Scotland's Food & Drink County Festival Village at Foxlake will take place this weekend with a series of cooking demonstrations by ‘expert chef and highly respected campaigner for finest local produce, Wendy Barrie.’ I shall be cooking Belhaven Canapés, Pizzettas with Mungoswells Flour; Briggs Lamb pot with spiced dough balls, slow cooked in Knops beer; Weiner Schnitzel with Gosford pork, and a touch of scandi cooking with Brodies coffee cakes. Hope to see you there. http://w

I was 17 the first time I visited Orkney. I have happy memories of Hoy and Skara Brae; Tomb of the Sea Eagles and the Italian Chapel; ferries and youth hostels, wildlife and folk songs – indeed there is one I still sing to this day! I have been many times since, one memorable experience was driving over the Churchill Barriers on my way back from the Craigie’s in the dead of night in a gale – when waves crashed over the car out of the velvet black and I remember turning heavy

After the dark nights of winter it is incredible to once again be bathed in sunshine and look forward to our homegrown produce. Mother earth, Terra Madre, requires care and attention, not industrialised agriculture, intensive farming nor the general abuse of nature and its inhabitants! Small scale, naturally composted farming methods with heritage breeds is best - adherence to biodiversity is the key. http://www.slowfood.com Some of Scottish Food Guide’s well-loved members gr