Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight celebrates 10th anniversary.
SCOTLAND really is the land of plenty with its fertile fields growing a plethora of fruit and vegetables and rearing some of the finest livestock.
Did you know two thirds of the world’s langoustines come from Scottish waters?
Now in its 10th year, the Fortnight will showcase the companies, brands and people working tirelessly to champion the country’s larder, enabling them to take advantage of the growing consumer demand for Scottish food and drink.
Events will take place across the length and breadth of the country.
Highlights include: Stranraer Oyster Festival, Spirit of Speyside, Foraging Fortnight, Dundee Flower and Food festival and Jocktoberfest.
“This is a special year as Scotland Food & Drink marks 10 years of delivering the annual celebration of our fantastic national larder and the people who produce, cook, serve and sell it,” said Scotland Food and Drink head of regional food Fiona Richmond.
“With major national initiatives including the UK Market Development Strategy and Food Tourism Scotland action plan well underway, this year’s Fortnight plays an even greater part in increasing the sourcing, selling and promoting of local produce, which is essential if we are to reach our collective target of achieving a sector worth £30bn by 2030.”
Cabinet secretary for the rural economy Fergus Ewing MSP added: “Brexit threatens to undo that progress, and could have a major impact on a sector that relies heavily on frictionless trade with our neighbours. It’s more important than ever before that the sector comes together to get more people to produce and consume Scottish products.”
The launch of this year’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight was celebrated at the Scotch Whisky Experience.
Scotch Whisky Experience’s Amber restaurant has launched Tasting Tales that will showcase its most popular food and drink whisky pairings, complete with colourful regional stories.
Seafood
There will be a huge focus on seafood this year with a range of cooking demonstrations and sampling activities taking place at events across the country designed to promote and educate visitors about local and national sustainable seafood.
Seafood events to look out for include: Peterhead Seafood Festival and the famous Stranraer Oyster Festival.
The Stranraer Oyster Festival (13 – 15 September) is a celebration of the area’s coastal heritage, culture, people and its wealth of local produce. Now in its third year, the festival marks the start of the native oyster harvesting season and provides a late summer tourism highlight attracting over 14,000 visitors across the three days. In support of the Stranraer Oyster Festival, Seafood Scotland hosts the Scottish Shucking Championships at the event, which has now become a renowned event on the seafood calendar and is hosted by World Champion Oyster Shucker; Patrick McMurray.
The Peterhead Festival (14 September), started in 2018 as a small scale pilot created to promote Peterhead as a centre for quality products and increase the town-centre footfall. Following the tremendous success of the pilot, this year’s festival’s organisers, Rediscover Peterhead, plan to roll out the festival on a larger scale and lay the foundations for a high-profile annual event.
The fortnight runs from August 31 to September 16.
Events not to be missed:
Foraging Fortnight
Five regions across Scotland, 31 August – 15 September
Forage to delight the senses from land to sea.
It will feature coastal exploration and herbal wellness experiences, wild food feasts, fireside evenings and foraging talks. Events will take place throughout the fortnight in Lanarkshire, Fife, Moray Speyside, Forth Valley and Loch Lomond and on Orkney. As part of the programme, get along to the Scottish Wild Food Festival taking place on Cardross Estate, which will feature a one-table feast from Buck & Birch’s Rupert Waites and renowned head chef Marysia Paszkowska from Monachyle Mhor. Orkney International Science Festival will also feature foraging walks and food workshops.
Jocktoberfest
Black Isle Brewery, 6 – 7 September
This year the theme is ‘Beers & Bands, Below the Sea!’ with £1.50 from every adult ticket sold going to Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Taste some outstanding beers along side delicious local food whilst dancing into the wee small hours. Weekend festival camping is also available.
Spirit of Speyside: Distilled
Elgin, 6 – 7 September
Taking place at Elgin Town Hall, #distilled19 will bring together some of the best whiskies, gins, beers and food from Moray Speyside. Why not stay over for a few nights before or after and explore Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail?
Dundee Flower & Food festival
Dundee, 6 – 8 September
For more information go to: fooddrinkfort.scot
