Festival at the Deli - by Mary Contini

Valvona & Crolla is something of an Edinburgh institution. It’s Scotland’s oldest delicatessen, celebrating its 75th anniversary next year and is considered one of the must-sees for foodies.

The deli hosts a number of festival events as part of Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Director Mary Contini, who runs Valvona & Crolla with her husband Philip,  is a well known food writer and cook. She shares her festival with EatScotland.

August 15 2008

The new French garlic chandeliers have arrived. On the ‘back of a lorry’ job, a man called Brian calls me every August to ask how many chandeliers I need. Each weighs about 10 kilos so I’ve taken 10 and a few dozen strings of garlic. I love it.

The last of the new season Italian garlic is all but used up so to match the oncoming nip in the air and the nights ‘drawing in’ we can start using the pungent, fierce French Roscoff garlic that takes the breath away.

I really think if you use garlic properly you don’t need to suffer from after effects…if you get caught out chew some parsley. I love Bagna Cauda, the Piemontese hot garlic dip that warms the cockles of your heart on a cold winter’s night in the Alps…but boy does it leave you unattractive to suitors.

I’ll steer clear. You wait and see, I bet Arnaud, my onion Johnny friend arrives tomorrow with a van load of onions and shallots. He has been coming for as long as I remember and I have great fun haggling over the price. 

Obviously he has a French accent…and a twinkle in his eye…very attractive!

There are also lots of chillies or peperoncino in stock. I’ll need about three bunches to dry above the cooker for over winter. Pina in our kitchen has already salted a load and preserved them under oil…I am going to watch her tomorrow and I’ll check out how she does it.

Once the new harvest extra virgin olive oil arrives in the next few weeks that’ll be that …ready for winter…what a thought in August. I’m fed up!

I skinned some plum tomatoes, cut them and covered them with some olive oil, slithers of garlic and some basil and came upstairs to write a little. Got involved in work stuff, forgot about the tomatoes and the supper is burned. Philip is on his way home now so his choice of menu is bacon, beans and fried egg…think I’ll go to bed early!

Your Details

Your name *
Your email address *

Your Friend's Details

Your friend's name *
Your friend's email *

Your Message

Your Message *