News you can trust since 1817
What’s your favourite ingredient?
I mean bagels obviously – what’s not to love about bagels? Find me something more comforting and tasty. Growing up, there was nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a bagel. It's a HOLEY ingredient and must be used whenever possible.
Do you have a guilty food pleasure?
Yes - chicken wings. I am in constant search for the best. I have done some things I am not proud of for a plate of good chicken wings.
Tell us about your first food memory?
It would have to be sitting around the family table back home eating matzah ball soup. It’s known as Jewish Penicillin – a traditional soul-warming soup. It reminds me of family and holidays when we were all together, when there was always a pot of matzah ball soup cooking away. As my Bubby always told me, there’s not much that can’t be fixed with a warm bowl of matzah ball soup.
What’s your favourite Scottish restaurant, deli or cafe?
A lot of my favourite meals have been in The Kitchin restaurant. Apart from loving Tom Kitchin’s food, I also love that he’s called Kitchin and has a kitchen. It shows real commitment to the craft. I’m also partial to an occasional visit to Casablanca (the House of Gods nightclub) in Edinburgh. Okay, I'm there every single weekend without fail and they don't actually do food, but I eat their cocktails for dinner and they're all incredible.
What would be your last supper?
It would have many, many courses - 1006 by Nico – and many friends. The supper would last for a week and one of the courses would be a cake big enough to have a helicopter baked into it so I could escape whatever fate was waiting for me before breakfast.
Starter or pudding?
Starter. All the way. I don't do puddings. I used to have a cheese board instead of a pudding, but being in your forties brings on an intolerance to lactose, so I swapped the cheese board to more wine, but being in your forties brings on an intolerance to hangovers, so best to stick to starters.
Do you have any food hates?
Virgin cocktails. Not for me. Tried them - but what’s the point? It’s like decaf coffee. I mean each to their own, but how do these people get through the day?
What starters, main and dessert would be served at your dream dinner party and who would you invite?
Starter: oysters
Main: buffalo chicken wings
Dessert: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with ice and soda
And I would invite P Diddy (if he couldn't come, then I would ask Joaquin Phoenix instead)
Bross Bagels recently collaborated with Scottish actor, Alan Cumming, whose signature vegan bagel, The Holesome Cumming Bagel, is now available at Bross shops across Edinburgh, including branches at Portobello, Stockbridge, Bruntsfield and the first Bross Deli at St James Quarter, which offers all-day dining.
