Designed to encourage dialogue and discovery, the event will include demonstrations from well-known chefs as well as the opportunity to sample the foods and initiate discussion between growers. producers, chefs and purchasing managers. The number of local suppliers and food producers as grown dramatically in recent years with the majority based in and around East Lothian. With a marked consumer interest in ‘eating local’ and the recent television programmes showcasing regional flavours the timing is right to bring suppliers and buyers together to strengthen the bond and promote local on the menus.

Fiona Edgar, business growth officer with East Lothian Council, said: “It is has been well researched that restaurants can profit from purchasing good local produce. The produce is fresh and tastier than the majority of mass-produced goods, generally has less environmental impact through reduced carbon footprint and can provide a great point for menu differentiation.”

Presenters on the day will include Chef Tom Lewis, of the Monachyle MHOR Hotel who will show how to add value to restaurant menus by using local products and produce; award winning chefs Keith Marley and Mary Runciman who own and run La Potiniere Restaurant in Gullane and  James Withers is the Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink.  

Full details on East Lothian’s Food Web Site:
http://www.freshprofiteastlothian.com

The title of Game Chef 2012 was awarded to Brian at the Cook School Scotland in Kilmarnock where judges included Michelin starred chefs Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart along with Ian McAndrew from Blackaddie House Hotel and Kevin MacGillivray from the Federation of Chefs.

Brian is from Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel and his nomination is the result of a 12 month search for the most talented young chef working with game.

Managing Director of Braehead Foods (Cook School Scotland) Craig Stevenson is quoted as saying: “We wanted to highlight the popularity and versatility of game and the competitors showed great flair and imagination. The UK’s game sales have never been better and it’s not hard to understand why when you see and taste what these chefs produced”

Game sales continued to rise in 2011 and competitors were challenged to come up with an innovative starter and main course .  Brian won with his entry of Red Leg Partridge Pithivier followed by Roe Doe Head to Toe. Brian’s dishes included game shot by his father who is a gamekeeper on a Border’s estate.

As the 2012 winning chef Brian will be flying to Sweden to enjoy his prize, a day wild boar hunting with Tom Kitchin. We would love to be at chefs’ table that evening!

http://www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org/news/article-info/3383/britains-top-game-chef-crowned.aspx

Roy will be the star of a special Scottish dinner in the iconic surroundings of the fabulous Yas Viceroy Hotel.  Chef Roy promises a “true taste of Scotland” at the special dinner on 20 February.

Roy is quoted as saying: “Scottish produce is famous for being some of the best in the world. I intend to prove why that is the case. We want to do justice to Scottish cuisine and produce. I’ve been experimenting to get the marriages and blends right. There will be venison carpaccio, lobsters, langoustines, crabs and cured smoked salmon. The shellfish and fish have been selected with conservation in mind because, to me, it even tastes better when you know where the fish comes from and how it was caught,”

Seasonality and sustainability are Chef Roy’s hallmarks and he has been accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council, an independent non-profit organisation with an eco-label and fishery certification programme, for his commitment to excellence in responsible sourcing.

Roy was named Hotel Chef Of The Year at the Scottish Chef Awards in 2009 for his contribution to the Scotland’s restaurant scene.

We wish Roy all the very best and applaud him for his role as an active ambassador for Scotland’s food.

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

“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

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.

http://www.scotlandsspecialityfoodshow.com

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.

http://www.scottishfoodoverseas.com/

Putting one of Scotland’s finest export into an aluminium container may seem like a downmarket move but according to experts this could create a boost in sales. Ken Rubenfeld, VP operations for Scottish Spirits Imports, Inc., told The Huffington Post. “”There are many brands on the market and most brands are not created equal. But most brands are served as equals in a glass type of vessel. Having something that’s so creatively different — it peaks the curiosity.”

Each can of Scottish Spirits will contain 12 ounces of 80% proof single grain scotch whisky distilled and matured for three years in oak casks in Scotland and is expected to retail at $5 a can. Packaging a high-end spirit like whisky in can in what might be considered to be a novelty.

Lew Bryson, managing editor of Whisky Advocate is quoted as saying. “It is not going to be affecting the flavor. The problem you run into is who is going to bang out 12 ounces in an evening?”

One problem however could be shelf life. Unlike bottles cans cannot be resealed once they are opened and not everyone will use the eight shots contained in the cans in one sitting! The distribution company intends to paunch a custom can top featuring a closure device later in the year.

The concept of ‘whisky in a can’ may only be a marketing ploy or it could change the way Scotch whisky is distributed and bought. Either way we should see the results of this concept in 2012.

http://www.scottishspirits.com

Jamie Oliver’s enthusiasm for Scottish food and the countryside was worthy of an Oscar and a return ticket courtesy of VisitScotland. Hopefully some of these dishes will be inspiration for any restaurant not already featuring a Taste of Scotland on their menus.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-great-britain/episode-guide/series-1/episode-6

The shop focuses only stocks natural and organic products and will support local suppliers and businesses. With over 400 of the items in store sourced from Scottish producers including smoked salmon from Oban, oysters from the Firth of Clyde and full range of Scottish cheese, we think this Giffnock Whole Foods Market will be great platform for Scottish food products.

David Doctorow, vice president of Whole Foods Market UK is quoted as saying, “We are incredibly excited to be opening in Scotland and bringing with us a new way of presenting and experiencing food. Many of our products have been sourced from within Scotland, which collectively showcase some of the best artisan producers from the length and breadth of the country.”

Whole Foods Market originated in the US now have 300 stores world wide with an annual turnover of more than £5 billion. The only other Whole Food the company has in the UK are all within London

http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/giffnock/

Held in London’s The Landmark Hotel the judges announced Davidsons Specialist Butchers in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, as their 2011 Butchers Shop of the Year.

Davidson’s butchers have been operating since 2004 and have for years been heralded as one of Aberdeen’s supplies of high quality premium meat and poultry

They provide the very best in local Aberdeenshire Beef as well as by Pork & Lamb products reared on the Davidson family farms. They also supply top quality locally wild game and chicken from selected local producers.

John Davidson, owner of the shop, said, “It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve wanted this since before I even had a butcher’s shop. The win coincides with the launch of our Davidson’s Butcher’s online shop, so we are going to take the publicity forward and tell people they can now get the best meat in the UK delivered to their door. Being named best butcher in the UK is a great marketing tool.”

Ed Bedington, editor of the Meat Trades Journal who organised the awards, said, “Davidsons is a deserving winner and a superb business, so it’s great to see John and his team getting some great recognition.

http://www.davidsons-inverurie.co.uk

http://davidsonsbutcher.myshopify.com/

The editorial that accompanied this Foodie supplement concluded that UK diners wanted classic cuisine and were prepared to pay for it. The editors also remarked at the growth of regional winners. This year only 50 of the top 100 restaurants based in London. Ledbury’s in Notting Hill was ranked top in the UK while Scotland had two in the top ten – Andrew Fairlie and Martin Wishart.

2011 SCOTLAND TOP 10 LISTINGS:

1. Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles
2. Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh (8 UK)
3. The Kitchin, Edinburgh (20 UK)
4. The Three Chimneys, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye (26 UK)
5. Number One at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh (42 UK)
6. The Peat Inn, Cupar, Fife (44 UK)
7. Castle Terrace Restuarant, Edinburgh (53 UK)
8. 21212 , Edinburgh (56 UK)
9. Summer Isles Hotel, Achiltibuie, Ross-shire (72 UK)
10. Wedgwood Restaurant, Edinburgh

(UK ranking in brackets)