The Potato Banquet. The Spud-delicious, tattie-tatstic tour!
In conjunction with, and huge thanks to Wendy Barrie, Scottish Food Guide, Claire Fleming from Peel Farm and Slow Food Scotland, we were delighted to host Tattie Travel – with guests coming to see our potatoes growing in fields and then to taste some wonderful varieties.
On a wet blustery August day, that was more fitting for October, folk came from as far as Edinburgh and Aberdeen to hear Andrew, outstanding in his field, talk about tatties. Managing to pass the scout test – actually finding the correct field in the middle of the Angus countryside with coordinates to help (and Google to hinder) we met at the side of a field. We grow many varieties and some of these are in small quantities and some varieties are very rare – perhaps with less than five farmers growing them throughout the UK. Consequently our fields are divided into different patches. And we have field maps to help us find each variety. If we grew only mainstream varieties, the entire field would be one variety.
Andrew dug up some Java and Sarpo Una for our guests to look at (and the lucky ones got some to take home). It is interesting to see the differences between the leaf colours and flowers. The crops were all looking very healthy with no slug or blight damage.
The wet, cold day didn’t dampen the enthusiasm with folk asking lots of interesting questions as Andrew gave a brief overview of our company and the varieties that we grow. Although I think everyone was delighted when we set off in convoy to the wonderful Peel Farm where Claire had prepared a treat for us with three varieties of our potatoes: Blue Annelise, blue through and through, Heidi Red a deep red fleshed variety and Arran Victory (Ark of Taste, heritage variety)
The welcome starter of soup warmed us all up – a very tasty red cabbage and potato soup (Blue Annelise and Heidi Red), followed by a beautifully presented frittata (Arran Victory), potato salad (Heidi Red) and home made crips (Arran Victory).
And then the unexpected dessert! When I had dropped the potatoes off earlier in the week, my only instructions were “surprise us, let your imagination run wild, but we’re ok if you just boil them!” As I left I jokingly asked whether they had ever made a cake with potatoes. Peel Farm are known in a very wide radius for their absolutely amazing home-made cakes and rose to the occasion with a mouth-watering chocolate-potato cake, made with Blue Annelise, that was to die for!
Potatoes five ways! What a splendid way to spend an afternoon!
This was the first time that we have done something like this and we really enjoyed it – we will definitely do it again.
(recipes coming!)
Buy these potatoes for your own Banquet
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SALEComing SoonSALEBlue Annelise Potatoes to Eat Organic
Price range: £15.95 through £41.95 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
SALEComing SoonSALE
Heidi Red Potatoes To Eat Organic
Price range: £15.95 through £41.95 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
SALEComing SoonSALESALE
Arran Victory Potatoes to Eat Organic
Price range: £12.65 through £31.95 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Wendy Barrie is a cook, food writer & campaigner for local sustainable produce & biodiversity. Founder Director of award-winning Scottish Food Guide, Scottish Cheese Trail & Scottish Farm Shops, Wendy is also Leader for Slow Food Ark of Taste & Cooks Alliance in Scotland, IGCAT Global Experts Network member, co-founder of Scottish Bread Championship & pioneer of East Ayrshire Council’s school lunch programme. She has co-written “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook,” with her husband, on regenerative food production, available online & from selected farm shops.
Wendy has very kindly let us use some recipes on our site.
Pictures marked with * are (c) Wendy Barrie
Slow Food Scotland runs regular events from meals to tasting and educational visits, there is always something exciting on the calendar.
Peel Farm is owned and run by the Flemings, a third generation Angus farming family. Diversifying the farm in 1984, Frances Fleming started serving afternoon teas and local crafts from the farmhouse’s small sun parlour. Now run by Frances’ daughter, Claire, Peel Farm has flourished from its simple beginnings and now includes: the Coffee Shop, The Courtyard homeware and gift barn, the ice cream bothy, the farm shop and food hall, the nature trail – and luxury holiday cottages and glamping pods.
