The French Fox wins mystery box cooking competition
Five Arran hospitality businesses took part in an Arran Dairies and Taste of Arran mystery box cooking competition last week, writes Hugh Boag.
With support from supply partners Brakes and Mark Murphy, they filled mystery boxes with an assortment of premium produce from their range and asked their competitors to design and create a one- to three-course meal using as many of the ingredients as they could.
Taste of Arran products included Wooley’s Oaties, Paterson Arran Hot Beetroot and Caramalised Onion chutneys, Arran Blue cheese, Arran milk and Arran Ice Cream.
Businesses taking part were: Auchrannie Resort, Kinloch Hotel, Pierhead Tavern, Crofters Arran and the French Fox, each showing their own style and flair.
Michelle Te Ohaere of Arran Dairies and Taste of Arran said: ‘We are very impressed with the results and love the range of ideas that have come out of this challenge. Arran is lucky to have so many incredible restaurants and talented chefs, all using top quality Arran produce.
‘Congratulations to the winning business – The French Fox – with their impressive amount of effort they have put into using as many of the ingredients as possible and creating unique and beautifully presented dishes.’
The three-course winning menu, consisted of an asparagus and Arran Blue cheese tart with hot beetroot chutney, a confit duck salad with roasted new potatoes with a wild garlic and rocket dressing, finished with a Cadbury Creme Egg brulee with panna cotta ice cream.