Forgive me readers, I've been remiss ...
by Lea Harris on July 2nd 2010
The Book - nothing to do with the Taste Festivals
Forgive me readers, I've been remiss; it's been far too long since my last post.
It's been hectic since February, being involved in judging for the Scottish Hotel Awards; wedding anniversary; mystery visit to a very nice country house hotel in North Yorkshire as well as my birthday staying at Northcote sampling Nigel Haworth's Lancashire hotpot and Lisa Allen's Great British Menu. More recently, judging for the Great Taste Awards. I have many things to write about and I will start with 'The Book'.
It's out! It's finally been published and 'Taste Britain' – a foodies' guide, has hit the shelves. And why am I so pleased? Well, I was one of the twelve writers to contribute to what is essentially a food lover's travel guide around Britain, a celebration of our glorious food. This is the book I have waited all my life for – a book to be kept in the car to be dipped into on journeys across the UK.
It isn't comprehensive, it could never be. To me, it's a personal snapshot of some of the UK's finest artisan producers and my wee contribution is, of course, about Scotland. I'm sure my fellow co-writers would agree that it was difficult to pare down the people, places and produce we wanted to write about. It took me two weeks to cherry pick my heroes; it wasn't an easy task, my list ebbed and flowed like a turbulent tide. I could have written an entire book just about Edinburgh, the Lothians and Borders, let alone the rest of Scotland.
Oban Chocolate Company - Helen has a dirty job, but someone's got to do it!
Some of the faces and names you may recognise like Earthy in Edinburgh, Falko:Konditormeister and Cream O'Galloway Dairy; but were you aware of Neil MacRae who runs seafood cruises out of Plockton? He's fished the abundant waters around Loch Carron and Plockton for many years and has enchanting stories and tales that will make you laugh as you slurp queenies fresh from their shells or peel the odd langoustine from its armour plating. You could spend an afternoon eating a chocolate tasting plate settled in deep sofas, watching the weather ebb and flow from the windows of the Oban Chocolate Company.
For all the places and people I've featured there are others who I had to put to aside, but who are great food heroes in their own right. Jim and Annie Shanks at Standhill Cheesery who make a gorgeous soft blue cheese, Fatlips Castle Blue or head way, way, way up north to Cocoa Mountain in Balnakeil Craft Village, half a mile north-west of Durness , the most north-westerly village on mainland Scotland; a jaw-achingly, gut-wrenching, stunningly beautiful location to savour some gorgeous chocolates. Or more locally, pick your own soft fruits out at Belhaven amid East Lothian's rolling countryside'; so much good food and not enough pages, *sigh*.
Taste Britain is essentially a guide book and I hope it encourages you, the reader, to look beyond the pages, to explore and discover your own food heroes because for every one I wrote about, there must be tenfold to each one of my profiles, to be discovered, praised and raved about - from St Martins in the Isles of Scillies to The Shetland Isles.
To all you artisans out there who haven't been featured, please don't think you weren't good enough, to mention every single person would be virtually impossible, but to me you make eating, drinking and cooking an absolute joy and pleasure. So to all my food idols, sung and unsung – thank you so much for making my life pure joy from every corner of our fertile green isle. There will always be someone with passion, someone with skill, someone with knowledge to keep our baskets and bellies full with handmade, home-grown provender that knocks spots off the big supermarkets.
And thanks to my fellow writers, especially Leslie Anne Rose, for opening up my eyes to places I didn't know about as well as places I did.
PS If you live in Edinburgh and you'd like a signed copy (£15. RRP is £19.95), just email me and I will only be too happy to get one to you.