Hickory News

Here’s the latest from Hickory
ISSUE 6 • MAY 2018

Summery soirée or buzzing barbecue?

Spring may have sprung a tad late this year, but warmer weather is well and truly beckoning, so why not plan a summer party for your staff, clients or business partners – or throw caution to the wind (let’s say, slight breeze) and mix them all up at a memorable event orchestrated and catered by Hickory.

Summer parties are a fantastic way of rewarding staff and getting everyone to relax out of their usual environment – all good for team bonding and a great morale booster if everyone’s been working extra hard to win a contract, or maybe your business or organisation has a special anniversary or achievement to celebrate.

Whatever the reason, Hickory are past masters at creating super-stylish occasions that can be as elaborate or as informal as you like. Choose from one of our own venues, like perfect party place Eskmills or a one of our partner venues – may we present the magnificent Broomhall House, for example? Alternatively, if you have some outside space chez vous then let us come to you. Whether it’s a summer garden party for 200 or a team alfresco brunch-with-beers for 25, leave it to us. We can organise everything from teepees to teacups leaving you and your guests to float about in frocks or saunter in shorts – the dress code is up to you.

Refreshing, zingy, fruity fresh, July in a glass, grown up and gorgeous, our summer cocktail list is all these things, and a jugful of any of them will launch your party with real panache. And of course, extraordinarily good party food is what we do best, with an enticing array of exquisite canapés and the lightest of pretty salads to mouthwatering butch burgers for the barbie. Take a look at our menus and fix a date soon for your summer bash – contact us and let’s get that party planned.

SIZZLING SUMMER BBQ MENU

Handmade Orkney dry aged quarter pound beef burgers flavoured with shallots, garlic, Chili and BBQ spices, served in a soft sesame seed bun

Succulent chicken breast Kebabs marinated for 48 hours in our garlic,
ginger and soy hickory smoke marinade

Hand reared, East Lothian pork and sage sausages with sautéed onions

Charred half peppers filled with caraway seeded caramelised onions, feta and herbs (v)

Chunky vegetable and halloumi skewer dusted in BBQ spices
Basted with garlic and homegrown rosemary oil (V)

Sweet potatoes wedges marinated in Cajun spices and tarragon
chargrilled with a lemon and crème fraiche yoghurt (v)

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Five leaf salad with Black and Gold Rapeseed oil vinaigrette

Hand cut julienne carrots, savoy cabbage and celeriac bound in herby coarse mustard mayo

Little east coast tatties in herbs and garlic dressing with bbq spices and red onions

Macaroni salad with peas, sun blushed tomatoes, kidney beans, sweetcorn and coriander

Lemon zested salad of giant cous cous, grilled tri-colour peppers, sweetcorn kernals, cherry tomatoes and fresh mint dressing

All served with a selection of sauces – Apple sauce, Ketchup, Hickory BBQ sauce, Mustard

SOMETHING SWEET

Strawberry and mascarpone cheesecake jar

Lemon meringue tart

Salted caramel cheesecake jar

Chocolate and raspberry mousse

Raspberry cranachan

SUMMER SIPS

THE HICKORY SOUR
House-made hickory smoked syrup, whisky, lemon, egg white and bitters

APRICOT TWIST
Vodka, apricot brandy, apricot jam, orange juice, egg white and orange bitters

TOKYO MARY
Vodka, ginger, soy sauce, black pepper, herbs, wasabi and tomato juice

HICKORY GARDEN
Cranberry and elderflower syrup, gin, egg white, apple and soda water

BRAMBLE
Fresh berries, gin, lemon, sugar and Crème de Mûre

GRAPEFRUIT GIN JULEP
Scottish gin, fresh mint, grapefruit syrup, bitters, topped with club soda

THYME FOR DAISIES
Gin, house-made cucumber and thyme syrup, yellow chartreuse, lemon and egg white

THAI DAIQUIRI
Light rum, fresh lime, coconut water and Thai basil

STRAWBERRY & BASIL DAIQUIRI
Light rum, lime, strawberry and basil syrup, and fresh basil

And the winner is…

We’re not ones to blow our own trumpet but we had to share with you our excitement at being nominated for not one but several awards already this year. The suspense is building at Hickory HQ as we wait on tenterhooks to see if we’ve won any of the following:

Business Women Scotland, Women in Tourism & Hospitality Awards
Hickory nominated for Best Place for Women to Work

We were so thrilled to win this major award last year, so to be nominated for a second year in a row is a real feather in our cap. The women of Hickory will be dressed to the nines on the 17th May when the black tie awards ceremony takes place at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

CIS Excellence Awards
Hickory nominated for The Sustainable Business Award
Head Chef Scott Brodowski nominated for Banqueting and Events Chef Award

Two categories close to our hearts: we are passionate about making our events and business as eco-friendly as possible – we even offer a green wedding package. And naturally we already think the world of Head Chef Scott for the amazing creations he produces out of our kitchens. Shortlisted for two categories in one competition – double the nail biting but also potentially twice the champagne.

Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards
Hickory nominated for The Scottish Sourcing Award
and the Environmental Sustainability Award

We’re delighted to have been nominated for two awards at this prestigious event which takes place on the 7th June at the SECC in Glasgow. The awards “recognise those businesses and individuals in Scotland who are leading the way with innovation, enterprise and quality,” and as pioneers in using the best local ingredients and limiting food miles whenever we can, we would love to win one or both or these.

Craft Guild of Chefs
Head Chef Scott Brodowski nominated for Banqueting and Events Chef Award

Scott will be dusting off his tux for a second time with this prized nomination at what are arguably the cooking Oscars, covering the whole of the UK and all aspects of the chef profession. With a star-studded awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on the 4th June, we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for Scott.

Hickory’s Botanical Garden is growing

Summertime is when our lush Botanical Garden bar hits the road and this year, thanks to winning some exciting new contracts, it will be popping up and introducing an incredible range of Scottish gin, all over the country. We’ll be at the following with our funky floral decked bar and gin-ormous range of artisan gins (probably our favourite drink), along with craft beers, a scorcher of a wine list and some gorgeous mocktails. See you there!

  • Fyvie Live – 9th June
  • Borders Book Festival – 14th – 17th June
  • The Royal Highland Show – 21st – 24th June
  • The European Championships Glasgow 2018 at George Square – 2nd – 12th August
  • The European Golf Championship at Gleneagles – 6th – 12th August
  • Braemar Gathering – 1st September

So, er, can we mention Christmas yet?

Look, if you sort out the Christmas party early this year, you can then forget all about it until it’s properly getting festive. Isn’t that better than a mad rush in November? Our sparkling Eskmills Party Nights are available to book now and our legendary corporate Christmas packages will be launched at the end of May, so look out for details and get yourselves organised as to where and when – we’ll do the rest. And that’s all we’re going to say about Christmas for now. Promise.

Please say YES