50 Years on Isle of Skye.
I have been reviewing books for almost two decades and I am almost sure that this is the first time reading a book that celebrates anything that has been in existence for five decades. Kinloch Lodge Isle of Skye has been around for half a century, but the eponymous book is brand new.
This stunning gift-quality tome is full of remarkable pictures of both Skye and food. It’s a cookbook and a travelogue and will be appreciated by cooks and tourists alike. It offers inspiration for dishes and tempts with the possibility of a visit to the beautiful Isle of Skye.
Fifty Years of Kinloch Lodge Isle of Skye has been charmingly penned by Claire Macdonald, Jordan Webb and Alisha Fernandez Miranda. It is a reflection of its picturesque location by Loch na Dal, with views of the Cuillin mountains. The lodge was built in 1676 as a farmhouse and converted to a shooting lodge for the Macdonalds of Skye in the 18th century. It is here that Godfrey, Lord Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald, and his wife, world-renowned chef Claire, raised their four children and converted it into a hotel in 1972. These days it’s their daughter Isabella Macdonald who runs the hotel.
Insights of family life at Kinloch Lodge
The new cookbook is a graphic celebration not just of Kinloch Lodge but of the island of Skye and its wealth of culinary and cultural delights. There are 250 pages of recipes by talented chef Jordan Webb along with fascinating insights of family life at Kinloch Lodge; there are also profiles of the local suppliers who keep the kitchens stocked throughout the changing seasons.
It’s hard to compile a short list of pick-of-the-book recipes – there are so many dishes that would be great candidates. Wild Mushrooms with Pan-Fried Hake would be one of my top five. Roast Wild Duck makes a beautiful presentation, and one could use regular supermarket duck at a pinch. The seafood recipes here are stars and I will take pleasure is cooking every one of them. There are desserts aplenty to follow those dinner party-worthy dishes, and every recipe showcases the flavours of the isles. What a treat.
Fifty Years of Kinloch Lodge Isle of Skye will entice any food-lover into the kitchen and others to book their tickets to Scotland! One can pre-order a copy of this sumptuous book here