Artisan Cheese

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All the organic Scottish cheese you could ever want is right on your doorstep at Cranachan and Crowdie. Everything from your favourite humble cheddar to something you’ve never tried before is waiting to be discovered. All cheeses are locally sourced from respected farmers committed to bringing you the best in Scottish cheese.

The Connage Highland Dairy, based in Ardersier near Inverness, is a fully organic family run business that uses traditional techniques and ensure every detail from cow to cheese is maintained to ensure the highest quality is maintained throughout the process. If you ever find yourself up in the Highlands, make sure you pop by the Connage Pantry and see their multi-award winning cheese being made before your eyes. Cranachan and Crowdie stock many of the Connage Highland Dairy cheeses, including Clava Brie, Cromal and Dunlop.

The Isle of Arran Cheese company is similarly family-run by the Kinniburgh family, who took over the company from Ian and Alison McChelry, and have lead the company from strength to strength. In this range you’ll find traditional cheddars with a twist, with added hints of chilli, garlic and mustard. And if you want a taste of more award-winning cheeses, look no further than Katy Rodgers’ crowdie from Knockraich Farm, winner of 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards 2012.

If you feel like being yet more adventurous, why not try some black crowdie from Highland Fine Cheeses. This unusual combination of crowdie with oatmeal and peppercorns makes a cheese like you’ve never tasted before. Those with a taste for the unusual will love this crowdie with kick!

For the ultimate flavour experience, why not give an I.J. Mellis cheese a try? The focus here is on exceptional taste, using artisan techniques and unpasteurised milk to ensure no flavour-defining characteristics are lost. Cranachan and Crowdie’s I.J. Mellis cheeses are all traditional cloth bound and include Isle of Mull cheddar, Grimbister and Cambus-o-May.

With a mix of traditional and unusual, there’s a cheese at Cranachan and Crowdie to suit any taste buds. Don’t deny yourself these exceptional artisan cheeses!

The Wicked Chocolate Company

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Calling all chocolate lovers to Cranachan and Crowdie! The fantastic range of treats from the Wicked Chocolate Company have just arrived and are the perfect winter treat. But make sure you stock up; they’re addictive!

The Wicked Chocolate Company was founded by Elaine Forrest in Perth, and never compromises on quality or service. Simplicity is the key for her, with a focus on the finest raw ingredients that make simply the best chocolate, without the fuss.

Come down to Cranachan and Crowdie to see for yourself what all the fuss is about, and take your pick from the huge selection of goodies from chocolate buttons, Neapolitans and drinking chocolate to luxurious Irish cremes, mint crisps and lavish raspberry champagne truffles. With the distinctive black and red boxes and pretty chocolate-filled pouches they make ideal gifts for Easter.

If these little treats aren’t quite enough for your sweet tooth this Easter then look our for Cranachan and Crowdie’s limited handmade Easter eggs, filled with decadent truffles for extra indulgence. Hurry though, and make sure you grab one before they’re all gone!

Don’t forget to visit the Wicked Chocolate Company’s website for more ways to enjoy wicked chocolate.

January 2013 closed to seek new Scottish products

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Our first 7 months are under our belts (phew!) and we’re taking off the month of January to travel and find new Scottish food, drink and non-food, food related products for our enthusiastic and growing customer base.

We have learned so much during our start-up months and we feel excited about the year ahead. Meeting people from all over the world and from practically every corner of Scotland has reinforced for us our reasons for opening Cranachan & Crowdie in the first place – Scotland has an abundance of fine food and drink producers who deserve to be celebrated on the world stage.

We’ve been asked what it’s like being Purveyors of Fine Scottish Food & Drink and our answer is simple – it’s a real pleasure meeting new producers, hearing their stories and tasting their products.

We are also very thankful to everyone who has helped us reach this point – customers, suppliers, producers, family, friends and the Queen who has been with us from Day 1!

Looking forward to our 1st anniversary on June 1, 2013…watch this space for details of a Scottish foodie celebration!

Late Night Shopping + Savoury Scottish Festive Canapés

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We are holding a Savoury Scottish Festive Canapes tasting event…combined with a wee bit of late night shopping to help make your life easier. There are a limited number of tickets so buy your ticket today!

We have collaborated with Ann Scott to create canapes that highlight some of our favourites like smoked salmon while also sneaking in a couple new flavours and textures that may surprise your taste buds and create new foodie memories for all of us. You will also receive copies of Ann’s recipes.

And to make your life super easy, when you spend £20 or more on the evening we will deduct your £5 ticket price from your bill (including orders for cheese, smoked fish and venison for delivery in mid-Dec but excluding alcohol and gift certificates)

Here’s the fancy shmancy link to buy your ticket today!

Eventbrite - Late Night Shopping + Savoury Scottish Festive Canapés

Hampers and baskets for any celebration

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Yes, we make hampers and baskets filled with the most wonderful Scottish food and drink! And just in time for Valetine’s Day we also have lots of non-food but food-related items available as well. Call Fiona and Beth on 0131 556 7194 to find out how we can help.

If you are unable to make it into the shop we can still help with a PSS (Phone-Shop-Ship) session where we literally walk around the shop with a basket and describe items to you over the phone and you select what goes into the hamper.

We can take your payment over the phone and then make up the hamper or basket to your specifications. We use two major shippers, choosing the right one depending on where the lucky recipient lives.

We publically admit to lusting after most of the non-food items we carry so we are loath to even share the details publically…but we are in business to make money so here’s a partial list of the most wonderful items:

  • Heart-shaped soya candles for romantic dining tables
  • Heart-shaped Just Slate food-safe cheese tray with matching heart-shaped slate coasters
  • Hand turned Scottish wooden bowls and plates for special meals
  • Tain pottery candle bowls (new stock on order)
  • Whisky glass holder made from a whisky barrel stave (and choices of regional 20cl bottles…a Bladnoch 20 year old our personal favourite)
  • Whisky barrel stave tea light holder (a simply elegant addition to any room, anytime)
  • Scottish wool knitted tea and coffee cosies (looking for good homes)
  • Maw Broon’s Kitchen accessories
  • The Gruffalo in Scots and Gaelic
  • Harris Tweed phone sleeves that come with either a whisky single or chocolate bar
  • Harris Tweed poo bag carrier for your favourite pooch
  • Hand turned spurtles for your wintery porridge
  • Cookery and whisky addict books
  • Tea towels and cloth shopping bags you won’t want to get dirty because the linocut animals are SO quirky
  • Wee Broon Bags (a must have for anyone who has ever been to Bloomingdales!)

Call Fiona and Beth on 0131 556 7194 to find out how we can help.

Savoury Not Sweet

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Didn’t make it to Cranachan and Crowdie’s special Savoury Not Sweet event? Then read on to find out exactly what you missed.

On arrival guests were offered a complementary beer from local brewers Innis and Gunn. As an extra treat, guests were given the chance to try their latest variety Independence Day, a fruity apple and citrus beer with a hint of vanilla.

The evening’s savoury delights kicked off with a chutney tasting challenge. Guests were invited to try six of Cranachan & Crowdie’s unusual and exciting Trotter’s chutneys and challenged to identify the flavour, with complimentary oatcakes and crisps for dunking. This proved to be harder than it seemed, especially when guests encountered a minty-fresh mojito flavoured chutney! However, this didn’t phase the challenge winner Tiffany, who went home with the prize gift pack provided by Innis and Gunn.

The evening’s second savoury treat came in the form of the venison samples from Great Taste Award winning Great Glen Game. After an introduction from company co-founder Anja Baak, guests were invited to try some of the varieties of high-quality venison produced by the acclaimed company. Accompanied by bread provided by Manna House Bakery and Patisserie and Cranachan and Crowdie’s selection of I.J. Mellis cheeses, the venison went down a treat.

So that’s what you missed at Savoury Not Sweet! Don’t be too upset, though. You can still grab all the products featured at Cranachan and Crowdie on a regular basis!

Stay Calm & Eat On

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We have been incredibly lucky to meet a range of fantastically interesting customers who are often in Edinburgh for the first time. They are gushing about their experience of seeing the city and meeting Scots. Lucky us for being part of their holiday story when they return home.

We are fortunate to have been visited by Janet Christie of Scotland on Sunday who has translated our journey at Cranachan & Crowdie into a poetic, quirky story. We hope you’ll have a read and then pop in to see us.

Here’s the link to the full article in the Spectrum Magazine.

Cranachan and Crowdie’s Gluten Free Range

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Don’t you just hate it when your gluten intolerance stops you enjoying your favourite Scottish treats? Well never fear, as Cranachan and Crowdie’s gluten free range is here! They stock a terrific range of gluten free goodies, with much more choice than your average supermarket. Say goodbye to compromising on crumbly, bland biscuits; instead choose from shortbread, ginger snaps and cookies as well as oatcakes and cakes. Speaking of cakes, why not indulge in a fruit cake or a golden flapjack? After all, they are 100% celiac friendly. So treat yourself! You gluten-free heroes deserve it.

Cranachan and Crowdie are always on the look-out for more gluten free products to add to their ever expanding range, so keep those eyes peeled!

Lisa’s Top Tip: Having trouble finding something to go with your gluten free oatcakes? No problem. Choose from Henshelwood’s range of gluten free chutneys.

Savoury Not Sweet

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More of a savoury tooth than a sweet one? Luckily for you, Edinburgh Foody are bringing the Savoury Not Sweet group to Cranachan and Crowdie! They’re beginning their mission on 25th September to bring the best savoury tastes in Edinburgh to those who prefer a great cheese or meat to sugary snacks. As your host, Cranachan and Crowdie will be providing the food, so this is your chance to grab a cheeky wee sample of some of their best high quality products including venison from Great Glen Game, cheese from I.J. Mellis Cheesemongers, mini bread loaves from The Manna House Bakery & Patisserie, chutney from Trotter’s Independent Condiments and a range of oatcakes. They’ll also have a surprise selection of beer donated by Innis and Gunn on hand to wash everything down.

Anja Baak from Great Glen Game will also be joining in the event, and will chat about her fantastic products. What more savoury treats could you ask for?

Lisa’s Top Tip: Tickets are limited, so follow this link to secure yours, and sign up to the Savoury Not Sweet mailing list while you’re at it!

Hope to see you there!

Peelham Farm Prosciutto

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From the top to the bottom, Cranachan and Crowdie have a tasty little treat from the best producers in Scotland. That includes Peelham Farm, just perched above the border in Berwickshire. Their air dried prosciutto is about as organic as it gets. Just take a look at the ingredients list and see for yourself: just pork and seasoning. It doesn’t come any more genuine than that.

You might be wondering why this ham doesn’t have ridiculous amounts of E numbers and hasn’t been through a suspicious amount of processing. Well, the best part about prosciutto is that it’s simply delicious, just the way it is. So why not try serving it as a simple Hors d’oeuvres, and let the natural flavour speak for itself.

Lisa’s Top Tip: If you feel like adding a little kick to our proscuitto, dunk it in a little Trotter’s Scottish Honey Mustard for a tangy edge.