FOOD & DRINK
The latest happenings on Scotland’s food and drink scene
GROUND TO A HALT
The Glasgow Coffee Festival has been postponed until later this year. The two-day event was originally due to take place at the Briggait, but has been put back due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The celebration of the bean will now take place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October. The event will feature two sessions per day, with independent Scots producers attending. www.glasgow coffeefestival.com
THAT’S THE WAY TEA DO IT
Speciality tea company Eteaket have launched a limited edition tea blend, Berry Bliss. It is a mix of black tea, orange, strawberry, raspberry, blackberries, sunflower blossoms, mallow blossoms, marigold and safflowers, and is one of their many vegan teas. www.eteaket.co.uk
FORAGING FORTNIGHT IS BACK
After the success of the initial event last year, Scotland’s Foraging Fortnight is returning from 2-17 May. This year’s programme will include guided foraging outings, talks, workshops and cookery demonstrations. Events in the five participating regions will range from foraging your own pizza in the Forth Valley and Lomond area, to a Clyde Valley apple walk in Lanarkshire, to seaweed foraging in Fife. Orkney’s events will take place later in the year, from 29 August to 13 September, and will include insights into Norwegian edible seaweed harvesting and a foraging walk along the St Magnus Way. www.foragingfortnight.co.uk
Venerated venison
Highland Game from Dundee have announced a multi-million pound, five-year venison supply contract with Forestry and Land Scotland.
The contract brings added value to the rural economy and sustains hundreds of rural jobs and livelihoods. It highlights the significant economic and social benefits of Forestry and Land Scotland’s conservation management of deer and underpins the popularity of Scottish venison in markets at home and overseas. www.highlandgame.com
‘Lost’ whisky locked in
A glass angel holding a silver locket and filled with rare whisky from a ‘lost distillery’ is the latest innovation from Stirling firm Angels’ Share Glass. The glassmakers have joined forces with Stirling jewellers Lily Blanche to create a batch of just 25 limited-edition Littlemill Angels. The Angels are hand-filled with 26-year-old Littlemill Whisky and feature a silver locket. www.angelsshareglass.com
GREAT SWEDISH BAKE OFF
A Scandinavian bakery has launched in Orkney. Swedish chef Karin Jonsson moved to Kirkwall to pursue her dream of starting a small bakery, and last year Orkney Sourdough Co opened. It produces artisan breads with Scandinavian flavours, with all ingredients either locally sourced or foraged by hand. The seasonal produce featured in Karin’s baking includes wild garlic, sweet rhubarb and fresh salmon, all of which is sourced from Orkney’s natural larder. The venture received support from Business Gateway. www.orkneyfoodanddrink.com/ orkney-sourdough-co
A dram good investment
Whisky was one of the most coveted objects of desire in 2019. The Wealth Report, produced by Knight Frank, says rare whisky has grown in value the most over the last 10 years at +564% and increased by +5% in the past 12 months, with casks remaining in huge demand. By comparison cars have seen an increase of 194%, art by 141% and wine by 120%. In the last 10 years, whisky has far outstripped the more established alternative assets such as art, cars, wines, watches and jewellery and is now one of the most coveted objects of desire, ranking amongst the top performing luxury investments.
Fife farm in the finals
Fife farm shop Balgove Larder was the only Scottish business to be named in the best farm shop categories for this year’s Farm Shop & Deli Awards. The national awards bring together the definitive shortlist of the UK’s finest speciality retailers. Balgove Larder was shortlisted in the Farm Shop Large Retailer category alongside six English farm shops. Over the past decade, Balgove Larder has grown from a team of just seven to over 60 members of staff, growing from a small shop and café. www.balgove.com
MOO-VE IT
A community food project could be rolled out across the Highlands. The Highland Council heard from a volunteerled environmentally conscious community food project based in Muir of Ord called Moo Food. It aims to promote low carbon food choices through reducing food waste and poverty, inequality and social isolation, and encouraging local growing. www.moofood.org
BAGELS ON THE MOVE
Edinburgh’s Bross Bagels have moved their Leith Walk shop to the Leith Arches. As well as their recent move, Bross Bagels opened its fifth shop in the capital, in Stockbridge. There’s no rest for the ever-growing firm, as it is having a bakery built in its new Portobello High Street shop, within the old RBS building, which is due to be completed later this year. www.brossbagels.com