A C E L E B R AT I O N O F S H E T L A N D F O O D & D R I N K
The Larder is... Full to Bursting!
4
Blaand, Stap and Krappen: Shetland’s Food Heritage
6
The Best Lamb and Beef
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Welcome to Seafood Heaven
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Sweet, Savoury and Shetlandic
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Eating out in Shetland
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London Connection
30
Frequently Asked Questions
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Recipes from Shetland
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Published by Promote Shetland. Photography: Lisa Barber, Joe Plommer, Shetland Museum & Archives, Misa Hay, Alastair Hamilton, Mark Sinclair. Disclaimer: Although Promote Shetland has taken reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in the publication at the time of going to press, it cannot guarantee that the information published is and remains accurate. Shetland Museum & Archives Photo collection contains over 60,000 images showing all aspects of Shetland life. Prints can be ordered at http://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk
THE L ARDER IS... FULL TO
T
he Shetland Islands are far to the north
Until recently, much of Shetland’s produce was
of Britain, as close to the North Pole as
little known outside the islands and islanders
parts of Greenland or Alaska. Hardly a
themselves may even have taken some of it
gourmet’s paradise, you might think. But in fact
for granted. That is rapidly changing. Shetland
Shetland offers some fine and very distinctive
mussels, lamb, beef, smoked salmon and much
food and drink.
else are now enjoyed worldwide and, within the
In crystal-clear coastal waters, Shetland’s fishermen catch some of the finest fish you’ll ever
islands, there’s a refreshing new focus on food that’s local.
taste. Closer inshore, mussels grow naturally to
In recent years, two cheese-makers have become
a remarkable size. What’s more, much of that
well-established, with an excellent range that
saltwater bounty is now certified for sustainability.
goes very well with the legendary local oatcakes.
On the land, Shetland’s crofters and farmers tend cattle and sheep, with the unique native Shetland lamb being recognised in the same
Producers of fine chocolates, fudges and preserves satisfy the sweeter tooth and it can all be washed down with a great range of local beers.
way as delicacies such as Prosciutto Toscano
It’s a great, high quality menu, featuring food
or Roquefort. There are traditional crops, too,
that’s been produced with care and integrity in
like the Shetland Black potato, perhaps the
one of the finest, cleanest environments in the
perfect roaster.
world. Enjoy!
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A TASTE OF
B L A A N D, S TA P & K R APPEN:
F O O D H E R I TAG E
K
rus and Sparls. Stap, Krappen and
ducks and three drakes. Tracking down Shetland
Blaand: just a few of the things that
hens was no easier, and their origins are intriguing.
would once have graced a Shetland
They bear a resemblance to the South American
table 150 years ago.
Araucana breed and it seems at least possible
In those days, Shetland’s recipes were shaped by
that they may have arrived in Shetland with
necessity and hardship, but the ingredients were,
shipwrecked sailors from the Spanish armada:
as now, of the highest quality. That led to some
old people in Shetland’s west mainland call them
imaginative ways of cooking and preserving.
‘galleon hens’.
Not to mention some memorable names in the
Vegetables grown in the islands included kale,
local dialect!
cabbage, potatoes, turnips and carrots. Some
Fish was plentiful, particularly cod, haddock,
cereals, including oats, barley and bere, an ancient
herring, mackerel, ling, saithe and tusk. Shellfish
grain, were produced. Fruit, when it was seen at
would have been readily available, too. The
all, would have been imported, but rhubarb grows
land produced meat from sheep, cattle and
extremely well in Shetland.
occasionally pigs, along with milk. Hens and
Historically, Shetlanders had to cope with the
ducks were kept by many.
same challenges as cooks anywhere. Lack of
There are breeds of sheep, cattle, poultry and
refrigeration meant that techniques for preserving
ducks specific to Shetland. On their croft on the
food were vital. Until the mid to late 19th century,
island of Trondra, Mary and Tommy Isbister have
cooking in many houses in rural Shetland would
devoted a great deal of time – and detective work
have been done in pots or pans suspended
– to preserving Shetland breeds. They managed
over an open fire. Stoves with ovens spread only
to bring together two Shetland ducks and a drake
gradually, appearing first in Lerwick and in lairds’
and, Mary says, ‘all the Shetland ducks alive today
homes, and only in Lerwick was there ever a
– and there are ones as far away as North America
public gas supply, though the use of bottled gas for
– have come from that’; today, she has eighteen
cooking is widespread today.
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A TASTE OF
Milk was used in several different ways. Eunice Henderson recalls her father’s explanation of the process: “They would take the cream off first,
STUFFED FISH HEADS!
and make butter with it, and then they would have buttermilk. Buttermilk would be broken down again to make kirn milk by adding boiling water to the buttermilk. That produced cottage cheese, which could be pressed into a block. Then there would be the water off that, which was called druttle, and you could drink that or make porridge with it. There was no wastage of anything.”
The best picture we have of Shetland’s old food traditions comes from a book of Shetland recipes first published in 1925. ‘Cookery For Northern Wives’ is a collection of recipes gathered by Margaret B Stout. Her daughter, Margaret Stuart, sums up her mum’s
Blaand, also derived from milk, is a drink that was
approach: “ ‘Native food for native folk’
common not just in Shetland, but throughout
was what she said. She was a dietician and
Scotland and elsewhere, including Scandinavia
she helped with economy cooking for the
and Russia. To make it, whey was left to ferment
war effort. She hated waste. Food should be
until it sparkled, producing an alcohol content said
nutritious and she thought that the native
to be similar to that of wine.
food was very nutritious. It was missing in
Nothing from animals was thrown away, either.
some things, maybe, like oranges, but you
When a cow was slaughtered, scraps of meat and
were making that up with fish livers. You
gristle would be minced together, seasoned and
had certain vegetables, root vegetables, but
heavily salted, stuffed into an intestine (a sparrel or
a lot of it was made up of fish.”
sparl), brined again, then left to cure in the rafters
Some of these dishes were very simple,
for several weeks, or longer.
like Liver Krus, which were fish livers
Salt was, of course, one of the keys to preserving
in a cup of dough, roasted on the
food in the days before refrigeration. Reestit
hearth. Stap was a seasoned mixture
mutton, a classic on the Shetland menu, is mutton
of fish liver and fish flesh, often taken
that’s been steeped in brine, then air-dried. It’s an
from the head. Krappen (or Krappin)
essential element in Shetland weddings and other
was made by combining fish livers
celebrations such as Up Helly Aa. Traditionally,
and oatmeal (or sometimes beremeal).
it was hung in the rafters, where it would also be
These ingredients were mixed
gently smoked by the peat fumes rising from the
together and seasoned, then stuffed
fire. Reestit mutton is one old Shetland dish that’s
into a fish-head and boiled.
still very much in favour today. It is cooked by boiling and the stock is invariably used to make a rich and very tasty tattie soup. The reestit mutton joint may either be put in the pot with the soup ingredients or the stock from boiling the meat can be drawn off and used as the base for the soup. The cooked meat is then eaten, often with bannocks.
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A TASTE OF
Another classic Shetland dish is saucermeat, or sassermaet, which in Margaret Stout’s version
SA LT Y!
involves allspice, cloves, ginger, white pepper, black pepper, mace, Jamaica pepper and cinnamon, as well as salt.
It may seem that a diet involving a lot of fat and salt, and notably lacking in
Fish was either eaten when very fresh, or
fruit, was not particularly healthy.
preserved. During the herring season, huge
However, as Eunice Henderson points
quantities were salted and packed in barrels for
out: “If you were eating your kale on a
export. For home consumption, fish could be
regular basis, you were getting quite a lot
salted and either spread on a beach or hung up on
of nutrients from a green leafy vegetable as
a line to dry; drying fish are still occasionally seen
well as your B vitamins and your minerals
outside Shetland homes. Sometimes, fish was
like iron. Food was wholesome, good and
simply air-dried. Mary Isbister remembers: “Fish
filling and kept folk full, because they had
would never, ever be used unless it was absolutely
to go out and work manually, and you need
fresh, unless for things like soor skate! My father
fat for that kind of lifestyle, for energy and
just loved that. It was skate hung and dried in the
for warmth, when you were working out in
sun without salt until it was full of ammonia. It was
quite harsh conditions.”
horrible! But in his day, it was really looked for. That’s very much Icelandic, Faroese, Norwegian.”
What’s more, the salt and fat content of our forebears’ food might look
Since ovens were not available in many homes,
worrying but many of today’s
the basic form of bread was the bannock, a simple
supermarket ready meals contain
combination of flour or beremeal, baking soda,
large amounts of both.
cream of tartar, salt and either buttermilk or sour milk. Tattie scones and oatcakes were also popular. All could be cooked on a griddle or skillet over the fire. In places, they still are. In Shetland, the necessities of the past can be the delicacies of today. And tomorrow.
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A TASTE OF
THE BEST
I
f you’re in the mood for a succulent
The flavour of lamb is widely believed to be linked
steak or some tasty lamb, meat from
to the animal’s diet. Lambs that roam over heather
Shetland should definitely be top of
moorland taste different from those reared mainly
your shopping list. Shetland lamb enjoys protection under the
on grass, and different again from the smaller numbers that include seaweed in their diet.
European Union’s Protected Designation of
A number of different breeds and cross-breeds of
Origin (PDO) scheme, which puts it in the same
lamb are to be found in Shetland but it’s the native
category as champagne, Parma ham or Melton
lamb that carries the PDO label.
Mowbray pork pies. Beef is also produced, though in much smaller quantities, and it, too, is of excellent quality.
The farmers and crofters in Shetland who rear native Shetland lamb know that they have something special to offer. Bit by bit, they’re
It’s also important to realise that not all Shetland
finding a wider market for it both in the islands
lamb tastes the same.
and farther afield.
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A TASTE OF
Aaron Sinclair is one of them. His family has crofting in their blood, but in 2000 he acquired a larger farm at Sandlodge, along with a grazing lease on the nearby island of Mousa, which also happens to be the site of the best-preserved broch (an iron-age stone tower). He decided to sell Mousa lamb direct to customers, delivering it personally in boxes, carefully butchered. Most of Aaron’s customers are within about fifteen miles of the farm in Shetland, so this is very much local food. A few are in the Aberdeen area and they collect their boxes from the overnight ferry when it docks in the city each morning. Demand for Mousa lamb is strong and Aaron says that they could sell more.
Ronnie Eunson, who farms near the village of Scalloway on Shetland’s west coast, has chosen like Aaron to focus on native lamb. “Native breeds are unusual in the marketplace,” he says. “I thought that going completely over to the native Shetland breed meant that there was no confusion about what we were doing. I felt that we had to have that credibility.” Ronnie made contact with a high-class butcher, Lidgate of Holland Park in London. The firm encouraged him to go fully organic, which he has done.
“It’s a discernibly different product for customers coming into a shop. They can see that it’s smaller, they can see that it’s darker and if they take the time to look at the posters and read about it, then they see that they have something that’s not available anywhere else in the market. It had the eating quality, it had the flavour and I was anxious to see if it could find a niche in the market place alongside the lamb. The lamb season is only ten weeks at the back end of the year but we’re hoping that the beef season will run on into the spring.”
Ronnie has recently begun selling beef from the Shetland breed of cattle. He says it has a special quality of its own, with “a lot more flavours than you’d find in ordinary beef.” Some of it is sold through a wholefoods shop, Scoop, in Lerwick and some through Lidgate in London, who’ve christened it ‘Iron Age beef’, Mr Lidgate being fascinated by that period in Shetland’s archaeology.
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A TASTE OF
Ronnie Eunson
Richard Briggs moved to Shetland from
“Now that we’re taking it right through to delivering the lamb into the hands of the housewife, at their door, it’s very, very satisfying. Sometimes we deliver as many as 40 boxes in a day and it’s great to be there when the housewife opens the box and is delighted with what she sees. We make sure that we’re handing over quality and folk can identify where it’s come from.” “There’s nothing revolutionary about Mousa lamb: it’s just bred and fed and grown in a natural environment. What makes it special is that it’s slaughtered in season, when it’s at its best.” Aaron Sinclair
Gloucestershire in 1990, when his wife was appointed to a job with the then Nature Conservancy Council, now Scottish Natural Heritage. He had kept sheep before moving north, grazing them on nature reserves, and managed to acquire land in Shetland in order to develop a business. Richard has customers in Shetland and farther afield, particularly around Edinburgh. Like Aaron Sinclair, he particularly enjoys delivering meat in person. Richard is also convinced that the taste of lamb is influenced by what the animals eat. He quickly realised that the lamb reared in Shetland tasted quite different from what he had been producing in Gloucestershire. The nearest parallel he can think of is Alpine lamb but it’s subtly different, he says, from anything else that’s available. Native Shetland lamb and beef will always be in limited supply, because the available land and the growing conditions constrain the number of animals that can be reared to the high standards insisted upon by crofters and farmers like Aaron Sinclair, Ronnie Eunson and Richard Briggs. However, there’s certainly scope to make these meats more widely available through mail order or in a limited number of outlets like Lidgate or James Allan. Demand is bound to increase as customers
“Some of my customers say that they don’t like lamb... but they do like Shetland lamb. Customer feedback is that the product is very good.”
realise just how good they are.
Richard Briggs
A TASTE OF
15
WELCOME TO
“
I
t’s wild sea-fish that’s my thing, and
for scallops. On turning 40, in 1998, he realised
as far as wild sea-fish is concerned,
that if he was going to strike out on his own in the
Shetland is the best place in the UK bar
fish business, he ought to get on with it.
none” So says Dave Parham, and he should know
Several years of very hard work have paid off and
- he’s a former fisherman who learned that trade,
he now feels fairly settled. In fact, business is
straight out of school, in the English Channel.
now so brisk that he has given up a market stall in
These days, after a varied career that has included
London and a mail-order service, because “now
scuba diving all around the world, a few years in
it’s as much as I can do to service the folk that
Germany, a spell as an expedition photographer
come through the door in the shop”.
and running photographic businesses in Devon and Aberdeen, Dave operates a fish business in Lerwick, smoking fish and selling it, with results that bring customers back again and again.
Dave feels that the seas around Shetland produce fish that is simply exceptional. “When you speak about quality, you’re talking about freshness, you’re talking about the health of the fish, you’re
Dave settled in Shetland after dropping in on a
talking about the diet of the fish, Shetland just has
geological expedition to Faroe and Iceland. He
what it takes. The fish here is nice to eat, with good
worked for a while in a local fish factory and dived
flavours, fat, and very, very fresh.”
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A TASTE OF
“My passion is going to the fish market at half-past five every morning – which is pretty sad but there you go! At the market this morning, there were 2000 boxes of absolutely pristine fish. Because of all the decommissioning of boats, the sea is full of fish.” Dave Parham
Mussels are a particular success story. Shetland produces wonderfully large and succulent ones, rope grown and entirely free from the grit that is often found in dredged mussels. The mussel farmers simply hang the ropes in the sea and the mussels develop. Absolutely nothing is done to them, apart from thinning out the crop now and again so that they have more room to grow. Nothing is added and there’s no pollution.
“It’s just a good area in which to grow mussels. We have a clean, pollutionfree environment. A lot of phytoplankton comes in here with the Gulf Stream. The size of the shells is very good.”
Michael Tait and Michael Laurenson are two of the leading mussel growers in the islands. Both of them moved into the business around 1997. Michael Tait’s company is Shetland Mussels and they have more than twenty mussel-growing sites around the Shetland coast. As he says, what makes the product good is primarily the Shetland environment rather than anything that his firm does. Michael Laurenson echoes that. His firm, Blueshell Mussels, is the biggest producer in the UK. At the last count, there were more than 40 employees looking after 1354 miles of rope on 218 longlines located all around Shetland. They also process scallops. Shetland, he says, is “very pristine, with very clean shores, the right sea temperature and an abundance of phytoplankton”. He explains that the mussels have to be strong enough to withstand the winter gales, so the shells are thick and robust. And the mussels can be in London, on a plate, perfectly fresh, less than 48 hours after the rope was hauled up in one of Shetland’s voes. If you eat in the top London seafood chain Belgo, you’re eating Shetland mussels. Shetland seafood is available everywhere – fast, fresh and of the very highest quality.
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Michael Laurenson
Over at the Shetland Seafood Centre, Ruth Henderson of Seafood Shetland and Carole Laignel of Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation are particularly keen to stress the work that’s been done on making Shetland’s fishing industry sustainable. For example, the catching of species including brown crab, velvet crab, king and queen scallops and lobster around Shetland has been managed since 1999 by a Regulating Order under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967. Management is in the hands of the Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation, a company limited by guarantee. The company’s efforts were
“They’re all family-owned vessels. You know who they are, you know where they’ve been and you know what the product is, there’s that whole traceability element. I mainly deal with the inshore shellfish vessels. We’ve 120-odd licensed vessels, both scallopers and creel boats, that are going out and then landing their catch, generally every day. So you’ve got a goodquality product, you’ve got an awareness among the fishermen of the product that they’re delivering to market, you’ve got the clear waters of Shetland.” Carole Laignel
rewarded in 2012 by certification by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for velvet crab, brown crab and king scallops. However, such accolades aren’t confined to those species, or indeed to shellfish. Mussels from Shetland are now MSC-certified and so are North Sea haddock and herring, so that a very large proportion of Shetland’s superb fish and shellfish is now not only sustainably managed, but also has the proof in the form of certification from the leading organisation in the field. Carole points out that Shetland’s fishing industry has huge strengths. From her office on Lerwick’s waterfront, she can see the boats arrive alongside the fish market.
A TASTE OF
19
S W E E T, S AV O U R Y A N D
hetland may be best known for fish,
S
shellfish and lamb, but many small producers specialise in making a
DELICIOUS CHOCOL ATES FROM UNST
wide range of really delicious sweet and savoury delights. There are chocolates and fudge, jams, pickles and even some honey. Cheese has been made since around 2007 and several bakers offer their own oatcakes to go with it.
When they were thinking of a move away from the south of England, Aaron and Cassie Foord hadn’t originally had Shetland in their sights. Wales seemed a more likely option. But then they saw a picture of a cottage in Shetland’s northernmost
WHERE’S THE FUDGE?
island, Unst, and in no time at all they had left their old jobs behind and were contemplating the
Gillian Ramsay, whose small team hand-makes fudge and chocolates in her shop in Lerwick, had been making and selling crafts for several years. Soon after she opened a new shop in Lerwick, visitors began asking her about fudge. However, Puffin Poo is probably the product that has attracted most attention. It came about after someone had submitted a photograph of ‘sheeps’
opportunities to make a living in the far north. Making chocolate was, Aaron says, “a daft idea, one evening, that didn’t seem quite so daft the next morning.” They borrowed a book from the library, did some research on line and ordered what they needed to get them started. “It worked and we’re still here! Simple as that, really.” Now the company has customers all over the world.
pearls’ for an exhibition at the shop, and someone
“Through the summer,” Aaron says, “we get a lot of
suggested that she make Puffin Poo. “It was after
European, Scandinavian and American visitors. They all
the exhibition, and a few bottles of wine later, that we
buy chocolate or try chocolate here, then order from home,
said, well, what would Puffin Poo be made of? White
so we do a lot of mail order online.” The chocolates can
guano, yes; and someone said that it must have crunchy
also be found in all the shops on Unst and in two
bits for the fish bones. So I went away and looked at what
or three shops elsewhere in Shetland. The Foords
ingredients I could use, thinking ‘this will never work!‘
don’t advertise: the chocolates’ reputation has
But it did.”
spread by word of mouth.
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South Oats OATC A K ES F ROM NORTH AND SOUTH
Meanwhile, at the other end of Shetland, Sheila Fowlie also makes oatcakes. She says: “I’ve always loved cooking, and making things, and I like
North Oats
inventing things”
Several Shetland bakers make oatcakes to go with
Sheila has developed her own recipes for oatcakes
all that wonderful cheese, and they are to be found
and there are several varieties.
at all points of the Shetland compass.
She makes them with oatmeal, oat bran, wheat
In the north, at Baltasound on Unst, the long-
germ and bere meal, which she uses as a substitute
established Skibhoull bakery has been turning
for flour. They’re lower in gluten than normal
out bread, cakes, oatcakes and their famous ships’
oatcakes, she says. Some are flavoured, black
biscuits since 1885. However, in 2007,
pepper being especially popular.
Penny Thompson thought that there was possibly a space in the market for food with fewer additives. She was also interested in long-life products, because they’re much easier to export.
As far as possible, Sheila uses pure, natural Shetland ingredients, including Shetland butter and Shetland buttermilk. Her products are available in many shops throughout Shetland
Penny takes up the story. “With the help of Liz
and she also attends farmers’ markets. However,
Ashworth, who’s a food expert, we tried our basic oatcake
passers-by can also choose what they want from
recipe without any additives and then we had the idea
an honesty box outside her house, and simply leave
of using sea-water, which meant we didn’t have to add
the appropriate payment.
salt. The recipe was just pure oatmeal, vegetable oil, shortening and sea-water. They also had no wheat, because quite a few people don’t like wheat. To our surprise, the oatcakes actually stuck together and just worked really well, though they’re quite tricky to make.” Penny thinks that the combination of seawater and oatmeal may not be entirely new, for she has found evidence that fishermen in Orkney took oatmeal with them and moistened it with sea-water to keep them going when they were out fishing.
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A TASTE OF
Sheila’s range of products, which are called Fowlie’s Hand Made, extends well beyond oatcakes. She makes jam, chutneys, pickles, fudge and fruit curds and she’s particularly pleased with her fudge biscuits, which are very crunchy.
Caroline calls her main range of eight soft cheeses
TA BLET A ND BL ACK PUDDING FROM BUR R A
‘the birls’ because they’re spun with their flavours. She says that the ideas for these have come, over time, from friends and family. She says: “They work really well. We incorporate things like Böd Ayre’s seaweed,
In the village of Hamnavoe, on Burra Isle,
which is very popular; garden herbs that you’d find
Jessamine Newlands makes mouth-watering
growing in Shetland; oatmeal and black pepper. Garlic
‘Boannie Isles’ tablet. From the beginning, she has
pepper is very popular and we do a mixed spice. These are
used a recipe given to her by her mother. “I’ve
firm favourites and they sell very well”
experimented’, she says, ‘but hers is the basic recipe. It’s a secret recipe – we can’t tell anyone about it!”
“The wonderful thing about using Shetland milk”, she says, “is that it gives slightly different variations
It was her husband Leslie who came with idea for
throughout the year depending on what the cows are
black pudding. A former butcher, he found himself
eating and where they are. And you can get so many
at home with a disability and, prompted by a
variations from just a slight adjustment to temperature
friend, decided to try out some recipes. The results were very good indeed and Jessamine now spends one day a week making not only black pudding but also mealie puddings, haggis and a fruit pudding that is made from an old Unst recipe.
or time taken during the preparation process. Because of this we have had lots of serendipitous accidents; they’re absolutely amazing sometimes, which is why you keep good records.” Shetland Artisan Cheese is available in local shops and some is sent outside Shetland by mail order at Christmas. Caroline says: ‘We do cheese boards in a
A BIG CHEESE IN SHETLAND
bag. It’s a vacuum-packed selection so you can have three to a dozen or even more cheeses and we can post it out, but we need to know in advance.’ She also receives some
Until just a few years ago, there had been no commercial cheese production in Shetland. Then,
unusual commissions, for example a three-tier cheese wedding cake.
by coincidence, two people began making cheese within a few months of each other. Caroline Henderson, who makes her cheese in Lerwick, was brought up in Shetland but had moved away. She wanted to return and, noticing the lack of any local cheese, decided to go on a cheese-making course in the West Highlands with a view to setting up a cheese business in Shetland. By 2009, she was ready to begin production and set up Artisan Island Cheese in 2009.
A TASTE OF
23
By 2012, the cheese was becoming available in
ANOTHER BIG CHEESE IN SHETLAND
more and more shops in Shetland – 19 or so at the last count – and Jay’s thoughts had turned to offering specially-made cheeses to hotels and
In 2007, at the same time as Caroline was
restaurants and to the possibilities of exporting.
contemplating a Shetland cheese business, a
Jay makes several different cheese, including a
City-based chartered accountant’s wanderlust had
coloured one, Sandstinger, which is similar to
brought him and his family on holiday to Shetland.
Dunlop and sells very well in Shetland. Flavoured
Jay Hawkins knew that he’d reached a stage in his
cheeses are made with chilli, piri-piri, cumin,
life when he was looking for something different,
chive and caraway. For the future, Jay would love to
as he puts it, “something a bit more creative, a bit more
be able to use unpasteurised milk, because that’s
productive; and I’d always liked cooking, so I was on the
what the most discriminating markets demand
lookout for opportunities”.
but, he says, there are strict hygiene rules for any
By the time they set off for home, Jay was thinking hard about the notion of making cheese in
herd used to produce unpasteurised milk, with all the cows having to be checked annually.
Shetland – having been told none had ever been
Jay’s techniques are very traditional and he avoids
made in the isles. In August 2008, he and his
the accelerants and flavour enhancers that are
family moved to Shetland and Jay began putting
used to make mass-market cheeses.
together his cheese-making plans. He put in a bid
“We try to follow the traditional way of doing it, which
for a former salmon smoking building at Skeld,
is that, when it comes out of the press, we then, for the
on Shetland’s west side, went on a cheese-making
cheddars and the Sandstinger, smear it with vegetable fat
course at Nantwich, in Cheshire and practised at
and put cheese cloths round the outside, which is a way
home, giving away the results of his experiments
of slowing down the moisture loss from the cheese. We
to friends or at local functions.
then put it onto wood shelving and it’s rotated every few
Production began in earnest in May 2010, in time for cheese to be ready for the 2010 Shetland Food Festival. Unlike Caroline Henderson, Jay concentrated on hard cheeses. Production remained on a small scale until October 2011, when a much larger vat arrived.
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A TASTE OF
days for however many months you want. To get a decent flavour in a cheddar, I’m looking at 150 days.”
“We try to follow the traditional way of doing it, which is that, when it comes out of the press, we then, for the cheddars and the Sandstinger, smear it with vegetable fat and put cheese cloths round the outside, which is a way of slowing down the moisture loss from the cheese.� Jay Hawkins
E AT I N G O U T I N
T
here’s a good choice of places to
real treat, especially roasted. Other traditional
enjoy a meal in Shetland. Restaurants,
crops include cabbage, kale, carrots and turnips.
bistros and cafés compete for custom
Rhubarb grows particularly well and turns up in
throughout the islands and – as in the rest of the
crumbles or tarts or perhaps with mackerel, which
UK – the standard of food is much higher than it
it partners beautifully. Menus may occasionally
was a generation ago. The emphasis is usually
feature Shetland-grown strawberries, raspberries,
on cooking good local ingredients simply, so that
tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers or celery. Local
the flavour of the distinctive local lamb or the
herbs are available, too.
freshness of, say, a piece of ‘stanebiter’, as wolf-
Eating out in Shetland isn’t confined to restaurants
fish is called in Shetland, can shine through.
or cafés, of course. Our country halls do wonderful
Of course, our cafés and restaurants have a head
Sunday afternoon teas throughout the summer
start, because the raw materials are fresh and of
months, with the profits going to a wide range
superb quality. Shetland native lamb is a particular
of charities. You’ll find a fantastic range of home
speciality and Shetland mutton, too, is delicious.
baking and there will almost certainly be delicacies
Look out, too, for Shetland beef, which may come
like reestit mutton bannocks, involving mutton
from the native Shetland breed or from other
that’s first been salted in brine then air-dried.
breeds reared in Shetland. Fish and shellfish are
Then there are picnics: fresh rolls come from
available in great variety; much of the fish that’s
several local, independent bakeries to be found
landed in Shetland is from fisheries certified as
throughout Shetland and there’s local butter, too.
sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
You might fancy some Shetland cheese and locally-
Mussels – also a very sustainable, natural seafood
made pickle, Shetland eggs or poached salmon.
– are large and succulent, making an excellent
Delicious, and all the more so in the fresh air.
starter or main course.
Last but not least, there’s fish and chips. Everyone
Many of our local chefs use locally-produced
has a favourite chippie, but all the Shetland ones
vegetables in season. Several varieties of potato
use the freshest of fish straight from the market,
are grown in the islands but pride of place goes
cooked to perfection, and you’ll sometimes see
to the Shetland Black, which when available is a
mussels or scallops on the menu, too.
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‘But when I got back, I discovered that I’d been offered a
R AY MOND SMITH MON T Y’S BIST RO
job in Hong Kong, so a week later I was out there. I did five years in Hong Kong , two and a half years for a private company and then two and a half years for a group of
Back in 1996, Shetland food-lovers were delighted
friends that had invested in a private restaurant.’
to welcome a newcomer on Shetland’s dining
During these long spells abroad, Shetland was
scene. Monty’s Bistro opened in Mounthooly
never far from Raymond’s thoughts and he made
Street, one of the lanes that leads up the hill from
regular visits home.
Lerwick’s historic waterfront. The pioneering
‘This place came on the market and I came up to have a
venture offered local food, beautifully cooked,
look at it. It just seemed to be the next stage in my life. I
in a friendly setting. It wasn’t long before other
knew I’d be leaving Hong Kong and did another stint in
chefs realised the potential of Shetland’s raw
London. I put in a bid in November 2005 and, after a bit
materials but, to everyone’s delight, Monty’s is
of hassle, we finally got the building in June 1996.
still going strong.
We gutted the place and set it out as a restaurant,
Monty’s was founded by Raymond Smith, whose
opening that September.’
roots are in the islands. His mum’s from the village
From the start, Raymond has focused on serving
of Aith and the croft has been in the family for 500
the best food available from producers in Shetland
years. He was brought up partly in Shetland and
and the north of Scotland. ‘We work with local
partly in England, but has travelled far and wide
farmers like the Cromarty and Williamson families
during his cooking career.
in Northmavine. In season, we have native Shetland
Raymond’s first job was in the Lerwick Hotel, after
lamb on the menu. My approach is to keep it simple and
which he went to college in Inverness, where he
offer as much that’s local as possible. We use Shetland
got the top marks in Britain in the City and Guilds
produce like lamb, fish, crab, mussels, scallops and
examinations. He moved to Bermuda and worked
rhubarb. We also take some produce, including beef, from
there for two years. However, teaching appealed
Aberdeenshire and the Spey valley and mushrooms in
to him, so he returned to Inverness as a lecturer
season from the Black Isle, near Inverness, or sometimes
on the professional cookery course at Inverness
from Shetland. Over the winter, the menu ranges a little
Technical College.
more widely, to keep local interest. For example, we’ll
‘Then’, recalls Raymond, ‘I just thought, well, it’s too young to be doing this, so I got a job in London and put myself through another two-year college course. I worked
be having an Egyptian starter this winter. The menu changes bit by bit, seasonally; you do need a certain range, but the main thing is to keep it simple.’
in two hotels in London, one a private hotel and one a
One of Raymond’s mottoes is ‘the right season for
Sheraton. Then I got a job in Dubai, doing five years in the
the right things’. It’s clear that locals and visitors
Hilton and two years in the World Trade Club for
alike really appreciate his approach and are
the Sheikh.’
grateful that, after all his adventures, he decided
Raymond then planned to come back and work again in Britain. He drove home, all the way from Dubai.
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to bring his skills and enthusiasm for good food back to Shetland.
“My approach is to keep it simple and offer as much that’s local as possible. We use Shetland produce like lamb, fish, crab, mussels, scallops and rhubarb” Raymond Smith
LONDON
L
ocal produce and some of the isles’
And Jane Moncrieff and Eunice Henderson,
classic dishes have been causing
presenters of BBC Radio Shetland’s Shetland’s
great enthusiasm among the London
Larder programme, mixed with the UK’s media
glitterati, thanks to the efforts of three Shetland
stars of food and drink at top store Fortnum and
women – Helen Nisbett, Eunice Henderson
Mason after their food show was shortlisted for the
and Jane Moncrieff.
first of the annual Fortnum and Mason Food and
Helen, who lives in London, is behind two hugely successful ‘Shetland Nights’ in the UK capital,
Drink Awards. They were runners-up to BBC Radio Four’s Food Programme
featuring an isles feast, dancing and music.
“We were delighted,” said Jane. “It was the most
The most recent starred Michelin-starred chef
surreal yet enjoyable experience, and to have been
Joseph Trivelli of the legendary River Cafe, and
honoured for excellence in broadcasting nationally
had him brushing up on his bannock-making
is such a thrill. There was lots of interest in Shetland
skills and learning about sassermaet. Shetland
and what is produced food wise.”
mussels and mutton have featured in the feasts, to a great reception.
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F R E Q U E N T LY ASKED
Where can I buy Shetland food outside Shetland? It’s not too difficult to find Shetland food on restaurant or bistro menus in many parts of the UK. For example, Shetland mussels are widely available and you’ll come across Shetland fish too. The better restaurants always tell customers where their ingredients have come from and, if it isn’t obvious from the menu, the server should be able to tell you. Some products using ingredients from Shetland – smoked salmon, for instance – are widely available in supermarkets and smaller shops, though you may need to check the small print to see if the raw materials came from our islands. Food from our smaller producers is not, of course, so widely available but is well worth seeking out. If you contact the firm, they’ll often be happy to post things to you. There’s a directory of producers on our website, with contact details.
Does Shetland also produce beef? Yes, several producers keep beef cattle. The beef from our native Shetland cattle is especially good, beautifully
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textured and wonderfully tender when it’s been properly hung. In Shetland, just ask at any butcher’s shop. If you live outside Shetland, you can contact one of the producers listed in our directory.
Are mussels grown naturally? To grow mussels, our producers simply hang ropes in the sea, suspended from buoys. The mussels develop on the ropes in clear, unpolluted water and are harvested after about two years. There’s no human intervention in the process, so it’s a totally natural food. Shetland mussels are big, succulent and absolutely delicious, however they’re cooked.
Are there many organic producers in Shetland? Yes, it’s possible to buy lamb and farmed salmon that’s been reared to organic standards and you can also find locally-grown organic vegetables. However, the organic movement in Shetland doesn’t just focus on food: there’s organic wool, too.
Is Shetland a good place for fish and chips? Oh yes! We start with fantastic ingredients. The fish – usually haddock – usually comes straight from the market and is as fresh as it can be. Other fish options are often available, too, and at least one chippie regularly features scallops. There are several chippies in Lerwick and one in Brae, and local community halls also run occasional fish and chip nights.
How easy is it to find exotic ingredients in Shetland? Much easier than you might think. If, for example, you want to do something a bit different with a piece of Shetland fish or lamb, you’ll be able to find a remarkable range of ingredients in local shops. Shetland is home to people from a wide range of cultures and Shetlanders are inveterate travellers, so there’s a healthy appetite for food from every part of the globe.
Is any Shetland fish or shellfish MSC-certified? Yes, lots of it. Shetland producers have been very active in pursuing Marine Stewardship Council certification. MSC certification means that they’ve been caught or farmed in a sustainable way, so that stocks will be maintained. You can choose from MSC-certified north sea herring and haddock, north-east Atlantic mackerel, Shetland rope-grown mussels, Shetland inshore brown and velvet crab and Shetland inshore scallops. There are full details on the MSC website (www.msc.org).
Are local eggs available in Shetland? Yes, many producers offer local eggs in the islands. Look for them in country shops, delis and, quite commonly, on sale by the roadside, where you simply put your money in an honesty box. Duck eggs are sometimes available, too.
RECIPES FROM
SHETL AND L AMB COOKED IN THE GREEK ST YLE by Bo Simmons, the author of ‘A Taste of Burrastow – Seasons in a Shetland Kitchen’
4 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp cumin Salt and pepper
1kg (2.2lb) stewing lamb, shoulder is good, trim and cut into 4cm (1.5 inch) cubes.
Brown the meat in half of the oil, barely cover with hot water and stew for 40 minutes. Then add the tomato purée, spices, wine and vinegar. Add the remaining oil, whole peeled onions to meat, stir, cover and cook gently for a further 15-20minutes. Occasionally rock the pan to and fro. Stand before serving.
1kg (2.2lb) shallots or pickling onion
Serving suggestion:
250ml (8fl oz) olive oil
Serve with French bread and a mixed green leaf salad or with potatoes and a steamed green vegetable.
SERV ES 4 P R E PA R A T I O N T I M E: 3 0 M I N U T E S C O O K I N G T I M E: 1-2 H O U R S
1 tbsp tomato paste 125ml (4fl oz) red wine 60ml (2.5fl oz) vinegar
BANNOCKS SERV ES 6 1lb of plain flour 1 tps (large) baking soda 1 tsp of cream of tartar
This recipe can also be made with Arctic Hare or Shetland beef.
1 tsp of salt Buttermilk for mixing Mix the dry ingredients together, Make into a soft dough with the buttermilk, Just as soft as can be easily handled. Turn on to a floured board, Turn in rough edges and roll out gently until 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 inch thick. Cut in Squares or rounds, Bake on a moderately hot griddle or in fairly hot oven for 10-15 mins.
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BEST SW EET AND SOUR C A BBAGE SOUP
1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix or 4 - 5 cups shredded cabbage 1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice 1 can (14 1⁄2 ounce) chopped tomatoes
by Ethel G. Hofman, D. Univ, the author of ‘Mackerel at Midnight – Growing up Jewish on the Shetland Isles’
4 bay leaves Juice of 2 large lemons ⁄2 cup brown sugar or to taste
1
S E R V E S 18 -2 0 In World War II, when the Jewish soldiers brought a precious package of brown sugar, to the late Jean Greenwald, my mother, it came with a request for her famous cabbage soup. Onions are chopped in the food processor or at a pinch, use frozen chopped onions.
White pepper to taste In an 8 quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Stir and cover. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until soft and golden.
2 tbsp olive oil
Stir in the bouillon and coleslaw mix or cabbage. Cover. Cook over low heat 30 minutes. Add the tomato juice, canned tomatoes, 1 1⁄2 cups water, bay leaves, lemon juice and brown sugar. Stir.
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
Season to taste with white pepper.
1 tsp salt
Partially cover and simmer 40 minutes longer. Add a little more brown sugar if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.
3 tbsp beef bouillon granules
BEREMEAL GALET TES by Marian Armitage SERV ES 2
These galettes are light and fairly fragile pancakes with a slightly sour flavour from the beremeal and the buttermilk. If you prefer you could substitute some plain flour for some of the beremeal. They are equally delicious with sweet or savoury accompaniments. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the batter for sweet galettes.
Marian is a Shetlander who, after studying at the Anderson High School trained as a teacher of ‘Domestic Science’ in Edinburgh in the early 70s. For almost 35 years he taught Food and Nutrition mostly in London state secondary schools in Islington and Hammersmith & Fulham. She now spends increasingly longer periods of time at the family home in Scatness and is writing a book about Shetland Food and Cookery which will be published by the Shetland Times next year.
For a steadying breakfast try with 2 slices of crisply fried smoked Shetland bacon and a poached deuk’s egg. Delicious!
May is a time, when all over Shetland, Jam makers are ‘oxter’ deep in rhubarb. Here is a delicious recipe to enjoy with rhubarb jam or lightly poached rhubarb compote.
100ml water
Beremeal is a traditional Shetland cereal although it is no longer produced commercially here. The beremeal used in this recipe is from the Birsay Heritage Trust in Orkney and is available from Scoop Wholefoods in Lerwick who also distribute to over 20 country shops.
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100g Beremeal Pinch of salt 2 duck or hen’s eggs 200ml Shetland Buttermilk
Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, or use a blender. The consistency will be like a fairly thick batter. Pour on to a hot lightly greased pancake pan and tilt to spread – aim for a thin pancake. Turn or flip over when slightly browned – 2-3 mins each side.
REESTIT MUT TON SOUP by Ethel G. Hofman S E R V E S 8 –10 1lb reestit mutton Cold water to cover 1lb potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in 1⁄2 inch thick slices 1 small turnip, peeled and cut in chunks
Place mutton in a large pot. Add enough cold water to come about 1 inch above the mutton. Bring to boil over medium heat. Skim off foam as it rises to surface. Water will be very salty, so pour off and discard. Add more cold water to cover. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, turnip and onions. Return to boil, skimming off any more foam. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours or until meat is tender and vegetables are breaking down. Remove mutton and set aside. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher or large fork. Remove the meat from the bone. Cut into small dice and add to the soup. If too thick, add a little vegetable broth. Heat, ladle into bowls and serve with brown bread and butter.
2 medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
THAI SHETLAND BEEF & CHILLI SALAD
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 plump stalk of lemon grass, outer leaves removed and inner stalk chopped 4 spring onions
By Jane Moncrieff from Shetland’s Larder SERV ES 4 This recipe is from “On Salads” written by former BBC Masterchef winner Sue Lawrence who was one of the earlier guests on Shetland’s Larder. It’s one of my family’s favourites and often gets requested for birthdays. I try and use Shetland beef whenever possible and usually double or treble the quantities as it is very moreish. I often add extra ingredients to the salad bed like mango and cucumbers and alternative good cuts of steak work equally well, but be careful not to overcook the meat if it’s thinner. 500g (1lb 2oz) piece of beef fillet tail 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp sugar 4 tsp Thai fish sauce 6 tbsp sunflower oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper
The juice of one lime 2 generous handfuls of mizuna, rocket or watercress (or whatever type of lettuce you can get your hands on in Shetland) Place the beef in a small dish. Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, half the fish sauce and 1 tablespoon oil then pour this over the meat, coating it well. Season with plenty of ground pepper and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Now make the dressing: place the coriander, most of the chilli, lemon grass, spring onion and lime juice in a food processor and add the remaining fish sauce and oil. Blitz until thoroughly combined, then add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F/gas mark 7. Put the beef in a small roasting tin, pour the soy sauce marinade over, and roast for 25 mins, then remove and rest for at least 10 mins. Pile the salad leaves onto a shallow serving dish. Slice the beef thinly and place on top, adding any juices. Spoon over the dressing, garnish with any remaining chilli and serve.
2 heaped tablespoons coriander leaves
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To find out more about Shetland food and drink and where to source it visit: www.tasteofshetland.com
Shetland Museum and Archives, Hay’s Dock, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0WP T: +44 (0) 1595 98 98 98 E: info@shetland.org www.SHETLAND.org /promoteshetland
@promoteshetland