Lamb on the menu at debate

Local MSP Jim Fairlie led a debate in the Scottish Parliament designed to promote lamb to mark St Andrew’s Day.

The Perthshire South and Kinross-shire SNP MSP was in the chair for the discussion on Tuesday and explained it was an issue that was personal to him as his late brother, the renowned Gleneagles chef Andrew Fairlie, served the dish during the Queen’s Banquet when the G8 summit was held at the famous Strath resort in 2005.

The ongoing drive to promote the produce is formally known as the ‘Lamb for St Andrew’s Day Campaign’.

Former hill farmer Mr Fairlie explained:“No matter where you are in the world, folk know that a Burns night must have haggis, neeps and tatties, washed down with a good dram.

“That association of a particular food and a particular celebration is a recurring theme – turkey for Christmas, steak pie on New Year’s Day, and now, I would argue, Scotch Lamb for St Andrew’s Day.

“It stands to reason, that St Andrew’s Day should have its own dish that families across the country can enjoy together and I have to say, for me, there is a bit of a personal attachment to this.

“In 2009, I was approached by George Purves who I’d come to know very well by selling my lambs through him for many years at United Auctions when I was a farmer.

“He had been attending a Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programme where he and sheep farmer Willie Mitchell came up with the idea of developing a lamb dish to be served on St Andrew’s Day as part of the new bank holiday.

“The idea was to get more people tasting lamb when it was at its seasonal best and to help it become a more mainstream meat to be consumed here in Scotland.

“What better way to do that, than to have Andrew Fairlie, Scotland’s number one chef, create a recipe for St Andrew’s Day using lamb as the main ingredient.

“I had been supplying Andy’s restaurant for many years with the lamb I farmed, and Andrew had cooked the Queen’s Banquet during the G8 summit in Gleneagles.

“Surely, a meat that was good enough for the Queen and the most powerful world leaders was a meat worthy of the dinner plates of families across Scotland.

“I’d like to congratulate George and Willie for the idea and all the organisations who have pulled it together, and let’s all do what we can to make Scotch Lamb synonymous with St Andrew’s Day.”

Mr Fairlie went on to tell the parliament:“Thanks also to those colleagues who signed my motion and attended today’s debate.

“I wish you all a very happy St Andrew’s Day and urge you to go and have a plate of good Scotch lamb for your dinner.”