How Authentic is our Food? It’s a pretty wild world at the moment. Between tariffs and taxes, bureaucracy and legislation, life can seem a tightrope

After the storms, the sun shone as we set off northward bound for Orkney. Passing a flurry of snow by Aviemore, the Cromarty Firth sparkled

Scotland is really bonnie at harvest time, with bountiful supplies of local fruits and vegetables. Tractors – even a few heavy horses – are bringing

Food tourism and service providers have been at the forefront of July for us; both as suppliers and recipients, highlighting the immense importance of establishing

Borders are fascinating: geographically, historically and food culturally. As I flicked through May’s diary entries I saw a common thread of borderlands I decided to

Yet another newspaper with an article on the villainy of meat. How dare they indulge their favoured journalists, repeatedly giving them an influential platform to

Two very different Championships with much in common. The IGCAT European Young Chef 2023 was held last autumn, hosted by European Region of Gastronomy 2023,

It’s a wrap. The Scottish Bread Championship was held at Bowhouse in Fife, this last weekend in February, during Real Bread week. The one and

Shetland may have the unwelcome distinction of being the archipelago most likely to be parked off Aberdeen on ill-mannered maps but during the year they

The Scottish Bread Championship 2024 will be held at Bowhouse in Fife during Real Bread Week, and is sponsored by The Edinburgh Bakers Trust  Scotland

[Including excerpts from “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook”] Describing certain traditional specialities can be challenging: my Dad once described oatcakes as porridge

Happy New Year to you all. It’s time to consider your entries for the Scottish Bread Championship – you knead to complete your entry forms

When we flitted from Edinburgh and renovated our wee seaside retreat for full time living, our architect had a specific brief to follow: an antique

As the seasons unfold, different delicacies take to the fore: artisan cheese after summer grazing; new season’s crab; North Ronaldsay sheep come new year and

Written in 1955 by Pete Seager with a little help from a traditional Cossack folk song and an Irish melody, this famous song was listed

September marks a turn of the seasons and bountiful harvests: feasts for the table and surplus for preserving to savour over the winter months. Our

The world food system is not in good shape. Where there’s determination and a driving force, it can be repaired and there are many who

Since last I wrote, I’ve presented in a zoom lecture followed by a live event at Hadrian’s Wall on Roman Influence on British Cuisine –

Food tourism is nothing new: the Grand Tour on the canals of Venice or the sparkling Côte d’Azure, experiencing fritto misto di mare and salade

In Scotland the gorse is blooming adding scents of coconut to the air, birds are nesting and ramsons are flourishing. On a gloriously sunny –

Loving families exist in all shapes and sizes, whether perfect circles or rickety rhomboids. Some are tiny like my ‘side’ of the family, others extended

This week we were invited to the tenth birthday celebration of Nourish where we met old friends and new, with the conversation (rising above some

The Scottish Bread Championship 2023 has moved and will be held at Bowhouse in the East Neuk of Fife during Real Bread Week (18th to 26th February

Another year whizzes by with still little sign of stability in the economy however I hope you and your loved ones are in good health

Sometimes we wonder why we do what we do, particularly in this challenging world we live in, yet from little acorns grow mighty oaks and

Many years ago at a formal meeting a Scottish official, who should have known better, said to me, We’re not all red-haired in tartan like

2022. Scottish Food Guide & Scottish Cheese Trail celebrate 20 years. It seems only yesterday I started with a blank sheet of paper and the

Well the Royal Highland Show is a wrap for another year and I for one am delighted we didn’t have this sweltering heat! It was

It’s been a while…too long… since our last newsletter but we have certainly not been idle and have news to share. There have been three

Having recently returned from the Slow Food Scotland AGM, hosted at Errichel, home to SF Cooks Alliance member Paul Newman, his wife Becky, and the

Mull is certainly a mighty isle. With its mountainous landscape, high cliffs and wide valleys it’s no wonder it is popular with tourers and wildlife

As we commence 2022 I expect you, like me, are onto your new diary whether it be digital or old school, filled with good intentions

In the words of the song, All I Want for Christmas is…. what? Probably an end to this perpetual pandemic would be top of all

There is much talk of food sovereignty, shortages, poverty, power and progress…or the lack of it. Which direction will it take? Well that depends on

It’s been a busy spell at Scottish Food Guide HQ and we’re itching to visit places again although also aware many establishments need to take

Never was there a hardier wee breed than the North Ronaldsay sheep! One of the oldest sheep breeds in Northern Europe and among the most

To see Scottish Food Guide Charter please click here With a career in food and food tourism spanning over thirty years, certain things really stick

We grow vegetables in our little kitchen garden but we are also most definitely thankful for our local farm shops! Currently our lives consist of

Dumfries and Galloway is a stunning part of Scotland and oft overlooked in favour of Nessie or Glen Coe. Yet for those in the know

The Scottish Thistle Awards Regional Finals for the Central, Fife  & Tayside, and Lothian & Borders took place at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh on

Food is emotive. Food is political. Food is convivial. Food brings back fond memories of holidays, family, celebrations. Yet sadly food can also have negative

It was a pleasure and delight to visit Shetland again for their Taste of Shetland celebrations. OK so you need sea legs or a flight

Whether it is its proximity to Scandinavia or the friendly folk; the breathtaking views or the abundance of amazing produce, both Orkney and Shetland are

The Lynnfield Hotel is a wonderful place for foodies to hang their hat whilst visiting all these fabulous islands and produce. Not many folks can boast

There has been much talk recently of Food Tourism, something I have been devoted to for many years. Well, here it is in spades, as