Celebrating British Food Fortnight at Ednam House
As British Food Fortnight returns for its 21st year we’re proud to support this national celebration of the food and drink that makes Britain great. For Sous Chef, Emma Paxton championing local suppliers and showcasing the very best flavours of Scotland and the Borders comes as second nature. And with so many top-class local specialities from premium grass-fed beef and lamb to award-winning cheeses, the many diverse species of native pears, apples, and plums and of course the freshest salmon and trout from the Tweed and the Atlantic, it’s not hard to see why. Naturally the menu at Ednam House, awarded an AA rosette for culinary excellence, brims with the flavours from our fields, rivers, and shorelines.
Here Emma cherry picks her favourite regional food heroes.
First up is the loin of cod, supplied by Ross Dougal Fish Merchant, who brings his catch into Eyemouth Harbour, a mere 45 minutes up the road from Kelso. Sourced from the North Atlantic, this is quality cod – the freshest and firmest you could wish for and only needs to be simply cooked letting the flavours speak for themselves. The cod currently features in our Robert Parker signature dish alongside a chorizo ragu, sun blushed tomatoes, olive polenta and salsa verde.
Another favourite, also from Ross Dougal Fish Merchant, are the king scallops. Scottish seafood is the best in the world, and these are a prized catch. The biggest, plumpest, scallops with exceptional flavour and sustainably fished from Scottish waters – what’s not to like?
Our pork, lamb and beef come from Shaws Fine Meats who only supply us with quality produce from local Border farms. They are a sustainable supplier who meticulously oversee the selection and slaughter of their livestock using a small number of trusted farms and the meat is fully traceable back to each farm and the animals have been raised to the highest welfare standards. The cattle for example are grass fed as nature intended and slow grown to achieve a consistent taste and texture and a fantastic depth of flavour and are finished on a ‘ration’ of spent grain from the brewing and distilling process. 
The lamb, again from farms in the Scottish Borders are Texel and Texel-cross and raised naturally on grass and heather making it super flavoursome.
We love to use wild Scottish game in our menus, and we source venison, duck and pigeon from Burnside Farm estate just outside of Kelso. Super local, super fresh and super versatile. Roe Deer is indigenous to the Scottish Borders, more delicately flavoured than the meat from Red Deer and in season year-round so we’re lucky to have it supplied fresh. Pigeon, duck and pheasant appear seasonally on our menus as you would expect and are all from local Border estates.
Lastly, I need to mention our wonderful berries and fruits. We have a productive fig tree in the garden at Ednam as well as a 200-year-old pear tree, so we forage these fruits ourselves. Then there’s the wild garlic, elderberries and raspberries that are from the hedgerows and riverbanks around Kelso – couldn’t get much more local than that!
