Emma Mykytyn Loch Leven’s Larder launches new summer menu packed with farm-grown vegetables
Loch Leven’s Larder has launched a colourful new summer menu, putting vegetables grown on its own Kinross-shire farm firmly centre stage.
The popular farm shop, deli and café is based at Channel of Pittendreich Farm, where more than 17 different types of vegetables are grown alongside oats and wheat. That homegrown produce is now appearing across a menu inspired by flavours from Scotland, Italy, the Middle East and beyond.
Breakfast and lunch are served seven days a week in the Larder Café and its covered outdoor canopy, with many ingredients travelling only a very short distance from field to plate.
From Channel Farm to the café
Loch Leven’s Larder was created by a family of vegetable farmers who wanted to showcase their produce while championing seasonal and locally sourced food.
Owner and Managing Partner Emma Niven runs the business alongside her husband Rob and brother-in-law Mike.
“We are absolutely thrilled to present this new summer menu,” said Emma.
“Rooted in our farming heritage at Channel Farm, Loch Leven’s Larder was created by our family of vegetable farmers to showcase the very best of our homegrown produce.”
Alongside the farm shop and café, Loch Leven’s Larder has its own bakery, producing fresh sourdough every day as well as sausage rolls, cakes, scones and traybakes.
Emma added: “Providing exceptional local food, to eat in the café and to sell in our deli and farm shop, is a constant focus and, of course, we will always be in tune with the seasons.”
Farm-grown Hispi cabbage takes centre stage
One of the most eye-catching additions to the summer menu is Channel Farm-grown Hispi cabbage served with herby coconut yoghurt, masala dressing and pickled cabbage.
Head chef Brian Padmore has gone as far as calling it the best dish he has ever created.
It is one of several dishes making inventive use of vegetables grown just outside the café.
Before launching a new menu, the kitchen also prepares every dish for the front-of-house team to sample.
“If we have tasted and enjoyed the dishes, you will too,” said Emma.
The idea is that staff understand both the ingredients and inspiration behind everything they are serving.
Breakfast Menu at Loch Levens Larder
Lunch Menu at Loch Leven’s Larder
Kids Menu at Loch Leven’s Larder
Middle Eastern and Italian flavours
There is plenty of international inspiration on the new Loch Leven’s Larder summer menu.
Middle Eastern flavours feature in charred Channel Farm cauliflower, served with smashed hummus, dukkah and olive bread.
Italian influences can be found in potato gnocchi with garden peas, roasted courgette and spinach cream sauce.
For something lighter, there is a small plate of sweet cherry tomatoes, baby mozzarella, Lilliput capers, basil oil and garden herb salad.
Two summer soups are also available:
– Carrot and Yester Farm sour cream with toasted seeds and olive
– Potato, spinach and roasted garlic
The carrots are grown at Channel Farm, alongside vegetables including leeks, beetroot, curly kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
Plenty for vegetarians and vegans
With vegetables at the heart of the business, Loch Leven’s Larder has long been a useful stop for vegetarians and vegans looking for something more interesting than a token meat-free dish.
“They know that they’ll find inventive vegetarian dishes where the vegetables really can’t get any fresher,” said Emma.
“They are literally pulled out of the ground and onto the plate.”
Meat and fish eaters haven’t been forgotten either, with ingredients sourced from Scottish suppliers including Campbells, Heatherfield Smokery and G&J Wilson Fishmongers.
Scottish produce features across the menu
The Larder’s Caesar salad combines Channel Farm little gem lettuce with corn-fed chicken, Caesar dressing, shaved Parmesan and croutons made using granary bread baked in-house.
Scottish seafood also appears in a light bite of home beetroot-cured Scottish smoked salmon, served on the Larder’s charcoal sourdough with horseradish cream.
For something more substantial, there is a Scotch lamb and mint burger served in a toasted brioche bun with shredded lettuce, tomato, spiced pear chutney and thin-cut fries.
Fish lovers can try the East Coast smoked haddock frittata, served with Channel Farm kale, broccoli, preserved lemon salad and a fine herb vinaigrette.
Old favourites remain
While seasonal menus mean plenty of change, some dishes have developed such a following that customers don’t want to see them disappear.
One is the Ayrshire ham hock terrine, served with homemade piccalilli.
The piccalilli contains cucumber and cauliflower grown on the farm and is made using a secret family recipe.
Stornoway black pudding is another firm favourite.
On the new menu it appears in an open sandwich alongside premium link sausages, a fried Kilduncan egg and hot heather honey dressing.
A summer taste of Loch Leven
The new menu showcases exactly what makes a farm-based café interesting: ingredients grown only metres away from the kitchen being transformed into dishes drawing inspiration from around the world.
From masala-spiced cabbage and charred cauliflower to Scottish smoked haddock and lamb, there is a good mix of vegetable-led cooking, Scottish produce and comforting favourites.
Loch Leven’s Larder serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week, with seating available inside the Larder Café and beneath its outdoor canopy.
The full summer menu is available on the Loch Leven’s Larder website:
https://www.lochlevenslarder.com/eat-with-us/larder-cafe-menu/
