Edinburgh Farmers Market

Summer is on it’s way

bruceonthefringe 2025, Bats, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Eurovision, Holyrood Park, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Summer is definitely on the way, last night the bats were out to play! I went down to St Margaret’s Loch a couple of weeks ago, the day had been warm so I reckoned there’d be plenty flying things for the bats to feed up on – I saw a measly two! Bah. Yesterday evening I took myself off for a walk around Queen’s Drive, going anticlockwise from St Leonard’s Crag to catch the end of the sunset over the city. Also because I know that the bats around Dunsapie Loch (the top pond) emerge earlier than those down at St Margaret’s Loch (the bottom pond). Yep, they were out flitting about, what a joy to just stand and watch them! Oh, and there was a fine layer of evening mist drifting over the water, it was almost ethereal.

St Margaret’s Loch in Holyrood Park

There were the usual few bats darting around, between the trees on either side of the road, as I headed down the drive, but I was to be disappointed by a lack of bats at the end of St Margaret’s Loch, had some calamity befallen them? I’ve seen so many around there in the past, but not a one! Oh well, on to the next spot (there are five particular spots around the pond that the bats favour), yay, plenty! And the next two as well. By now it was getting pretty dark but my night vision is good (until a car drives past, leaving me briefly blinded); I really can just stand for ages with bats swooping around me, and the longer you stay still the closer and closer they’ll flit past, I never want to break the spell and leave, but this time after a rather spectacular acrobatic pair disappeared into the gloom, I knew I should make that the finale and plodded home. It was just after half eleven when I put the kettle on for a bedtime brew!

The light was seriously fading but still I stood

And it’s yet another hot, sunny day today (I predict a wet Fringe!), its also Eurovision today! Yay! I will admit I wasn’t bothering to be interested this year as I really wasn’t impressed by the UK’s entry; it’s been played plenty on the radio but nah, right-hand side of the scoreboard for that. Then Thursday evening I watched the second Semi-final; the UK as one of the “big five” are straight into the final but they do sing in the Semi’s. Wow, Geez Louise, watching Remember Monday perform What The Hell Just Happened? well, blimey Charlie, I am converted! Those girls know a thing or two about how to sell a song, they nailed it! I will be very disappointed if it doesn’t finish on the left-hand side of the board (I’m not so delusional to think it could win, ‘twould be nice, but it won’t). I have listened to the contenders on the Eurovision playlist on Spotify but nothing has screamed absolute winner for me. I’ve also been checking out Accordion Ryan‘s takes on all the songs, always a joy, and pretty impressive that he sings in all the various languages, well it sounds impressive to me. Do check him out on Instagram, this is the third year he’s been doing it, Eurovision on accordion, it was meant to be.

I’ll have to pop out soon, buy some snacky stuff for the evening. I have some Birra Moretti in the fridge, and a small bottle of sparkling that been in there for ages, perfect for Song No.9 (to toast Sir Terry). This morning I picked up some of Levantine’s excellent Baba Ganoush at the Edinburgh Farmers Market and after great deliberation, a slice of the black cherry from Hometown Cheesecakes (it was between that and the mango’n’passionfruit, tough choice). I rustle up something with the hogget liver that i bought from Annanwater, something paprikary, yum.

Oh, and on the Farmers Market – there’s a new stall, and it sells the most amazing ice cream!! But, not only do Thistle & Churn make their own ice cream, the cones are all made by in house too, and they’re incredible! When investigating buying cones, the lovely man discovered the shelf life was fifteen months, like, what’s in them to last so long? So he rolled up his sleeves and came up with his own recipe; the ice cream recipes are divine, and by’eck if the cones aren’t the perfect accompaniment! Oh, I had a lovely chat with him, that’s how I know he’s a lovely, interesting chap. I like to find out a bit about new stallholders, and they’re usually very pleased when someone takes an interest. God, I’m so lucky, artisan chocolates and now ice creams!

Thistle & Churn’s Caledonian Cream

Anyhoo, must go. Toodle pip!

Sounds and Visions

bruceonthefringe 2023, Cider, Easter, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Live bands in Edinburgh, Logan's Close, Music, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Easter weekend and the sun has been shining today!! The forecast is more of the same tomorrow and Sunday, anyone would think the rain gods aren’t paying attention. As the sun was out I popped along to Waverley Bridge in case there was anyone playing – there was, and they were rather good (There’s snippets of evidence on my Instagram).

I was meaning to check out Ol’ Times as they’re playing the 9.30 set at Whistlebinkies on Sunday evening, no need to check online now, that was them this afternoon. I may wander back that way tomorrow or Sunday as they do intend to play there some more, yay. Binkies is the first gig of a swift tour around the UK for Ol’ Times, if you like energetic bluesy Irish rock they’re worth a shot; and if you like them, they have a CD and a card reader for those who don’t carry cash any more.

The lead singer has a great voice, reminiscent of someone, took me a while but, and you’ll have to be old to get this one, a mix of the singer of April Wine early 80s and a young Geddy Lee with a twist of Irish. The band sounds like they could be from the late 70s, no bad thing in my book, some amazing music around then.

Oh yeah, on amazing music – the lads have put out another video! Half & Half is the latest visual treat from Logan’s Close shot in the Voodoo Rooms by their go-to film maker James Gilhooly. Rich sumptuous colouring with a slight haze and strange white clouds bobbing around, it reminded me of tv shows from Eastern Europe back when I was a nipper; and the light from the glitterball was such a great effect, sweet.

I’m not really sure what the song is about but hey, the words pour like honey from Scott’s mouth and mixed with the sparse guitar and bass work, awesome – seductive with a dash of melancholy. Half & Half will be on Heart-shaped Jacuzzi but it’s not out as a single, just a little treat for the fans!

In other news, the Jolly Judge is having a cider festival just now. Technically it’s on until Easter Monday but hey, any ciders still left will be need to be drunk up. My favourites so far are Windfall from Iford (6%) and Barn Owl from Perry’s Cider (5.5%). That’s from six that I’ve tried, there’s at least another six to try and I intend to.

Now if I’m going to be up in time to get to the Farmers Market before CoCo Co‘s Easter eggs all sell out, it’s time I hit the sack. I’ll leave you with a couple of pics of the most unusual portable twin decks I’ve ever seen….

The only thing a DJ needs is a suitcase….
….. and some 78s (talking about the ol’times!)

I had the Salted Caramel

bruceonthefringe 2022, Christmas, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Live bands in Edinburgh, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

…. And very nice it was too! That’s the Salted Caramel chocolate from the Co Co Co. Festive Selection, a packet of six different christmassy chocolates. No, I’m not starting my christmas this early, its purely research for presents, honest, but I did hold back from trying them since last Saturday when I bought them at the Edinburgh Farmer’s Market at Castle Terrace.

Co Co Co. are usually at the Farmer’s Market fortnightly, selling an amazing array of sumptuous chocolates all made by Rob, naturally at this time of year he’s turned his hand to a few Christmas treats. Edinburgh is just one of a number of markets he goes to around the South of Scotland, and this weekend he’s back in Edinburgh at the 3D2D Christmas Art, Craft and Design Fair in the Assembly Rooms. Stalls with amazing stuff from all over the UK, it’s always worth a visit, maybe find a Christmas present or two!

Stramash had their Christmas decorations up when I went along on Sunday evening, it looks very nice, nothing too much, just right. It was Chris Buckley from Moanin Bones with the Handsome House Band, a shame that I only caught the last few numbers; mind, the Handsome House Jams are filmed so I can watch it on Facebook (Carl Marah‘s night will be on there too, if you’re interested!)

Stramash was nicely busy by the time the Scat Rats came on. Plenty of the seats around the balcony were taken and on the ground level any vacated tables, with a view of the lads, were immediately swooped on by eagle-eyed drinkers. Luckily I had a lovely Spanish couple next to me, who were happy to guard my seat for me whenever I got up (that’s one snag of solo drinking – keeping a good seat!) A stand-out for me was the Rats Norwegian Wood especially the intro; they like playing around with long intros and this time Carl threw in a snippet of a Scottish melody, nice! Not as good as his intro to Runaway, that’s very special.

A recent addition (at least to me) is Willie Nelson’s On The Road Again a jaunty country number. I was singing it as I wandered down home afterwards and just had to google the chords to have a bash at it when I got in. Not sure what the neighbours must have thought!? Well, they never banged on the wall – I’m counting that as approval!

It’s rather late, so I’ll leave you with pics from a recent walk up in the Park. Oh yeah, and exciting news – the video for Heart-shaped Jacuzzi comes out tomorrow! Yay! ❤

Scotch n Eggs

bruceonthefringe 2022, Bands, Easter, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Live bands in Edinburgh, Music in Edinburgh, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Friday night again, Etta James is serenading me, sweet. Had a very, very late night last night at Stramash, so I’ve been feeling somewhat jaded today. Oh, I’m not hungover just missing some sleep, I was drinking very slowly after discovering the latest price increase when I paid for my first pint – dropped down to halves after that. Mind, I would have spent considerably more if my evening had gone as originally intended and I’d gone to the Jazz Bar. Oh I went along (intending to while away a couple of hours) then went along back home, apparently everyone and their cousins had turned up for the Groove Thursdays jam session, not even enough room left inside to squeeze in a mouse never mind a moose!

Why didn’t I just go to Stramash or Binkies rather than back home awhile? Because, annoyingly both pubs had bands on that I would never willingly go see, one because I’ve had the displeasure before, and the other just really is not my thing. I’m very glad I did trot back out after midnight to catch Scotch the Band, well worth it! Phew, so glad was I, well it was late 2019 when I last saw them play and I was fairly drunk that night.

Scotch the Band hail from Holland, clad in black and white striped trousers, white shirts and braces, the drummer carries his kit slung low from his waist, no sitting around for this guy! There’s guitar and bass, and banjo and fiddle, oh and four of the band sing. Their style? Erm, party folk music? Revved up Balkan folk? It’s infectious in the best possible way. Scotch sing in Dutch and English, they sing about cheap vodka, weddings, the hair of the dog, they get the crowd singing raucously along. And after a week driving around Scotland they’ll be back in Edinburgh in Whistlebinkies, yay!

anyone remember what town this is?
we can see you there, you know

In other news, Co Co Co. were up from Dumfries at the Edinburgh Farmer’s Market last Saturday with some amazing Easter eggs.

I resisted buying one, but I did succumb to a packet of passion fruit truffle eggs and solid white chocolate raspberry eggs. OMG!! These guys know their chocolate but those passion fruit truffle eggs really are divine! (there’s a strawberry cheesecake chocolate in the pipeline that I’m really excited about)

I’ve been very controlled and just had one or two each day – until shortly after this picture this afternoon!

It’s hot in the city!

bruceonthefringe 2021, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Edinburgh Fringe 2021, Uncategorized, Weather Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

To quote Billy Idol, it’s hot in the city tonight, one more day of gloriousness, then, here comes the rain again, along with cooler temperatures. Will it improve again by the start of the Fringe? Hope so, I fully intend to start my Fringe atop Arthur’s Seat watching Barry Ferns – as long as it’s not wet. It’s been so nice for so long now, and with restrictions on holidays to hotter climes chopping and changing so much, Portobello beach hasn’t been this busy in years; the eateries along the Prom are doing excellent business.

I’ve been noticing on my walks in the Park that it looks like being a bumper year for cherries, yay. This evening as I walked off my tea I realised the somewhat screechy birds way up high were swifts; I knew that they were around at that time of the evening but I’ve never heard them like that before. There were quite a number of them having fun swooping around, chasing each other. A good excuse for me to pause awhile and just enjoy the spectacle overhead.

My tea? A lamb hotpot pie courtesy of Brewsters along with lots of steamed broccoli and carrots. Brewsters pies are very nice, they started doing chicken pies and now there’s occasionally lamb hotpot, steak and ale or steak and kidney, all very tasty with perfect pastry and no scrimping on the meat content. Tonight I washed it down with a bottle of ginger beer, also bought at the Farmer’s Market. Slim Hat are a new venture by a young couple living in the Old Town, this truly is a local product! It is as the label says, an authentic ginger beer, with a good kick to it, I wish them well.

Alas, anyone thinking of buying some at the Farmer’s Market to take into a show at MultiStory will be disappointed as there’ll be strict rules in place that no food or drink may be taken on to the site. This did make me wonder when I read it, as many carry water bottles round with them during the Fringe usually – will these too be banned? Seems harsh. Not that it will probably bother me as I most likely won’t be in there, being a solo Fringer (see my last post), nor am I likely to be seeing any shows at the Gilded Balloon this year as the same silly two or four bubble policy is in place. Mind, I’m not that bother at the moment as a cursory glance over their shows so far didn’t turn up anything I fancied.

I do hope the other venues don’t have similar policies, I would like to see some real live shows! Oo, I do have one show booked! It’s not actually through the Fringe website, but, as it’s John-Luke Roberts at the Monkey Barrel Comedy Club in August I’m counting it as Fringe. I have done some perusing of the Fringe programme online but it really isn’t as enjoyable as going through a physical paper one. I do hope they go back to a physical programme next year, it’s much more agreeable and I get to keep a copy as souvenir and reference book.

Well, it’s very late now, so I should be toddling off to my bed. I shall leave you with another selection of recent photos, enjoy!

There’s gonna be a lot of cinnabar moths later! All the ragwort in the Park seemed to be crawling with cinnabar moth caterpillars a few days ago.
Sunset captured on a gallivant along the East Lothian coast.
Okay, so I may have tinkered with this a bit! I had The Twilight Zone by Rush going through my head at the time.

A market, a mystery and a mess

bruceonthefringe 2021, Cider, Coming out of Lockdown, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Farmers Market, Walking around Edinburgh Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Saturday evening in Auld Reekie, the aroma of hogget curry is still wafting through from the kitchen, I’ve poured myself another glass of Dance Commander from Ascension (that’s sour cherry cider from the Jolly Judge), outside it’s a clear, breezy night. Yes, I’m back up from darkest Yorkshire, toddled back on Thursday, I was hoping Moratti on St Mary Street would have opened again, but sadly not, so I went and got a fish supper in stead, no pizza if it’s not from Moratti! Mind, even when (or if!) they open again, will Alex the pizza guy be back? He’d be a hard act to follow, the best pizzas and great chat.

Being a regular at the Farmers Market on Castle Terrace on Saturday mornings means plenty of chat; over the last year sometimes it was the only time in a week I would have a face to face, well, mask to mask, conversation with anyone. Annanwater are sheep farmers from near Moffat, theirs is the hogget I’m having for tea (hogget is older than lamb but younger than mutton); Brewsters, once “the egg lady”, are now a smallholding with sheep, pigs, beef and honey, all very tasty! Oh joys, this week Ridley’s Game had wild hill goat back in season, I have a haunch bone-in now in my freezer.

Since the Farmers Market became a stallholders cooperative last August there’s been a slow but steady increase in stalls and variety; looking for a hot chilli sauce, delicious cheesecakes, fancy mushrooms, local beers, an occasional cider? And up from Dumfries, Co Co Co. sell the most divine chocolates, okay so they’re not cheap but by’eck they’re bloody good! All handmade and their own recipes, there’s a variety of chocolate slabs or packs of six chocolates, oh, yeah, hot chocolate stirrers too (a large square of flavoured chocolate with a wooden spoon set in it, stir in a mug of hot milk). I really like the passion fruit chocolates but they’ve recently been pipped by the Eton Mess, exquisite! Apparently they’re going to try to come with a strawberry cheesecake chocolate, oh my heartses, can’t wait for that one!

Edinburgh is already noticeably busier, mind any amount of people would make it seem busier. This morning I couldn’t quite credit the amount of people around the Old Town. I wondered at four ladies all holding magnifying glasses – was this a hen party making a withering statement about male genitalia? Then it struck me that there seem to be rather a lot of deerstalkers being worn (after I walked past the twentieth person wearing one), bowler and homburg hats too, and then women with black moustaches?! Hang on, deerstalkers and magnifying glasses, homburgs and black moustaches? That’s Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot! By george, I’d finally got it, it was teams trying to follow a puzzle trail of some sort. That explained all the little gangs charging around/looking blankly around, and all the odd garbs, like the middle aged blokes in t-shirts with CIA emblazoned on the front, the four wandering round in cheap-looking biohazard suits, the Mystery Machine side cutout parked as the Scooby gang drank lattes. I assume the two kids I thought were dressed up as Blues Brothers were actually Men In Black (their parents had made no effort at all) and the dudes in cowboy hats, agents of Statesman? It was like an Edinburgh Saturday pre-Covid, awash with hen and stag dos, all very entertaining to watch.

I shall leave you with a little puzzle of my own. The picture below, can you identify what it is? My mother says she’s been making it for years – never have I seen this dish before, ever. She’d asked if I wanted one, like I knew what one was, sorry but those ingredients don’t go together in my recipe book and I’m pretty sure I’d remember such an anomaly of gastronomy if I’d heard of it previously.

Toodle pip!