Exhibitors at this year’s Taste of Grampian have branded the event a huge success.
First-time exhibitor Mark Reynolds from the Piggery Smokery sold all of his produce before noon at Saturday’s event.
Mr Reynolds, who calls himself the top baconeer, launched the company in April and is currently producing around 25kg of locally-produced bacon every week.
Meanwhile regular exhibitor Anna Mitchell, of Castleton Farm Shop near Laurencekirk, also experienced a sell-out show.
She said: “The sunshine has helped because people enjoy eating berries in the sun.”
Third-time exhibitor Adam Wright from the Scottish Goat Meat Company also had a successful day.
“It’s been a roaring success again,” said Mr Wright, who runs the company with his girlfriend Vicky Gardiner at Hillhead Farm, Glen of Newmill, Keith.
Cilla Wood from Cairnton Aberdeen-Angus and the Deeside Activity Park said Taste of Grampian provided a great opportunity to tell the farm to fork story.
“Telling people about farm to fork is key,” said Ms Wood.
Meanwhile, many exhibitors used the event to launch new products.
This included Mark Butler from the Deeside Drinks Emporium who launched Esker Gin.
The gin is produced by Esker Spirits in Cults using botanicals from Kincardine Estate.
Several awards were presented to standholders at Saturday’s event.
Taking the prize for best large stand was Inverurie-based butcher John Davidsons, while the best small stand award went to gourmet marshmallow company Marshmallogy.
Lastly the title of best overall stand at the show went to Wester Ross Salmon.
Taste of Grampian: Cooks of the future…
Two budding young cooks from the north-east were crowned joint winners of the prestigious Aspiring Young Chef competition at Taste of Grampian on Saturday.
The final of the competition, which is organised in conjunction with Quality Meat Scotland and North East Scotland College, saw two youngsters battle it out in a cook-off at the food and drink festival.
After much deliberation the judges decided to present the prize to both of the young chefs, after they were marked exactly the same in the technical scoring.
The winners were 15-year-old Giorgia Alcaras, a pupil at Aberdeen Grammar School, and 18-year-old Ross Maxwell who has been working as a chef at Malmaison in Aberdeen for nearly two years.
Giorgia drew on her family’s Italian heritage and prepared a hearty bowl of kale and potato soup followed by saltimbocca – a pork dish which translates to “jump in the mouth”.
Ross prepared a starter of cold smoked salmon and applewood smoked beetroot with mascarpone and tarragon, followed by a rump of lamb with seasonal vegetables and garden pea puree.
Both youngsters were given a £200 voucher to buy cooking equipment and Giorgia was awarded a special prize from Scottish Pig Producers for putting pork on her menu.
She was handed an additional £100 voucher to spend in a Scotch Butchers Club shop.
Renowned chef and P&J columnist, Lady Claire Macdonald, was one of the judges of the competition.
She said: “They were working in an environment which even a very experienced chef would find challenging and using equipment they are unfamiliar with, and I really think what they achieved was so very impressive.”
