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Food Festival and Craft Fair Draw Big Crowds
December 1, 2010For the first time, Shetland's annual Food Festival and Craft Fair have come together in the same venue over a weekend. The two events, held in the two largest halls at the Clickimin Centre in Lerwick, attracted record numbers of visitors, including some who had travelled to Shetland for the events.
Shetland Food Festival - the third of its kind - ran from 6 to 14 November, with restaurants and cafés throughout Shetland offering special menus celebrating the very best of the wide range of food produced in the islands, including native lamb, excellent beef, the freshest of fish and shellfish, honey and the wonderfully floury Shetland Black potato, though it was just one of a dozen locally-grown potato varieties on show. There was a particularly warm welcome from audiences for the newest item to appear on local menus, a range of delicious local cheeses from two newly-established producers. All of these, as well as other specialities such as seawater oatcakes and a succulent pie made with native lamb, were also to be found in the producers' market held on the final weekend. So pleased were producers with the event that some have already booked space for next year, when the Food Festival will run from 5 to 13 November.
There were also cookery demonstrations featuring Stewart Boyles, who is Head Chef in Martin Wishart's restaurant at Cameron House, Loch Lomond, and several local chefs. In 'Ready, Steady, Shetland', two local celebrities tutored by professional chefs competed for the approval of the audience against a tight deadline. Both managed to come up with impressive dishes. As in previous years, bannock-making workshops were popular and there were also well-attended tours of Shetland Seafood Auctions and the Lerwick fish market.
The Craft Fair, which featured more than 40 exhibitors, demonstrated once again the wide range of art and craft work now being produced in Shetland. The show included some stunning photography, beautifully-executed leatherwork, several ranges of jewellery, bespoke furniture, pottery and glassware. Textile and knitwear items were also very much in evidence, including some exquisite Shetland lacework, colourful scarves, teddy bears and beautiful felted bags.
To find out more, visit the Shetland Food Festival website and Shetland Arts and Craft website.
Shetland Food Festival - the third of its kind - ran from 6 to 14 November, with restaurants and cafés throughout Shetland offering special menus celebrating the very best of the wide range of food produced in the islands, including native lamb, excellent beef, the freshest of fish and shellfish, honey and the wonderfully floury Shetland Black potato, though it was just one of a dozen locally-grown potato varieties on show. There was a particularly warm welcome from audiences for the newest item to appear on local menus, a range of delicious local cheeses from two newly-established producers. All of these, as well as other specialities such as seawater oatcakes and a succulent pie made with native lamb, were also to be found in the producers' market held on the final weekend. So pleased were producers with the event that some have already booked space for next year, when the Food Festival will run from 5 to 13 November. There were also cookery demonstrations featuring Stewart Boyles, who is Head Chef in Martin Wishart's restaurant at Cameron House, Loch Lomond, and several local chefs. In 'Ready, Steady, Shetland', two local celebrities tutored by professional chefs competed for the approval of the audience against a tight deadline. Both managed to come up with impressive dishes. As in previous years, bannock-making workshops were popular and there were also well-attended tours of Shetland Seafood Auctions and the Lerwick fish market. The Craft Fair, which featured more than 40 exhibitors, demonstrated once again the wide range of art and craft work now being produced in Shetland. The show included some stunning photography, beautifully-executed leatherwork, several ranges of jewellery, bespoke furniture, pottery and glassware. Textile and knitwear items were also very much in evidence, including some exquisite Shetland lacework, colourful scarves, teddy bears and beautiful felted bags.
To find out more, visit the Shetland Food Festival website and Shetland Arts and Craft website.
