Scottish treats served up
The Scotsman brings together the best of Scotland’s food and drink at new event
Our love affair with food and drink seems to keep on growing. New flavours, sensations and products fascinate us, so it is no surprise that Scotland – home to some of the finest food and drink in the world – has this passion.
The Scotsman has invited some of the country’s leading growers and producers to join us in a celebration of the best of what we eat and drink.
The launch of Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017 in October will gather producers, chefs and retailers from across the industry in Scotland.
The free-to-attend twoday event will see businesses – both small and large – demonstrating why they are the best.
There will be tastings and demonstrations galore – just as you would expect at any good food show, but what will make The Scotsman’s event unique will be four special themed areas.
Cooking demonstrations, master classes and a dedicated children’s area will be complemented by a careers’ fair.
Over the years, The Scotsman has taken Scotland’s food and drink seriously. “We know the value of the sector to our economy but we also know our readers enjoy their culinary experiences, so it isatopicthatishighonthe agenda for us,” says Frank O’donnell, The Scotsman’s Editorial Director.
Acknowledging the readers’ interests, The Scotsman expanded its coverage into the digital arena, launching a dedicated website – foodanddrink.scotsman.com – in 2015.
Over the years, the newspaper has worked with Scotland’s leading chefs – following their careers, publishing their culinary advice and recipes in the Saturday magazine.
“Food has always been an important part of the magazine,” says Alison Gray the magazine’s current editor.
“The first issue of Weekend in March 1989 included recipes for Easter treats from Elisabeth Luard.
“And in that first issue, our highly respected wine critic Rose Murray Brown wrote about champagne.
“Alongside those two elements we have always put restaurants under the microscope with our reviews.” says Gray.
“Never has the Scottish culinary scene been so exciting: hardly a day goes by without us receiving details of restaurants opening and food products coming to market.
“It is not only food: the drinks scene has developed so much since the doors were opened for craft distillers.
“New gins début regularly and we’ve even seen bespoke tonic waters created to complement them.
“Before the spotlight turned to gin, the whisky distillers had been busy innovating, particularly with their maturation techniques so that Scottish whisky has retained its place as one of Scotland’s biggest exports.”
The other side of Scotland’s foodie heritage is the farmers and fishermen who harvest the bountiful natural produce.
“The Scotsman has always covered agriculture,” says O’donnell. “Back in our archive there are reports of the first Royal Highland Show held on the site of what is now the Scottish Parliament in 1822. Today we publish reports on agriculture daily.
“Bringing all this expertise together to create a food and drink show makes perfect sense and I’m looking forward to enjoying a day out myself,” adds O’donnell.
The Scotsman will be working with sponsors and exhibitors to create a great family day out and one of the first to sign up as a partner was Lothian Buses.
This means that there will be a free bus service from the city centre to the venue, the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.
A lot of expertise will be on show at the two-day familyfriendly event.
An exciting line-up of chefs, producers and distillers will be sharing their secrets in a packed programme of cooking demonstrations and master classes.
“In the run-up to the event, the hosts will be revealed as we bring you more details in regular features in The Scotsman,” says show organiser Rebecca Thompson.
Young people are definitely in the mix at this event as there will be not only an activity area designed just for kids, but also a careers space where the foodies of the future will be able to find out about working in the industry.
In the careers’ area, advice will be available about working in hospitality, farming and manufacturing from both colleges and training providers, as well as professionals who are forging successful careers themselves.
For the younger ones, the ingredients will be a mix of hands-on activities like cupcake decorating to a more adventurous blending of music and drama with a food-themed performance.
In the coming weeks, we will reveal more details of the Scotland Food & Drink Show. Watch out for further updates.