Buying great Scottish produce – in Scotland

[nickloman]

It's lamentable that much great Scottish produce is exported, particularly seafood.

However I figure there must be some places that you can buy great Scottish produce actually in Scotland?

I'm looking for places which are in or driving distance from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Anyone know a reliable source for:

- a butcher for well aged Angus beef - or even better, some kind of rare-breed beef

- fresh grouse and other game birds

- seafood, particularly langoustines

The irony is that I could find these things (reasonably) easily in the West Midlands but struggling to identify sources in Scotland!

Cheers

Nick

[nickloman]

No-one?

Well, I'll start by answering part of my own question. William Christie in Edinburgh can get grouse - think it should be ordered in advance.

[nickloman]

OK, well, I'll continue with the tradition of answering my own posts

Eddie's Seafood Market - Edinburgh

Macallams of Troon - Glasgow

Allans (Hyndland) Butcher - Glasgow

Ramsay of Carluke - http://www.ramsayofcarluke.co.uk/ - Carluke, outside Glasgow

[Blether]

Keep going. What's the name of the seafood place just to the south of The Meadows in Edinburgh - on the east side of Marchmont Road ? That has a great reputation, doesn't it ? Two years ago I dropped in when I stayed at a B&B just down the road.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Blether (log)

[Blether]

And doesn't Creelers (? - Edinburgh again) the restaurant have a separate line in direct produce sales ?

Edited September 15, 2011 by Blether (log)

[nickloman]

Ah, welcome to my previously lonely thread! I think the seafood place is Eddie's, that's just off Marchmont Road. That's where I'm heading tomorrow, hoping for a langoustine haul!

[Mjx]

Good luck: You may just have to go to the source whatever you want, as I do, here in Denmark, when I want to get suet. For some reason, all suet is apparently exported, so I have to go to the abattoir and get the fresh blobs of it, if I want to make things like plum pudding.

[Beth Wilson]

I live on an island in Northern Ontario and for years you would see the fishing boats come in brimming with whitefish and it was loaded onto trucks and taken to markets off the island...same with the farmed fisheries around here for things like Rainbow trout..

One entrepreneur a few years ago established her own distribution business and now we can find the fish in the grocer and at farmer's markets they have in the summer. For quality local meats I had to start asking around and finally hit upon a local farmer that has gotten himself the government approval to sell his products in his shop. It isn't easy to do that around here.

You have to make friends with the local chefs and start asking the locals where stuff is...it usually is out there but not easily found.

My sister lived in Scotland years ago and for her local fish, they hired a local fishing boat that would take their name and when he had about 8 or 10 people on the list he would arrange a fishing day. They would fish for hours and freeze what they came home with. I went with them when I visited and met some great people and we ate fresh cod and mackerel for that week. Best fish I ever had and it was one of the things I enjoyed most on my visit there.

Not much help for your request for stuff now, but I have felt your pain and it took years to figure some stuff out where I live, but when I did, I found some great stuff.

[dellis453]

Nick, I suggest a trip to Edinburgh Farmers' market will help you. There are plenty of suppliers there who have great produce including Austin Davis for game. Also check out Whitmuir Organics who have butchers on site www.whitmuirorganics.co.uk

For fish, I find you cannot beat Eddie's Seafood in Roseneath Street

Do have a look at my blog too. edinburghfoody.com - there are plenty of treasures to discover, such as Sunnyside Farm, Great Glen Game etc

Edited September 19, 2011 by dellis453 (log)

[DerekW]

You didn't ask for Poultry but in case it's of use, that from Gartmorn has been really good when I've bought from them.

[nickloman]

Thanks guys.

I wasn't in Edinburgh for the market but that's an excellent tip.

In the end I found young grouse at George Bower's for £9 a pop.

I also found good seafood and smoked salmon at G. Armstrong's over the road.

And Eddie's is a great market - no langoustine (bad weather) but great fish.