Are you even at the Fringe if you’re not having carbs for every meal? IT’S THE PERFECT FOOD GROUP! Here’s where I, world-renowned singer and baker extraordinaire Sir Elton Scone, find the best sweet treats, including a few choices which don’t include gluten for those mavericks amongst you.
Despite what my mum says, my first major landmark solo show wasn’t during a Thursday morning assembly at the primary school she worked at, but it was in fact at THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE on September 17th, 1976. Literally the second I finished my bow, the crew marched me round the corner to Café Piccante to enjoy the proteins, the endorphin-boosting chocolate, the nougat for great shiny hair, and the deep frying which is really great for clearing toxins out of your body. I’ve also heard its N*Sync’s favourite way to eat Mars bars because they famously love food when it’s “Fry Fry Fried”!
But my links to Edinburgh are even deeper than that; yes, even deeper than a Nigella Lawson sticky toffee pudding. My music director on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was Edinburgh born and bred guitar legend Davey Johnstone. And when I’m walking around George Square, I do feel a bit like I’m walking down the Yellow Brick Road, mostly because of the cobbles, but also because whenever I walk down it I’m off to see the Wizard, and I’m not talking about the showbiz wizard Jess Robinson (who is coincidentally also doing an Elton-themed show), it’s simply what I like to call the public toilets at Assembly Gardens. Along that square is Panquake, who once sold me a crepe so full of chocolate I immediately entered into a 6-day long food coma! Voulez-vous une crêpe avec moi?
If it’s a scone you’re after, and of course you are – there’s only one choice: Clarinda’s Tearoom. Namely because I think they might be the only place that still serve scones in Edinburgh, and also because they’ve been hand-making them since 1976 – THE YEAR OF MY FIRST MAJOR SHOW IN EDINBURGH!! COINCIDENCE??!!!! THERE’S NO SUCH THING!!!
But that was the old me, I have recently discovered that I’m gluten intolerant and cannot enjoy any of these amazing treats anymore (it’s me, hi, I’m the aforementioned maverick), so you’re gonna find me almost exclusively at SugarDaddy’s Bakery which is 100% gluten-free baby – WE CAN EAT EVERYTHING!!! Thank you so much to my (and now your) Sugar Daddy xxx
Katie Pritchard is Sir Elton Scone, Hoots @ Nicolson Square, 7-30 Aug (not 18), 3.40pm