The Foodie Tour: 10 of the best from
Marmalade Deli
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tanding out on Argyll Street, with its eye-catching orange sign, Lochghilphead’s Marmalade Deli is a showcase for quality local produce, celebrating food that is fresh, healthy and often home-made. In this issue, owner Jennifer Jaime joins Holiday West Highland for a Food Special, picking ten local favourites from the items that she stocks. “First and foremost, we’re an ethical deli,” says Jennifer. “Health and the planet are considered with everything we stock - even the treats don’t have anything artificial in them.” “It’s getting ever more important that we’re conscious about what we buy and how we spend our money. The items that I’ve chosen here are produced close by, many by people we know - so we learn about how they are produced, as well as knowing that they taste great.” “My favourites include the salt infusions from Annie’s kitchen -- I use them for cooking and they’re amazing -- and Wooleys Oatcakes, which are my go-to oatcakes. Wake the Bishop Coffee from Kilmartin Castle is a blend of Guatemalan and Brazilian beans, and the perfect intensity to start the day.” Marmaladedeli.com
Annie’s Herb Kitchen
Natural salt and hand-picked herbs are the core ingredients for the beautifully-seasoned salts and fruit herbal loose teas produced by Petra of Annie’s Kitchen. Using herbalist’s skills passed down from her grandmother, she offers customers new flavours and new ways to season their dishes. The Lochgilphead-based family business began when Petra was making Rosemary Salt at home - and her daughter suggested that they should make some for other people. Annie’s Herb Kitchen prides itself on its low-temperature drying process, which ensures the best preservation of flavours. anniesherbkitchen.co.uk
Wee Isle Dairy
From their dairy farm on the beautiful Isle of Gigha, sibling team Emma and Mark milk around 60 mostly-friesian cows to produce an exceptional, rich whole milk, which is pasteurised and bottled on the island and sold in glass
bottles across the region. Their creamy milk is the key ingredient in Wee Isle’s popular artisan ice cream, which is available in a range of flavours, from classics like vanilla and strawberry, to original combinations including cinnamon and mocha stracciatella - and now with dessert sauces too. Facebook.com/WeeIsleDairy
Chrystal’s Shortbread
Chystal’s Shortbread is produced in a small, independent bakery near Loch Lomond, run by husband and wife Chrystal and Rory MacKinlay, who started their own business after years of baking for family and friends. Their crumbly all-butter shortbread is made to a recipe passed down from mother to daughter through generations of a farming family and uses high quality ingredients with no artificial additives or preservatives. Each tray of shortbread is hand-cut and scored, retaining the traditional rustic look. www.chrystalsshortbread.co.uk/
Sheese
Produced in an animal-free factory on the Isle of Bute, Sheese is a range of award-winning cheese alternatives that are certified vegan, and most are Kosher too. Ideal for those on gluten, dairy or lactose-free diets, Sheese products include Red-Leicester-style, Gouda-style, Edam-style and a selection of cheddars, as well as sliced or grated Sheese and creamy Sheese spread. For those new to using Sheese in their cooking, the company’s website includes some mouth-watering recipes, including a blue sheese dressing and cheesy vegan shepherd’s pie. www.buteisland.com
Great Glen Charcuterie
Great Glen specialise in producing charcuterie using only wild, Scottish venison, sustainably sourced from wild, well-managed herds. The fifteen-year-old family business is run by Jan Jacob and Anja Baak from Roy Bridge in the Highlands, where they produce chorizos, pepperonis, salamis and more - some of which have appeared on the menus of Britain’s top chefs. A documentary film ‘From Estate to Plate’ on the company’s website, offers a fascinating insight into the story of their food. www.greatglencharcuterie.com
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