Balmoral Restaurant brings a 'Taste of Scotland' to Elgin
Balmoral Restaurant served samples of their traditional "Grand Scottish Fare" at Gail Borden Public Library's "Global Neighbors: Scotland" series. More than 150 people attended the event on Thursday, Jan. 24.
This "Global Neighbors" event was the first of what is planned as an occasional series to bring an authentic taste of foreign cultures and cuisine to local residents.
Balmoral Restaurant is one of America's most authentic restaurants for Scottish cuisine. It is located in Campton Hills, on the western edge of St. Charles, in the Far West suburbs of Chicago.
Balmoral Restaurant's executive chef Ryan Kacenjar and pastry chef Becky Weaver provided a sampling of three different dishes at the event: starter sample Blantyre Chicken Liver Mousse, blended with herbs, cream and fine Scots whiskey, sealed in sweet orange marmalade butter and crisp toast; main course sample "Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties," Scotland's most sold dish from a 150-year-old recipe; and Millionaire Shortbread, a layer of shortbread, caramel and chocolate ganache, for dessert.
"It's great to see so many local residents come out to experience our Scottish culture," Chef Ryan said. "Balmoral Restaurant is continuing to reach out to the community with its unique fare and dining experience. We will continue to look for opportunities like this one to spread the word!"
Attendees also experienced traditional folk songs from the 2014 U.S. Scottish Fiddle Champion and scholar Tim MacDonald, a frequent featured performer at Balmoral Restaurant.
Some took selfies with a cardboard cutout of the Jamie Fraser character from the "Outlander" TV series on Starz.
Michael J. Murschel, a member of Illinois St. Andrews Society, Clan MacIntyre Association, and chaplain with the Elgin Scottish Society, talked about how these Celtic roots helped shape Elgin from its founding moments to the present.
For more information on upcoming "Global Neighbors" events, contact Danielle Henson, community engagement liaison for the Gail Borden Public Library, at (847) 429-6792.
For more on Balmoral, visit www.balmoralrestaurant.com.