scotland

A Taste of Scotland in Greater Palm Springs

Coachella Valley tastemakers & Scottish food & drink suppliers gathered together with one special tasting menu, because it’s not all about kilts & bagpipes.

Erin Peters Restaurants

scotland
Amuse Bouche, traditional creamy Scottish soup with smoked haddock, accompanied with a Mull of Kintyre cheddar crisp.
PHOTOS BY ERIN PETERS

Looking for a taste of Scotland? It could be as close as a restaurant in Greater Palm Springs.

The Westin in Rancho Mirage recently hosted a Scottish eating and drinking experience with a menu that showcased the best artisan fish, game, and beverages from Scotland. The showcase dinner featured ingredients from over 25 suppliers from Scotland, and connected with Coachella Valley chefs, food and beverage directors, and key suppliers.

“I wanted to create a tasting menu that would feature the greatest breadth of what Scotland has to offer as a land of food and drink” said internationally acclaimed chef John Watret, who flew in from Scotland to create the seven-course menu.

“From the beautiful seafood such as langoustine and haddock, Loch Duart salmon and Loch Etive trout to our game birds such as grouse, and incredible cheeses from the islands of Orkney, Kintyre and Mull, we wanted to give the chefs in the Valley a true taste of Scottish products, which are available here,” Watret adds. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration with Chef Joel Delmond and his team at the Westin.”

Thanks to support from Greater Palm Springs CVB and Palm Springs Life, the Scottish Development International presented a broad range of premium dairy, game, fish and beverages for the ultimate chef and supplier tasting menu.

Chefs and food and drink suppliers joined together in to tastse what Scotland had to offer.

The Scottish Development International is a joint venture between the Scottish government and its economic development agencies, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Island Enterprise. They chose Greater Palm Springs for its growing foodie presence, says JC Jeffrey, vice president of Food & Drink of the Scottish Development International.

Cocktails paired with the courses included “Dunnet Bay Calling,” “Smoked Oats and Ginger,” “Roasted Pear and Anise Old Fash,” “Fig and Coffee Martini” and “Thistly Cross Cider aged in Glen Moray Whisky Casks.” Aidan Bowie, World Class Great Britain Bartender of the Year 2016, designed the cocktail pairing.

Following the six courses, which included delectable dishes such as Rock Rose Gin cured Loch Etive trout, Scottish langoustine mousseline, and Chilled Mackays vintage Dundee marmalade soufflé, attendees sampled a Highland Park and The Macallan whisky tasting.

Thistly Cross cider was paired with the fourth course, butter braised fillets of Highland grouse.