Scone Spy: Dunkeld’s Corbenic cafe also helps the community

IT’s a dreich, dull Tuesday in Dunkeld.

It’s a lovely wee place but, frankly, I’m a bit fed up wandering about in the drizzle looking for somewhere to eat.

I find a promising-looking cafe, but it’s closed. Sigh. It’s turning into one of these days.

I’m at the stage it’s any port in a storm as the rain suddenly becomes heavier.

So I stumble into Corbenic. It’s a shop but, as luck would have it, it’s got a wee cafe area.

Things are looking up.

As I check out the small selection of cakes and goodies on offer, I notice a lonesome cheese scone.

Bingo!

Another customer stands next to me and I’m pretty sure she’s also eyeing up the lonesome scone.

So I’m relieved when I see her gaze turn to a yummy-looking slice of cake.

There’s an unusual system in the cafe, which involves filling out a form and using a numbering system to order. It’s easy, but quite unusual – I’ve never seen it before.

It turns out that Corbenic is part of the Camphill organisation.

Camphill has several communities in Scotland and they help people with extra needs.

They’re supported and encouraged to develop through community life, boosting their self-esteem.

The Corbenic shop and cafe is all a part of that.

And they seem to be having a grand old time.

A waitress comes over, takes my order and I sit back and enjoy the banter of the staff.

At the till, the boss is showing the others how it works.

Someone presses the wrong button. And I don’t think it’s the first time they’ve done it.

“Why did you do that?” asks the man in charge, half-exasperated, half-laughing.

“Because you told me to,” comes the giggling retort.

Before I know it the waitress appears.

But what’s this? She’s brought me cheesecake instead of cheese scone.

It seems I messed up that order form! I was in too much of a rush to nab that scone.

It looks good. I think about keeping it.

But I tell her she’s made a mistake and ask for my scone.

“Told you it was a cheese scone!” says a member of the kitchen staff. More giggles.

A slice of Malteser traybake that I’ve also ordered – all in the name of research, you understand – is just lovely.

As for the cheese scone, it’s perfectly decent.

Not the most amazing scone I’ve ever had, but certainly not the worst, either.

Very nice.

For once in Scone Spy’s life, though, this isn’t really about the scone.

It’s about giving people a helping hand, making them feel valued and that they’re contributing to society.

And what could be better than that?

Warm Welcome 8/10  Location, Location 7/10  Scone Score 7/10

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