Letter from the Kitchen staff regarding this Summer's Menu

Let me introduce you to myself and the team. I am Charlie Hutchison head chef at the Maitlandfield House Hotel. My second chef is Billy Black and we work alongside Graeme Crowther and Stephanie O'Neil. It's our objective to bring to your plate the freshest of local produce in East Lothian, We are spoilt for choice from fresh fish, fruit and vegetables and to my reckoning, and many others the best beef and lamb in Scotland.

A few of the fresh ingredients we are using this month are from Stenton Fruit Farm strawberries, raspberries, red currants and gooseberries which are at their prime.

We have introduced many new dishes to the menu one of then is our white chocolate and raspberry frozen soufflé with fresh berries. (See recipe below). When we went fruit picking our regular weekend guest Mr Macgregor joined us to pick the fruit, I wasn't sure how much he actually picked but I can assure you that he did eat a few.

We have also introduced a new dish Espetada, which is originally from Madeira Portugal that is prepared with local rib eye of beef and is served in a skewer supplied from Andersons Butchers who source everything locally. Recently we were introduced to Findlay Family Butchers who make fabulous haggis, black pudding and piri-piri sausages. You name a flavour of sausage and they will have it if not they will make it.

Myself and Billy are very keen to get people cooking at home and have been working closely with the local high school teaching students various dishes and also judging food competitions. We have also been heavily involved with the up and coming East Lothian Food Festival.

That's all for this month. Stay tuned.

Ingredients to look for this month.

All berries
Fresh peas
Asparagus
New season carrots
Lamb

Recipe of the month:

White Chocolate and Raspberry frozen Soufflé

Ingredients:

2 Large Egg Whites
250ml Double Cream
100g Icing Sugar
25g Milk Chocolate
Fresh raspberries to taste
Selection of berries to garnish

Method:

1. Whisk egg whites to a peak.
2. Whisk cream and icing sugar to a peak.
3. Fold whites and cream mix together.
4. Add melted chocolate.
5. Fold in raspberries.
6. Place in lined moulds and freeze for 1 hour.
7. Turn out and serve with fruit coulis and fresh berries.

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