THE GREAT CRAIGARD BAKE-OFF

The Great Craigard Bake-Off was an outstanding success this year, sponsored by The Scottish Baking Awards. Over 500 entries, over 5 different categories, were whittled down to 60 for the final Bake-off on the 11th November 2018 at Craigard Tearoom in Helensburgh.

The 5 different categories were as follows: 

Sugarcraft  Chocolate  Novelty Cake  Homebaking and Bread.

The 4 judges were : 

Mastercraftsman- Sean McVey from The Breadwinner bakery in Edinburgh

Masterbaker- Melanie Andrews MBE from The Scottish Baking Awards

Multi Award winning Chocolatier- Shona Sutherland  from Taystful

Multi Award winning Cake Artist- Anna Dillon  Dillons Cakes

The winners in each category were as follows:

Bread - Lily Greig

Novelty -Zuzka Miles

Sugarcraft - Sharon Morrison

Homebaking- Seema Joshi

Chocolate- Gayathri Prakash

Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to our fabulous judges who gave up their spare time freely to encourage and promote Scotland's great new Bakers. Roll on 2019. 

Melanie Extended Interview on BBC Radio

The Helensburgh baker, entrepreneur and founder of the Scottish Baking Awards, Melanie Andrews MBE, tells Shereen how cakes and pastries don’t need to be the dietary bad guy; and why teaching skills to local youngsters is one of her many passions.

Canadian/American Gastronomic Tour 2019

Super excited to be announcing my Gastronomic Road trip in early 2019 now includes USA. I will be taking in Toronto ,The Canadian via rail to Regina and onwards into the Rockies ,Banf and Jasper( Possibly Vancouver ) by car. On the return journey through USA taking in Dakota, Minnesota,Wisconsin,Chicago Indiana,Ohio Pennsylvania and onwards to the Big Apple - New York. I will be critiquing every venue ,food and all  hospitality along the way as usual . I leave New York on QM2 for the transatlantic crossing back home. 

The opportunity to write reviews for major UK Newspapers and magazines including my own website as "The Hospitality Critic" is an honour. 

Melanie Andrews MBE. 

It's Official - Now an MBE

It was quite a day at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh on the 4th July 2017. I was here to meet Her majesty the Queen to recieve my MBE. The weather was typically dreich and wet but nothing on this earth could have dampened my spirit. There are very few people on this earth that i respect , admire and bow too and Her Majesty the Queen is at the top of that list by a long shot. There will never be another like this remarkable lady - Never. Honoured .

Jay Rayner singing from the same Hym book

Absolutely great to read in The Guardian, that Jay Rayner is now singing from the same Hymn Book re Restaurant Desserts being a last resort on a Menu . I have been writing about this for years and now finally the rest of the world is catching on . I have earned my reputation as a Food Critic by actually owning ,running and currently working in the Food industry with my chain of 4 Restaurant's over a 43 year period . Being a Masterbaker myself is thoroughly depressing when you are presented with liquid desserts at the end of a great meal . Hence this year as you all know, I have put my money where my mouth is, and set myself the year long challenge to review Scotland's Michelin star and Bib Gourmand Restaurant's dessert course to prove or disprove my view.  All these reviews can be seen at www.scottishbakingawards.co.uk and in print at Bite Magazine and Helensburgh Advertiser.  This weekend I am returning to 21212 in Edinburgh to see what Paul Kitching has to offer . At the end of July 2017 my synopsis of all these Restaurant's in Scotland will be sent to all National and Local Newspapers, Radio and Media . The results so far are not as you would expect !

The Kitchin and Michelin Star Chef Tom Kitchin

It was an absolute honour to meet and eat at Tom Kitchins place this weekend in Edinburgh . The Kitchin Review is now live at the www.scottishbakingawards.co.uk website under Hotel/Restuarant review tab. You can also read this review in Bite Magazine or Helensburgh Advertiser in due course.

Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles

I had the great honour of meeting world class scottish Chef - Andrew Fairlie last night and had the most magnificent gastronomic meal . My review can be seen at www.scottishbakingawards.co.uk.

Les Tresoms gastronomic retreat

When you are addicted to excellent cuisine as I am , then France in general has it all . This week was off the scale brilliance with Les Tresoms Lake and Spa resort in Annecy.  Annecy is a stunningly beautiful town in the French Alps . The old town with its cobbled streets and rivers reminds me of a mini venice . I was staying in Les Tresoms which sits in an elevated position overlooking Lake Annecy. The Chef is a lively 40 year old by the name of Eric Prowalski.  A very creative Chef using all the seasonal produce and turning into magnificently  beautiful works of art . When you are able to work with such great french produce , the truffles,the wine,the 6 week matured french beef , the cheeses , oh my the cheeses , how can you fail?  My love affair with France has been ignited with this Gastronomic retreat that is - Les Tresoms.