Feast on Fife’s hidden gems
Rosalind Erskine takes a two-day culinary tour of the East Neuk’s picturesque fishing towns
It’s not the norm in most coastal town chippies to stand in a queue waiting for your supper whilst reading about the famous clientele. But at Anstruther Fish Bar, this is exactly the case. The award-winning shop has served everyone from Hollywood celebrities including Tom Hanks to royalty – Prince William was a regular when he was at St Andrews University – and has the press clippings framed on the wall to prove it.
Serving a range of boat-fresh fish and seafood, the fish bar is a wellknown and often extremely busy haunt in the picturesque East Neuk village. But what else does this pretty part of Fife have to offer the foodie tourist?
With Scotland’s food and drink scene experiencing a boom – thanks mainly to the explosion of Scottish gins and artisanal producers – it’s only fair to assume that this stretch of east coast, with its mix of farmland and beaches, will be home to some fine examples of homegrown fare.
A two-day trip is a good length of time to truffle out some of the hidden gems in Fife – from gin and whisky to cheese and seaweed. Anstruther is a great place to base yourself, as there are also a range of quaint guesthouses and B&BS that are perfectly positioned to cater for visitors at any time of the year.
The Lahloo Guesthouse, is just a hop skip and jump away from the famous fish bar and scenic harbour. The house was built in 1800, and was the birthplace of Captain John Smith, famous for sailing tea clippers. Sleeping four guests in two double rooms, it is ideal for couples or solo travellers and owner Jean was extremely friendly and helpful.
Kingsbarns Distillery is a must-visit. Independent bottling giants Wemyss malts invested nearly £3 million into the distillery and have taken over the operation from their partnership with Douglas Clement, a former caddie at the nearby Kingsbarns golf course. Inspired by the tourist opportunities at the nearby towns, including St Andrews, the distillery and visitor centre opened in 2014 and released its first spirit in 2015.
With their single malt still maturing, Kingsbarns opened its doors to Darnley’s Gin as production moved from London to the Gin House – a former farmhouse – on the site.
Tours of the distillery and Gin House (plus tastings) can be booked online and provide an interesting and informative look at this fledgling operation.
If you’re after a more family-friendly destination then a trip to Cambo Country House and Estate, which is only a 15-minute walk away from the distillery, is worth a visit. The estate is known for its snowdrops, which bloom in late winter. Tours of the gardens will keep the kids entertained as will the visitor centre, gift shop and café.
On day two a drive to Elie and a walk on the beautiful beach is a perfect start to the day. If you arrive early enough you may see the Mara Seaweed guys hard at work hand harvesting the wide variety of seaweed in the waters, ready to be sent to be packaged in Edinburgh.
Next stop is Pittenweem, home to an extremely popular arts and crafts fair in the summer. Anyone with a sweet tooth must pop into the charming Pittenweem Chocolate Company’s Cocoa Tree Shop and Cafe. Opened ten years ago, the shop sells handmade chocolates and the café serves the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted.
Those with a more savoury palate need only make the short drive to the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company. This dairy farm diversified
Clockwise from main: Anstruther Fish Bar; Darnley’s Gin; St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company
in 2008 to produce a range of unpasteurised milk cheeses, which include the moreish Red Anster, made with garlic and chives. As well as picking up some cheese, oatcakes and chutney from the shop, visitors can also see the cheese being made and tuck into a spot of lunch at the charming café.
If you’d like to try a little piece of Fife at home, then East Neuk Cooks (who catered lunch and dinner for us on the first night) offer fresh, homemade dishes for delivery – from canapés to cakes plus everything in between. The gin and lemon drizzle cake was a firm favourite although all dishes were of superb quality. ■
A drive to Elie and a walk on the beautiful beach is a perfect start to the day
The best, and most direct route to the East Neuk is to drive but if that isn’t an option then trains run frequently from Edinburgh to Leuchars, and take about an hour, www.scotrail.co.uk Rooms at the Lahloo Guesthouse (www.lahloobandb.co.uk) start from £69 per night including breakfast. Tours of Kingsbarns Distillery and Darnley’s Gin House can be made through the website (www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com) or by phoning 01333 451300. Cambo Estate gardens, gift shop and café are open daily from 10am-5pm, www.camboestate.com