Scottish Game Sales Flying High
Sales of venison, pheasant and partridge are reported to have soared in Scotland.
What was once thought of as a pricey aristocratic food is now growing in popularity. It seems that Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and top Scottish restaurants are placing Scottish Game at the top of their menus. Marks & Spencer is reported in The Scotsman as saying its venison sales for the game season were up over 300%. Tesco reports game sales up 10% and Waitrose say they have had a 38% rise in sales of woodpigeon this season.
The rise may be partly attributed to TV chefs using game in their popular food programmes. Oliver has an entire chapter dedicated to ‘wild food’ in his latest book, Jamie’s Great Britain. His recipes include seared venison loin, roasted pheasant, and a twelve hour rabbit bolognese. Scottish celebrity chef Nick Nairn’s devotes entire classes to game cooking methods at his Scottish cook school.
Tom Kitchin, Michelin-starred chef at Edinburgh’s The Kitchin has a seasonal menu celebrating Scottish game which features hare, woodcock, teal, and mallard. Tom is quoted as saying: “It’s very healthy, it’s very lean, and it’s flavoursome as well. If you have a loin of venison you won’t forget it.
Full article in The Scotsman:
http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/consumers_going_wild_for_game_foods_1_2084363
Tasting the best of Scottish produce at the RAC Club
I stumbled across the mouthwatering posting by Nick Harman on Foodepedia. Refreshing to see such elequent and enthusiastic comments on Scottish Food.
“The great sides of Summer Isles smoked fish were sliced thickly on the spot and anointed with the barest drop of lemon, no brown bread and butter thank you, and tasted delicious. The merest hint of smoke coming through from the rich, buttery, flesh as well as hint of sweetness from their special brine. You couldn’t compare it with supermarket smoked salmon; it was a different kettle of fish entirely.
Summer Isles were just one of around ten Scottish producers who had lugged their lovely grub from the Highlands all the way down to the lowlands of the RAC Club in Pall Mall. Achiltbuie kipper pate with seaweed relish on oaties and cones of native lobster were passed around and gobbled up. Venison carpaccio wrapped around Highland Blue cheese was burst in the mouth flavour. The RAC Executive Chef Philip Corrick had cooked all the small plates and if you wanted any reason at all to join then to be able to eat his food every day would be a compelling one”
Nick goes onto to mention sweet scallops from Keltic Seafare, succulent beef from Mey Selections, Connage cheese and Cloutie dumpling with Drambuie custard.
If that has whetted your taste buds you can savour the rest of Nick’s excellent article at:
http://www.foodepedia.co.uk/articles/2012/jan/scottish_food.htm
Scotland’s Speciality Food Show – January 2012
Scotland’s Speciality Food Show runs from 22nd to 24th January at Glasgow’s SECC.
Held in conjunction with Scotland’s Trade Fair this is an opportunity to showcase new and existing Scottish food producers and suppliers. This year some 20% of exhibitors are new including Chocolati, an Ayrshire based chocolate company, Isabella’s Scottish Preserves & Relishes, Just Add Chilli from south Glasgow with a range of chilli dips and condiments and Cambus o’ May Cheese Makers.
As the only trade show for the speciality food and drink market in Scotland. The Scotland’s Speciality Food Show provides an opportunity for small, innovative producers to get their products into farm shops, delicatessens, fine food retailers, butchers, bakers, garden centres and the catering trade.
Burns Night & Beyond – Hand Packed to Order
Too late for Christmas but worth considering for a source of Scottish Food in 2012, scottishfoodoverseas delivers food hampers packed with some excellent foods from Scotland.
Formed in 2001, Scottishfoodoverseas.com is now one of the biggest gift hamper companies in the UK and works with with locally based Endrick Trading Ltd to ensure speedy delivery of their hand packed orders. This is a Scottish based, family run business whose aim is to focus on quality produce and the highest levels of customer service. The offer a range of products from inexpensive to the most luxurious end of the market.
