Eat, Drink and be Healthy

The Banffshire and Buchan Coast is full of unspoiled farmland, beautiful coastlines, and classic fishing villages. But beyond this wonderful canvas, the area also boasts hidden treasure in producing some of the best food in Scotland.

The Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards are held every year to showcase the food and drink of the region from companies based across the North-east. This year’s winners were announced on Thursday, March 20. There were over 33 entries of innovative food and drink ranging from beer to seafood to baked goods from all over the region.

© http://www.berryscrumptious.co.uk/

Berry Scrumptious, a local company that has grown out of the local village of Rosehearty, won two of the prestigious awards, one for their Summertime drinks and one for their fudge.

But Berry Scrumptious is only one example of food excellence in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast area. With all the fishing communities around, sampling a wide variety of fresh fish is a must for tourists. The area also has several white fish ports and many large seafood companies. One of the largest is Macrae Foods in Fraserburgh which employs 750 people and supplies a wide range of products.

© http://www.brewdog.com/

The area doesn’t do so badly if looking for the perfect tipple either. There are four whisky distilleries across the Banffshire and Buchan Coast, and several companies boast exceptional craft beer. The success of Brew Dog beer began its life in Fraserburgh. The company started with just two young men making craft beer in April 2007, and now it has expanded to 13 bars across the UK with over 200 employees, and is branching out overseas.

Events such as the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards ensure that the food in North-east Scotland isn’t overlooked. The Turriff Show is a popular agricultural show held during the first week in August. The show attracts 30,000 people every year and won the Farmers Guardian Show Business competition last year. It will be celebrating its 150th anniversary this year on 3 and 4 August.

Other examples are the Keith Agricultural Show that will be held this year from 10 to 11 August. And the New Deer Show, another popular farming festival, will be held from 19 to 20 July.

It is not just the culinary delights of Banffshire and Buchan Coast that should be enjoyed and celebrated. When tourists visit Scotland they want to see highlights such as the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. If they are going to venture up North it’s often to see the mountainous Highlands, Loch Ness, or the Inner or Outer Hebrides. Banffshire and the Buchan Coast need to be on that radar.

The North-east is a lot more than just mountains and lochs. Farmland and beautiful countryside offer an unspoiled landscape to be admired by any visitor to the region.

© http://www.stbfportsoy.com/

Over the last few decades, festivals have helped bring people up to this part of the country. The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival will be on 27-29 June and is an example of what this part of the world has to offer. As well as excellent food and drink, visitors are treated to a wealth of history and fun activities.

Scotland is famous for its agricultural festivals – the biggest being the Royal Highland Show. Since holding its first show at Queensberry House in Edinburgh’s Canongate in 1822, it has become a must in any serious food lover’s calendar.

On a smaller but no less important scale, the Turriff Show boasts the rich variety of innovative food and drink from closer to home, demonstrating that being on a smaller scale does not deter from quality. Let’s eat and drink and toast to the fantastic produce of the North-east!