Scottish Food and Drink fortnight celebrates the local heroes who battled through lockdown
National campaign aims to encourage people to source, buy and eat Scottish food, writes Rosalind Erskine
Scottish food and Drink fortnight (5th-20th September) is under way, celebrating local food and drink legends who supplied groceries during lockdown as well as providing recipe ideas online, virtual cooking classes and tasting sessions while people were at home. This year’s campaign will see Scotland’s food industry showcase these local legends with regional producers promoting their produce through their social media with the aim of encouraging people to source, buy and eat Scottish food and drink.
On the first of a series of special episodes of our podcast Scran, I take a socially distanced tour of Scotland to chat to some of these local heroes. My first guest, is owner of House of Botanicals, Adam Elan-elmegirab who talks about the creative idea that led him to research and recreate the famous Boker’s bitters, which was first created in 1828 and completely disappeared after Prohibition closed the Boker’s company in the 1920s.
Adam also discusses what botanicals are and why they are so important in creating flavours as well as his new products. Adam’s upbringing – his mum is Scottish and his Dad is Lybian -–lead him into a life of food and drink, as cooking and flavour was a big part of his childhood. “I’ve had a very mixed upbringing when it comes to food,” explains Adam. “At school in my packed lunch I’d have random packets of Bombay mix and pakoras and everyone else has packets of Skips and Monster Munch.”
Speaking of how he started up House of Botanicals, Adam said: “In 2007. I set out to recreate all the cocktails from the first ever cocktail book that was printed in 1862, the Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide. As part of that project I started a subproject, to recreate a cocktail bitters that was used in the book but that had disappeared. I thought I’d be able to source a sample of the original Bokers bitters but I discovered that the brand had disappeared through US prohibition. Being quite stubborn, After about two years of research and development, which included contacting descendants of the family who manage the company to obtain old samples to put through a GCMS process, I posted on my web forums and blog about recreating bottles for the cocktail project and off the back of that I received around 500-1000 orders in the first week to buy a bottle from different bartenders all over the world. The business just grew arms and legs from there. It allowed me to develop beyond being a bartender and start my own brand, which has now evolved into botanicals.” During lockdown, Adam’s House of Botanicals web shop kept going, selling his Old Tom gin, range of bitters and a new collection of aperitivo drinks.
From Adam’s House of Botanicals office, under a railway arch, to a fishing boat at Peterhead as the next north east local legend and skipper of the Budding Rose, Peter Bruce, chats about his family roots in the fishing industry and the importance of continuing this legacy. He also talks about educating local school children about fresh fish and trace - ability. Finally Hungry Squirrel Nut butter founder, Susan Yule, discusses how she developed her business when she was looking for an alternative to peanut butter for herself and her children. She talks to me about the importance of sourcing ethical ingredients and her Scottish USP for expanding overseas. Speaking of the love for local produce, Lucy Husband, Market Development & Business Engagement Director at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Our research shows that 70 per centof Scottish consumers believe it’s important to have locally sourced produce available, and 49 per cent of Scottish shoppers also claim they would be willing to pay more for Scottish produce.
To listen to this episode, just search Scran wherever you get your podcasts.