CULINARY creations showcasing East Lothian produce will be at the heart of a new cook book.

East Lothian Food & Drink has received funding for the planned recipe book, which is expected to be released early next year.

Emma Bouglet, business manager at East Lothian Food & Drink, confirmed that £5,000 of funding had been secured through the latest round of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Regional Food Fund.

She said: “It is very early stages.

“We had an idea and I have been thinking about it for the last couple of years.

“After a visit to Cornwall, where we met the Great Cornish Food Company, they had recipe books to do with their demographic – fish and land.

“I just took great inspiration from it."

Already, it is expected that the unnamed recipe book will feature cocktails from Macmerry-based Buck & Birch, as well as mocktails featuring Brose Oats, based in East Linton.

On top of that, recipes and food ideas are expected to come from local ingredient producers, as well as restaurants and chefs.

It is hoped that the recipe book will be available in the spring.

And Emma revealed that it was not just the culinary creators who would benefit through the project.

She said: “We want to keep everything in East Lothian – editing, photography, everything.

“We want to use local people so the money stays in East Lothian and we are supporting other people.”

In 2021, the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Regional Food Fund was launched in place of the previous Connect Local Regional Food Fund.

Mairi Gougeon MSP, Rural Affairs Secretary, welcomed the latest round of funding.

She said: “We have some of the best food and drink in the world – the industry is worth £15 billion to our economy, supports thousands of jobs and businesses, and is a success story at home and internationally.

“The Regional Food Fund is providing much-needed support to local businesses, producers and community groups to showcase the best products that their regions have to offer.

“Through this fund, we have seen more than £750,000 awarded from the available funding to successful projects across Scotland.”