Speciality Food January 2024

@specialityfood I don’t think, especially, wemake enough of the lochs and freshwater fish. The trout here is excellent 16 STOCK CHE CK S P E C I A L I T Y F O O D M A G A Z I N E * 2 0 2 4 * WALKER’S SHORTBREAD HIGHLANDERS Loved for decades and made to an exclusive recipe, with the finest flour and creamery butter. Hand-edged in demerara sugar for a delicious crunch. walkersshortbread.com WOODMILL GAME WILD GREEN THAI PHEASANT CURRY Wild Scottish pheasant breast, marinated in a coconut milk sauce with apricots, green chillies and fresh coriander. Sold frozen in compostable trays. woodmillgame.co.uk MELINA HONEY WINE A perfect accompaniment for cheese, made in Scotland with only two ingredients – honey and wine. Similar in style to a Vin Jaune or Fino Sherry. thecheeselady.co.uk ISLAND BAKERY ISLE OF MULL CHEESE BISCUITS A buttery, traditional cheese biscuit that really does melt in the mouth, giving a superb cheesy hit. Made using award-winning Isle of Mull cheese. Islandbakery.scot DUNNET BAY DISTILLERS MAPMAKERS RUM One of the new wave of botanical rums on the market. Twice distilled house rum, blended with Caribbean rum, Loch Calder water, lemon verbena, scurvy grass, sea kelp and Scottish sea salt. dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk THE FARMER’S SON SCOTTISH HAGGIS An all-natural, additive-free haggis, crafted with the finest subtly spiced pork and beef. An exceptional expression of a Scottish classic. thefarmersson.com ISLE OF MULL CHEESE ISLE OF MULL TRADITIONAL FARMHOUSE CHEESE Made by the Reade family for more than 40 years. A richly savoury Cheddar-style cheese made with raw cow’s milk, clothbound and matured for 10 to 16 months. Isleofmullcheese.co.uk BELHAVEN SMOKEHOUSE BEETROOT COLD SMOKED SALMON A stunning, magenta-coloured, subtly smoked salmon. Cut thicker than most for a luscious, meaty mouthfeel. belhavensmokehouse.co.uk EDENMILL SCOTTISH SINGLE MALT WHISKY – 2023 RELEASE A lightly peated single malt, matured in a combination of Bourbon, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks, then finished in premium ex-Grande Champagne Cognac casks for sweetness and body. edenmill.com CHOCOLATIA GREAT TASTE 3 STAR COLLECTION A trio of fine, award-winning confections from one of Scotland’s most exciting new chocolatiers, Chloe Oswald. Includes the delectable Hazelnut Latte Bonbon. chocolatia.co.uk sets them apart is their approach to making cheese, with a very strong commitment to increasing biodiversity on their fields, and their farmusing green energy.” The farm is also focussed on high animal welfare, Morgane explains. “They are one of very few producers in the UK that implements the cowwith calf method. The yield of milk is lower than you’d expect, and they produce less cheese in terms of volume, but it is outstanding.” Wendy Barrie, the face behind the Scottish Cheese Trail, favours Isle of Mull’s Cheddar, says Dunlop Dairy in Ayrshire still makes “the best Crowdie”, and adores the organic sheep’s milk cheeses fromThe Galloway Farmhouse, calling them “a smashing small producer”. “And The Ethical Dairy do a range of blue cheeses that are absolutely delicious. I collaborate with about 15 or 16 producers regularly and encourage chefs to use Scottish cheese because we have such a lovely range with something for everybody and I think us Scots are doing a grand job. “We’re a couple of food nerds in our house (I’mmarried to a farmer) and we have a map of the soils of Europe at home. The soils in Scotland are just like soil in Sweden – nothing like the soil in England. It’s extraordinary, andmeans there really is a complete difference here, bringing a different range of flavours.” SCOTTISH SEAFOOD – THE LOWDOWN More than 65 types of fish and shellfish are caught or farmed in Scottish waters, says Donna Fordyce, CEO of Seafood Scotland. “We’ve heard first-hand from many top-tier chefs throughout the UK that our cold, clear waters play a significant role in this – the low temperatures also contribute to a fresher, more delicate flavour.” This is why, she says, restaurants across Britain revere Scottish seafood and, equally, why there’s such hot demand in overseas markets. From an environmental perspective, Donna continues, “We have the most robust fishery management plans in the UK. One which is heavily regulated to ensure the marine environment is maintained for the future – and rightly so. Scottish farmers care deeply about conservation. Many fish are caught by family-owned boats using traditional low-impact methods. Their shared objective is to ensure sustainable stocks for future generations.” Scottish food expert Wendy Barrie says she is concerned about the dwindling wild salmon stocks in her home country, and urges buyers and retailers to seek out MSC labelled, more ethical options. She also believes we need to think of Scotland’s seafood offering beyond smoked salmon, as there is much more to shout about. “I don’t think, especially, we make enough of the lochs and freshwater fish. The trout here is excellent. Or I would be going for a smokie, or a wonderful cold-smoked Finnan Haddie. In Fife we have fantastic fresh mackerel, and a lot of shellfish is landed here. “Another big industry is Shetland for mussels. They are a super thing to farm because they use the fast-flowing water – you don’t need to feed a mussel. And they are very nutritious. They’re one of those things we could eat far more of without damaging the planet.” Seafood expert, fishmonger, and food writer, Mike Warner, says more should also be made of the Scottish langoustine industry, which largely goes into the production of scampi, with around 70 to 80% exported. “That’s what we should be focussing on using more of. They are a beautiful, homegrown alternative to imported king prawns.”