All the very best to you
Quality and health are watchwords at Food Festival
(From The Orcadian dated September 13, 2001)

In this season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, eight days of gastronomic delights lie ahead, but with the emphasis on fine quality products and eating your way to good health, there’s no need to loosen your belts or stays or hide the scales, as the 2001 Orkney Food Festival gets under way.

You’ll have to hurry if you want a ticket for the Taste of Orkney Evening tomorrow, Friday, including the sampling and judging of the home brew and wine competition, which sets the pace for the week. The Stromness Hotel is the welcoming venue for this popular stramash, with good wines, beers and ticket price of £5 which includes an Orkney buffet supplied by the Orkney Quality Food and Drink group and live music. Always a cracker of an evening, it promises to be the best yet, ably MC’d by genial host Gareth Crichton, sponsored by Highland Park, and with expert judges Emil Van Shayk (wines) and Rob Hill (home brew). The organisers of the Food Festival are keen to encourage additional entries for the home brew and wine competitions.

On Sunday, members of the public will have the chance to watch the best of local food products turned into mouth-watering dishes during a practical demonstration at this year’s Orkney Food Festival.

The Taste of Orkney Demonstration sees none other than the leading chef Mr James Murphy, who is executive chef at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow, giving hints on making the most of quality Orkney produce and the techniques he uses to bring out the best from the wonderful raw ingredients.

Mr Murphy will give a live cooking display which is also relayed simultaneously onto the big cinema screen of the New Phoenix Theatre at the Pickaquoy Centre. The two-hour demonstration on Sunday afternoon from 2-4pm is free, with no reservation necessary.

The panel discussion on food scheduled to follow the practical demonstration will not now take place.

Chef James Murphy will be in action again on Tuesday, September 18, judging Orkney’s Best Breakfast at Orkney College.

Another highlight of this year’s Food Festival promises to be the Gala Dinner next Saturday night, September 22, in Kirkwall Town Hall, where a banquet of Orkney fare will be provided by the Royal Hotel, Kirkwall, winner of the 2000 Taste of Orkney award for Best Hotel/ Restaurant. During the event, presentation of this year’s Taste of Orkney Awards will take place.

The local businesses who have been nominated by members of the public and now short listed for the various ‘Food Oscars’ are as follows:

Best Orkney Dinner

Royal Hotel, Kirkwall

Foveran

Albert Hotel

Best Retailer

Dounby Stores

Judith Glue

Wm Jolly

Best Supplier

Nelson’s Market Gardens

Grimbister Farm Cheese

Orkney Creamery

Two new categories of award have been introduced for this year:

Best Breakfast

Craigiefield House

Lavrockha Guest House

Louise Budge, Stoneyquoy

Best Light Lunch/Snack

Julia’s Bistro

The Mustard Seed

 

The Awards give the public a way of showing appreciation for the local businesses which have shown the best customer service, highest quality of product, and perhaps a little extra magic. The Gala Dinner will be followed by a dance with music by Liam & Co, at which you can while the night away, if you’re able to, after such a lavish meal of good Orcadian produce. Entry is by ticket only, and the tickets are available from the Orkney Tourist Board (01856 872856), priced £15, and it is being recommended that you book your ticket early to ensure a place at the event which is a fitting close to the week.

Throughout the Food Festival, catering establishments all over Orkney will be featuring the finest of Orkney produce on their menus.

Whether it’s a Sunday Orkney Brunch between 12noon-3pm or high tea from 4-6pm at the Albert Hotel, Kirkwall, or their weekday lunches from 12-2pm; dinners from 6-9.30pm or suppers between 5-9.30pm.

The Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall is offering a special 3-course lunch served between 12noon-2pm for an inclusive price of £6.95 every day of the Food Festival. The hotel also gives the option of choosing from the à la carte or bar supper menu of quality local fare from 6-9pm.

For anyone wanting to making a memorable trip to Westray, as well as soaking up the spectacular scenery of the island, visitors and local folk alike can enjoy a special seafood week at the Cleaton House Hotel. There will be lobster, scallops, organic salmon, and crab included on the menu. But owner Malcolm Stout says that ‘carnivores’ are welcome too, with an alternative dish of North Ronaldsay ewe on offer, having been fed on the seaweed which is washed up around the island, and gives the meat its distinctive flavour.

The Ferry Inn in Stromness is using the Food Festival to highlight its range of Orkney fare, such as Steak Nights, White Fish Nights and Vegetarian menus, and delicious home-made Orkney desserts.

The Foveran Hotel, just outside Kirkwall, extends an invitation to sample the very best of local produce in their popular à la carte restaurant which has breathtaking views over Scapa Flow.

In Stromness, right opposite the ferry terminal building, Julia’s Café and Bistro is offering a joint promotion with Orkney Fisherman’s Society. Throughout the Food Festival week, there will be a new fish soup every day and succulent seafood specials each evening. They will also be serving their usual range of alternative dishes, such as Orkney beef or vegetarian options, as well as their wonderful homebakes and cappuccinos to die for.

The Kirkwall Hotel has laid on an ‘Orkney Gourmet Menu’ for the Taste of Orkney Food Festival. It will be a unique and diverse menu created from Orkney produce and using their chef’s imagination. Diners are invited to look out for some exciting new concepts in Orcadian culinary art.

In the West Mainland, the Merkister Hotel in Harray, is offering a four-course à la carte dinner for an inclusive price of £25 during the Food Festival from September 14-22. You have to book in advance, but you will have the chance to select from four delicious starters and main courses including lobster bisque and queenie scallops, Orkney fillet steak and Merkister trout.

The Mustard Seed Coffee Shop in Kirkwall’s Victoria Street provides home-made specials every lunchtime and uses only the highest quality local produce. It also produces a variety of delicious cakes and homebakes every day.

The Royal Hotel in Kirkwall is offering a Taste of Orkney Table d’Hôte menu in the Victoria Restaurant from 6-9pm every evening of the Food Festival. Alternatively, the hotel will be serving a complimentary Orkney Supper of bere bannocks, oatcakes and various Orkney cheeses from Sunday to Thursday, September 16-20 in the Wild West Saloon.

The Royal Hotel, Stromness, which is a previous winner of the Best Hotel and Restaurant Award, say that they will be continuing to offer traditional Orkney fare throughout the Food Festival.

The Skara Brae Restaurant and the Tormiston Mill are highlighting three of their specials for Food Festival week. The fresh Orkney seafood medley, which is a delicious combination of the finest locally-caught shellfish. They are also offering a Prime Orkney meat platter, which includes a selection of beef, ham and lamb; and their luxurious ploughman’s lunch which is made with the best of Orkney produce.

The Stromness Hotel is also linking up with Orkney Fisherman’s Society to promote the best of local seafood in a variety of dishes for the Food Festival.

To coincide with the Taste of Orkney Food Festival, there are a number of special open days, tastings and events arranged throughout the week.

On Sunday, September 16, local market gardener Bob Nelson is having an open day at his glasshouse at The Palace in Birsay where he grows tomatoes. The greenhouses will be open to look around between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

On Monday, September 17, Louise Budge from Stoneyquoy Farm, Lyness, is laying on wholesome soup lunches of local produce, including bannocks, cakes, tee and coffee for £6 per person, which includes transport to and from the ferry terminal at Lyness. Booking is essential, and she also can offer Bed and Breakfast accommodation for those who want to enjoy a longer helping of island hospitality. (01856 791234).

For those with a sweet tooth, Wednesday September 19, offers the opportunity to see round the small factory which has been set up at Odinstone in Shapinsay, where Orkney Isles Preserves are made. An explanation of the process of jam and preserve making and tastings are included. The premises will be open from 1-5pm.

On Friday, September 21, there will be a cookery demonstration at the Orkney College, on how to prepare ‘Hassle-Free Food for Kids.’ The event which aims to show examples of easy to prepare healthy eating choices which children will like lasts from 10.15am-12noon, and tickets are available from the Orkney Tourist Board.

Saturday, September 22, sees a free tasting of Orkney food at Judith Glue’s Shop, 25 Broad Street, Kirkwall, between 12noon and 5pm. Come and try various flavours of Grimbister Farm Cheeses, including plain, smoked, chive, garlic, caraway, walnut, pineapple and whisky, and the very popular new variety, apricot. There is also the chance to taste Orkney Ice Cream. You can also enjoy live music in the shop throughout the afternoon. For those who can’t attend in person next Saturday, there is the option of asking about Orkney Island Food Hampers available from Judith Glue which can be sent anywhere in the world.

Throughout the Food Festival, the Original Orkney Hamper Company at 36 Victoria Street, Stromness, are offering the chance to taste a completely new and unique local product Smoked Orkney Viking Beef or Unsmoked Sweet-Cured Orkney Beef and Lamb.

Lovers of salmon, are reminded that the Orkney Salmon Company factory at Hatston can provide organic and conventional whole fish or portions to suit your requirements, as well as scallops.

Connoisseurs of Orkney’s liquid gold drink, Highland Park Whisky, will find that they will get a free tour of the distillery on the outskirts of Kirkwall, if they present their Taste of Orkney Programme during Food Festival week. The opening times are 10am-5pm Monday-Friday; and 12noon-5pm Saturdays and Sundays, with the last tour starting at 4pm each day.

The vice-chairman of Orkney Quality Food and Drink, Bob Nelson, said: “I’m delighted to see the Orkney Food Festival building on its previous successes. This year’s Festival sees continued co-operation between Orkney Quality Food and Drink members, associate members and other businesses to put on a wide and varied programme of events. The success of this event is a reflection of the strong links between Orkney Tourist Board and Orkney Quality Food and Drink, who are both committed to the promotion of Orkney as a gastronomic centre second to none.”