Betty, it’s not just their restaurant we are supporting, but also the other members of the bleu team and that fantastic supply chain of producers, across Scotland and beyond.” by customers Philippe and Julie

“Apparently monks took snails to Barra. Snails were not regarded as meat and so could be eaten on fast days. They were an easily stored source of fresh protein through windy winter months. The tradition of eating snails did not out-live the monks, and there is no tradition of eating snails on Barra today.” by Gerard MacDonald of Isle of Barra Oysters

I’ve not done much at Newton over the winter and there’s not much there to eat. There are a few leeks standing proud, fighting the cold. The broccoli is starting to grow, ready for spring, and there’s some mustard, mizuna and chervil that we planted in late summer. There will probably be some harvesting to do in March. I’m quite excited for the season to start - a positive thing to look forward to.

I thought I would compliment myself this morning. Last week was a very stressful one. I put the game pie on the menu having never done one of that type before, in the Oreiller’s way, and I had no idea if it would stay up, cook well, or even be presentable! Friday morning was even more stressful when it was time for Bertrand and I to cut the first slice. Once we had seen the inside, whoa, whoa what a relief! What we could see was a well-presented and cooked pie, pink inside and smelling like a dream. I really hope you enjoyed that pie.