Food & drink within 5 miles of Edinburgh

It's a vegetable that doesn't come without its repercussions, but the misfit asparagus is still rather delicious. Celebrate its long-standing status as a showcase ingredient as Henderson's chefs put it in everything they can think of, from starters to bakes.

The mountainous Abruzzo region has less than half the vineyard land of Tuscany, and yet it produces nearly twice as much wine, thanks to the dry Adriatic breezes that blow in from the East. The most famous wine of the region is Montepulciano, but here's a chance to try some others.

Ardbog whisky presents its latest release for your tastebuds to get acquainted with, plus lots of other fun activities.

To kick off their 50-day festival celebrating 50 years, Henderson's of Edinburgh invite you to time warp back to their opening night in 1963. Get on your best retro gear, hit up the 60s makeover zone and, for the first hour, grab a cocktail at a price last seen five decades ago. Booking is essential.

A guest chef takes over Henderson's kitchen for a night. Details to be announced. Booking is essential.

A burger, a beer and some delicious comedy – what more could you want? Hosted by Rick Molland.

A celebration of the work of Italy's greatest composer, including a traditional Emilian dinner, a talk and a recital of Verdi arias and songs by young Armenian soprano Anush Hovvanisyan.

Cocktober Fest hits the road! The Cocktail Queen presents a series of ladies' nights to set October off with a bang, featuring drag queens and 'buff butlers' (ripped abs or shoe shiners? – not entirely sure) to spice up the boring old dance floor and cocktails aspect.

Make your own quaich, a traditional Scots drinking bowl.

Get a greenery fix before work or school with an early morning breakfast of local food and environmental ideas. Gardening and foraging experts are on hand with advice for making the most of plant life in the city, focusing on organic and sustainable growing techniques.

Masters of Contemporary Art students from Edinburgh College of Art are the helm of this year's FAIR, which sees the gallery handed over to six groups, each charged with interpreting the concept of 'fair'. The result is a programme of music, comedy, film, performance, exhibition and installation that plays out over three…

Celebrate the old man in the manliest of manners: with a giant pit of flames and hunks of sizzling meat.

Henderson's head chef Barry Baker has sourced 50 local ingredients from within a 50-mile radius to create a feast that celebrates Scotland's natural larder. In addition, local artist Ben Hymers has created a five-course menu that illustrates the provenance of all the ingredients. No dress code. Booking is essential.

Celebrate the life of Henderson's founder, Janet Henderson, and her husband Mac, and their contribution to the organic food movement in Scotland.

Get the whole family out for this veggie BBQ, complete with kebabs and kids' activities. There's also a bicycle-powered smoothie maker on hand, which right there is reason enough to attend. Of course, it's all free, so there's that, too.

Fun experiments using everyday kitchen items, with staff from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health.

Michelin starred and award-winning chefs cook up a storm at this year's festival dedicated to epicureans, as well as offerings from local producers and workshops for food lovers young and old.

It's World Gin Day! Is there any other way to celebrate other than tasting as many as you can? Didn't think so.

An evening festival to celebrate delicious fermented grape juice, with over 100 different wines on hand to taste.

A three-course meal accompanied by the squashed grapes of Bremerton. Book through the Apartment Bistro by mentioning 'Bremerton Dinner'.

A chance to sample the stock of Henderson Wines, which has over 250 different lines.