BEEF, LAMB & OTHER MEAT ■ an in-depth exploration of what affects beef, including a butchery demo and sampling (of all ten!).
■ Peelham Farm Produce Beef, Lamb, Pork, Organic Foods Peelham Farm, Foulden, Berwickshire 01890 781328, www.peelham.co.uk Web/mail order.
If you fancy owning – and eating – your own pig, Peelham Farm’s ‘own a Tamworth’ scheme aims to connect families with supply, as well as filling up their freezers with high-quality organic meat. Their ethical approach means veal is no longer off the menu – field-raised calves live free-range with their mothers for around nine months producing a rose veal that is both delicious and compassionate. Recent winners of a ‘Future Farmer’ award for their sustainable approach.
■ Shaws Butcher 12 Market Place, Lauder, Berwickshire 01578 722306, www.tendertaste.com Mon & Fri 7.30am–5.30pm; Tue–Thur 8am–5.30pm; Sat 8am–1pm. Closed Sun.
See main entry in Edinburgh & Lothian listings.
■ Tarelgin Farm Foods & Smokehouse Farm Shop, Butcher, Smokery West Tarelgin Farm, Coalhall, Ayrshire 0129 259 0590, www.tarelgin.com Mon–Sat 9am–4.30pm; Sun 10.30am– 2.30pm. Web/mail order.
Set on West Tarelgin Farm, which lies approximately halfway between Ayr and Cumnnock on the A70, this farm shop is a prime outlet for meat raised on the farm and processed in the on-farm butchery. The addition of a smokehouse has added to the range, with salmon from Loch Duart, and they also do the occasional turn at fairs and farmers’ markets smoking fish in half barrels covered with hessian sacking.
■ Tombuie Smokehouse Cheese, Game, Smokery Hardiesmill Place, Gordon, Berwickshire 01887 820127, www.tombuie.com Web/mail order.
See entry for Hardiesmill.
CENTRAL SCOTLAND & FIFE ■ The Aberfoyle Butchers Butcher, Haggis/Sausages Mayfield, 206 Main Street, Aberfoyle 01877 382473
www.aberfoylebutcher.co.uk Mon–Sat 8am–5pm. Closed Sun. Web/mail order.
Running a traditional family business in the heart of the Trossachs, Jonathan Honeyman has established himself as one of Scotland’s foremost butchers. At ease passing on his skills and knowledge to trainee butchers, chefs and the general public, Honeyman has always placed quality, heritage and respect for the seasons at the heart of his operation. His ‘Legend’ range seeks out ‘premier cru’ meat, game and poultry that reflect the true characteristics of a particular breed, cut, geographical provenance or particular diet.
CHEF’S CHOICE PETE GOTTGENS ON GAME
■ Ballathie Good Food Company Butcher, Beef, Game, Haggis/Sausages Ballathie Estate, Kinclaven, Stanley, Perthshire 01250 876219 www.ballathiegoodfood.com Tues–Sat 9.30am–5.30pm; Sun 10am–5.30pm. Café, Web/mail order.
Pies, gourmet sausages, burgers and speciality cooked meats are the forte here at the Ballathie Good Food Company, where the Milligan family take the Aberdeen Angus beef and rare-breed pork from their own estate to make their produce. Wild venison and a range of wild game, which roam naturally on the 1,700-acre estate, are available in season. All goods are available from their farm shop in Perthshire; alternatively all packages are shipped for next day delivery.
■ Brig Farm Shop Farm Shop Gateside Home Farm, Bridge Of Earn, Perthshire
See Fruit & Veg Specialists.
■ Fletchers of Auchtermuchty
For a chef, Scotland is the perfect natural larder, full of some of the world’s finest fish, meat, vegetables, fruit and dairy . . . really, I’m spoilt. However, it’s the game we have available to us that perhaps excites me more than anything. We took over Ardtalnaig Estate last year and from July until February we now have a superb choice of superb game on our doorstep. The estate is home to red deer, roe deer, grouse, duck, hare and pheasant, all of which feature on our menu. Working closely with our game keeper, Ally McNaughton, I know just how the game is reared, where and on what it has fed and how it has been culled and hung, ready for the kitchen to take over. Hare in particular must be the most undervalued of all game in Scotland yet prepared carefully the fillets are fabulous – succulent and tender with a hint of gamey flavour. ■ Pete Gottgens is chef/owner of Ardeonaig Hotel & Restaurant, South Road, Loch Tay, Ardeonaig, Perthshire, 01567 820400 www.ardeonaighotel.co.uk
■ Gloagburn Farm Shop
Farm Shop, Game, Farmed venison Reediehill, Auchtermuchty, Cupar, Fife 01337 828369 www.seriouslygoodvenison.co.uk Mon–Sun 8am–6pm.
Deli, Farm Shop, Beef, Haggis/Sausages Gloagburn, Tibbermore, Perth
The shop is essentially a porch on the outside of the Reediehill farmhouse, and an honesty box may be in operation, but both fresh and frozen venison from the farm is always available, along with useful cooking tips and some of the lauded books written by Nichola Fletcher. The best reason of all to come to the shop, arguably, is the chance to see the farm. Fletchers’ venison can be found at most local farmers’ markets.
Beef, Lamb, Pork, Poultry/Eggs Newmiln Farm, Tibbermore, Perth 01738 730201, www.hughgrierson.co.uk Buy from farm office. Web/mail order.
See Delis & General Food.
■ Hugh Grierson Organic
Hugh and Sascha Grierson are committed organic farmers and active participants in the local food scene. They farm Aberdeen Angus, lamb, pork and, unusually in Scotland, a significant part of their business is in chicken. Most THE LARDER 47
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