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 13 2008
Lamb stufato for supper tonight! Very good. I heated the plates in the oven and just as I spooned the first ladle-full onto the soup bowl it cracked, and the whole thing fell onto the cooker. Ce la vie!
Today, an elegant, elderly lady spoke to our new wine manager, Sam Aitkin, saying she had come down specifically to thank us for taking over the Jenners food hall. ‘I haven’t been in Jenners since it has been sold and I won’t go back until Valvona & Crolla opens up!’ Wow! We had better do a good job. The opening date is the 8th of October…so no pressure there!
The young chefs in the kitchen are doing really well. It is a great testament to all the work that has been done by the Scottish Executive over the last ten years to change the mindset of young people about food.
Ten years ago we would never have contemplated employing youngsters combining out of food technology or catering course. Nowadays we snap them up…they are professional, well educated, skilled and keen to learn. What a breath of fresh air!
Today they produced a wonderful Ballencrieff home cooked ham which ‘the boss’ himself is tucking in to as I write. I’ve worked out if I write to you just after we’ve eaten, he does the dishes!
Bumped into Alex Renton, food journalist from the Guardian, among others. He was choosing one of our Val’s paninni which are just the thing to feed a hungry food journalist. I had seen him on Monday at the book festival.
The Valvona & Crolla event this year featured Martin Wishart and David Erdal, the business guru behind the successful Loch Fyne brand. Very interesting contract between a self made man and a man who inherited wealth but wanted to give it all back.
We’ll wait and see if Martin decides to follow in his footsteps.