Perfect treat for a stag night – venison ice-cream

WITH most of Scotland sweltering in an unexpected autumn heatwave, yesterday was the perfect day to cool down with the aid of an ice-cream.

But even the most devoted sun-worshipper might have baulked at the latest treat on offer in sunny Royal Deeside.

The culinary “delight” created by the pastry chef at one of the area’s leading restaurants is no ordinary ice-cream and is being hailed as the perfect treat for a stag night – the world’s first venison-flavoured variety.

The unusual idea was formed at the Cow Shed restaurant near Banchory after local chefs were challenged to develop a unique dish to help mark the launch of this year’s Royal Deeside and Cairngorms Venison Festival.

Julien Miran came up with the dish after infusing milk with venison and juniper berries before turning the mixture into ice-cream, adding slivers of smoked venison and using home-made tuile biscuits for the “antlers”.

He explained how the ice-cream had been created.

He said: “We were just trying to make something different from the usual venison dish and thought about ice-cream. Venison and juniper berries work together very well for a main course, so we though it could be nice as well for ice-cream.

“I was quite lucky. I just tried it the once and it worked. It tastes very good, but you wouldn’t like to have it as dessert. It would be something that would go to accompany a main dish.”

The venison festival runs from 25 to 30 October. Around 20 hotels, restaurants, local food producers and country estates in Royal Deeside have joined together to create a varied programme of venison-themed activities.

Banchory was one of the hot spots in Scotland yesterday as temperatures reached nearly 24C on Royal Deeside.

A Met Office spokeswoman said that the highest temperature recorded in Scotland was 25.6C at Charterhall in the Borders, while Moray also enjoyed unseasonably high temperatures, with 23.6C at Kinloss.

She added: “There have, however, been areas where the sun has not been shining today, with heavy rain in the west, from Mull all the way up the west coast of Argyll and into parts of the Highlands as well.

“But the temperatures there were still around 17C.

“However, the rain is going to make its way east and south across the country with sunshine breaking through in the west.

“Temperatures will be around 16C or 17C, nearer to the seasonal norm. When we get to Sunday that rain gets a lot more patchy and will mainly affect the Edinburgh and Glasgow areas.”