The Royal Highland Show has announced a line up of exciting new exhibitors from the world of food and drink who will join this year’s four-day festival in Ingliston, Edinburgh, 22 – 25 June.
Regarded as the UK’s premier agricultural show and sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show provides a showcase of the very best from Scotland’s natural larder alongside handpicked gourmet producers from across the UK.
So what will this year’s show be serving up to tempt the taste buds?
Look out for one of Scotland’s most well known chefs and a champion supporter of Scottish produce, Claire Macdonald from Kinloch on Skye, will be hosting her own stand for the first time where she will be selling her own luxury range of fine foods including a sumptuous selection of puddings, confectionary, preserves and sweet and savoury sauces. Her Rich Dark Chocolate and Tasted Hazelnut Sauce and 3 Fruit Marmalade are expected to be firm favourites with visitors to the show.
For more tips and recipe advice, check out the new Scottish Food and Drink Theatre which will be the centre piece of the Food & Drink Hall. A host of well known chefs from Scotland’s top restaurants and hotels as well as food agencies and other related organisations will be showcasing the best from Scotland’s natural harvest. With the full programme still to be revealed, rumours of an ‘Aphrodisiac Cooking’ session are as yet unconfirmed.
Another high profile addition to this year’s show will be one of the UK’s top department stores. Harvey Nichols, will be highlighting their range of organic produce sourced from local producers.
Waitrose, who will shortly be opening their first Scottish store, will also be at this year’s show for the first time.
Scotland’s marine harvest will be celebrated with first time exhibitors Downies of Whitehills just one of the many fishmongers in attendance. The family business of 120 years is based on the seafront at Whitehills overlooking the Moray Firth giving easy access to the major fishing ports across the North East of Scotland. Iain Spink also returns to the Countryside Area for a third year showing off the age old skills used to smoke his tasty Arbroath smokies.
Why not drop by the Sandyknowe stand to sample one of their newly launched, award winning Heavenly Yogurt Drinks. Produced in the Borders, it is currently available in three flavours strawberry, raspberry and blueberry. Made from milk courtesy of their 150 strong herd of happy Holstein/fresion cows – who are all known by name - this is a healthy and wholesome as well as delicious drink. According to Alistair Stewart, the brains behind the Heavenly Yogurt range the secret of its rapid success is its simplicity - all natural ingredients, just milk, fruit and a little sugar.
For something a little sweeter, keep an eye out for the launch of a brand new variety of strawberry from the strawberry fields of Scone’s of Lethandy in Perthshire at this year’s show.
The abundance and diversity of natural produce available in Perth, Kinross & Fife will also be celebrated as part of a ‘Buy local, Eat Local’ campaign being championed by the President of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society and his team. The aim of this pilot project is to show just how easy it is for people to connect with their local suppliers. A delicatessen, cooking demonstration area and meet the experts’ zone will make up the main feature of this year’s food hall. The project will be rolled out across Scotland in the future.
Remember to stop off at Humphrey Errington’s stand attending independently for the first time this year. He is renowned for being one of Scotland ‘top cheeses’ amongst the small cheese producers thanks to his famous raw milk cheeses which include Lanark and Dunsyre Blues.
Time for a tipple and another newcomer for 2006 is the Highlands-based winery, Moniack Castle. This unique enterprise run by the Fraser family uses natural ingredients growing around Moniack Castle to produce wines from wildflowers, fruit and tree sap as well as liqueurs, sauces and preserves. Look out for the Silver Birch Wine – a favourite of Queen Victoria’s when she stayed at Balmoral or the Moniack Mead rumoured to be the oldest alcoholic drink in the world.
For the more serious wine enthusiasts there will be tutored classes and an opportunity to sample wines from some of the great producers from Chile, Spain and France. Make sure you also don’t miss the new wine bar.
The delights of the Mediterranean also return this year thanks to The Gift of Oil, the passionate enthusiasts and specialists offer carefully selected olive oils and genuinely matured balsamic vinegar. One to try is the rough but also slinky smooth Single Estate Greek Olive Oil from the island of Lesbos. It’s made from the koroneki olives, grown in a tiny 5 acre olive grove; the olives are hand picked then crushed using a 200 year old donkey powered stone mill!
David Dunsmuir, Show Manager, Royal Highland Show said: “These new names from the food and drink scene will join over 1000 exhibitors who are already signed up to attend. From cars to cashmere, crafts to country pursuits – the show attracts a diverse range of exhibitors ensuring that there is something to interest everyone. It really is ‘for all walks of life’ making the show a great family day out.
With a packed programme of events, new exhibitors, and colourful new highlights, we are looking to build on last year’s record breaking attendance numbers of over 155000 visitors.”
Early bird tickets are now on sale. Book online by visiting www.royalhighlandshow.org or call 0131 335 6236. Early bird prices: adults, £16, concessions £11, accompanied children under 16, FREE.
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