Scottish Food Guide @ Terra Madre Nordic
May was both whirlwind and wonderful in equal measures and now we are nearly at Royal Highland Show! Since my last blog we have bade farewell to the marvellous USA Dames d’Escoffier on their Edible Scotland bespoke food tours....
... held Hygge and REHIS workshops chez nous https://www.wendybarrie.co.uk/courses-1
...plus BBC Radio Scotland interview, judging a student Lunchtime Challenge Competition and Scottish Food Guide Pavilion at Gardening Scotland, so perhaps on reflection it is not surprising I am only now reporting on Terra Madre Nordic!!
Terra Madre was first conceived by Slow Food’s Carlo Petrini in 2004 in Torino and I was
fortunate enough to be invited to that amazing inaugural event. Since then it has been held biennially, the next one this September. These have grown from strength to strength, highlighting world challenges for producers and co-producers, promoting local food culture and an appreciation of good quality seasonal food at a fair price and respecting our environment, indeed Mother Earth.
Since these early days, some countries have modelled local events on that framework such as Terra Madre Nordic held in Copenhagen where I was invited to host a workshop on Scotland’s Ark of Taste Produce.
In the light of UK’s in-and-out of Europe shenanigans, I think it is important to grasp opportunities to show how we Scots enjoy collaboration with our neebors as we are a friendly bunch and enjoy nothing better than good food and good craic…not to mention a ceilidh when the opportunity presents itself!
With that in mind I set about attempting to part fund this trip, thinking that with a wee bit support I could do Scotland proud however several meetings and letters later the powers that be obviously did not see merit in this opportunity.
I remained convinced it was a chance to forge Nordic food links, so decided to go ahead, with Scottish Food Guide sponsoring the Workshop – a decision that brought goodwill and publicity for Scottish Food Guide Members across all the Nordic countries where it was heavily advertised. The Scandinavians love Scotland and do not come expecting sunbathing but to travel, meet the people, experience the culture and, increasingly, enjoy the food (and a wee dram).
We had a wonderful weekend meeting fellow Slow Food Chef
Alliance Members from Norway, Sweden and Sapmi. We tasted dried cured mutton from Faroe, lamb and brown cheese from Norway and Souvas from the far north.
To represent Scotland I brought Slow Food Ark of Taste…
Native Shetland Lamb http://uradalefarm.blogspot.com
Isle of Skye Sea Salt https://www.isleofskyeseasalt.co.uk
Selkirk Bannock https://www.campbellsbakery.com/useful-crumbs/news/
Anster Cheese http://www.standrewscheese.co.uk/our-cheese/
Beremeal (baked in bannocks) from Barony Mill, Orkney Isles
Peasemeal (baked in bread) http://www.golspiemill.co.uk
Highland Burgundy Red, Shetland Black and Arran Victory potatoes http://potatohouse.co.uk
The workshop was well attended and the ripples still spreading - Scottish Food Guide is on the Nordic foodscape! They loved our produce and were keen to find out more. #foodtourism
