Generously sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Shetland Islands Council and Salmon Scotland, Shetland Food and Drink member businesses, for the very first time, had the opportunity to join over 1000 other exhibitors at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston for a jam-packed event.
Over 194,000 people attended the four-day event, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack and Minister for Environment and Land Reform Màiri McAllan.
Celebrating this years’ Presidential Initiative, a special exhibition was created with a theme of ‘Scotland’s Natural Capital – Highlands and Islands’ that focused on tourism, culture, food & drink, renewable energy and issues surrounding tackling climate change in the region.
Shetland Food and Drink had a prominent, visible presence at the Royal Highland Show from the outset, starting with six Viking Jarls in full regalia attending the Presidential Lunch. At this lunch, Shetland lamb, provided by Eric Graham from EG Farming Ltd., was served as the main course to a select crowd of 170 VIPs and dignitaries.
As part of the Presidential Initiative, a large section of the Scotland’s Larder food hall was dedicated to producers from the Highlands and Islands including Shetland’s Nort Finest, Shetland Deli, Shetland Reel and Island Larder. Copies of Marian Armitage’s new cookery book Food Made in Shetland, were available to buy. Under a specially commissioned Shetland banner paper cut by local artist Gilly Bridle, the four businesses tirelessly represented Shetland as a whole, offering tasters of local produce and answering numerous questions from show visitors.
There was a whole lamb deboning and rolling demonstration in the Food for Thought Conference and Cookery Theatre by Shetland Livestock Marketing Group Ltd.manager Lauraine Manson, compered by Shetland Food and Drink chair Marian Armitage. Marian followed the butchery demonstration with a cookery lesson on how to make a delicious stuffing for the boned, rolled lamb, which was handed out as tasters to the audience afterwards.
Marian also demonstrated how to make traditional beremeal bannocks with Shetland Farm Dairies buttermilk and butter, which were served to the audience with the roast, stuffed, boneless Shetland lamb.
Aimee and Kirsty Budge from Bigton Farm also gave an ‘In Conversation’ talk about women in farming in the Food for Thought theatre.
Outside, in a prime position next to the Presidential Initiative Marquee, Island Fish Shetland Ltd and the Scalloway Meat Company served up the finest Shetland seafood and meat from the new Taste of Shetland food trailer. This was the first time that the food trailer, created to build awareness of Shetland food and drink in the isles and beyond, had made an appearance on the Scottish mainland, and it proved to be very popular.
For the first two days of the Royal Highland Show, a rota of Vikings handed out samples of smoked salmon generously donated by Cooke Aquaculture and Scottish Sea Farms. This was served on Waas Bakery and Skibhoul Bakery oceanic oatcakes, while a medley of Shetland seafood including scallops, monkfish kebabs and MSC certified crab served in scallop shells was on offer from Island Fish Shetland Ltd. from the trailer.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon herself sampled some Shetland scallops.
On the Saturday, attendees were drawn to the food trailer by the smells of two spit-roasted Shetland lambs which were given out as tasters by the Vikings, while reestit mutton on bannocks tempted visitors on the Sunday. Over the weekend, the Scalloway Meat Company served lamb burgers, steak burgers, bacon rolls, sassermaet rolls, sausage rolls and lamb chops to a steady stream of customers, many who had seen sassermaet on BBC’s Landward earlier in the year.
Shetland lamb and smoked salmon were also served at two evening receptions, as well as after the Sunday Morning Church Service.
Members from The Shetland Young Farmers group also attended the Royal Highland Show, winning National Club of the Year. Three members, Nia Hunter, Erin Ridland and Aimee Gifford competed as a team in the national junior stockjudging competition and they came in first place.
Taste of Shetland member Uradale Farm also scooped an award during the show, winning Sustainable Farm of the Year in the RBST Scotland Food & Farming Sustainability Awards, an award accepted on their behalf by Lauraine Manson.
“Shetland Makers” Glansin Glass, The Silly Sheep Fibre Company, Nielanell Knitwear and Yala Jewellery Shetland brought a taste of Shetland arts and crafts to the Royal Highland Show with their stalls in the Lowland Hall.
Marian Armitage says, “This first ever visit to the Royal Highland Show has given Shetland the opportunity to offer the public some of the sights, sounds, tastes and aromas that are the characteristics of our beautiful islands of which we are so proud. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Shetland to see more for themselves.'