There is growing interest in getting a “taste” of Scotland.  No longer are the castles, whisky and history the sole reasons for visitors to travel to our region.  The food and drink we produce in general as well as the growing number of top quality restaurants, cafes and pubs/bars in the region are proving to be a reason why visitors enjoy their exploration of the North East.

At Grampian Escapes & Tours we are working with a number of organisation to expand our food & drink tourism trails and we are planning several Taster Tours this year.  The first of these will be late spring, more details of this trip to follow.  These Taster Tours will feature several visits to food producers in the region to experience how the produce is made or reared and taste the range of products on offer.  Ultimately the tour will end with a dinner offering a tasting menu which will include a number of the products we have seen during the day.

Knowing where our food comes from and being sure the food we eat has been grown or made to the highest of standards has become important to many of us.  Being able to speak to the farmer who can share his/her passion for the produce helps us to understand there are subtleties of what makes their cheese unique for example.  This next month we’ll be visiting some great producers such as Aberdeenshire Highland Beef in Deeside and What’s for Tea Tonight farm shop in Laurencekirk amongst several others.  All of whom are dedicated to promoting local food and ensuring what we eat is the best possible.

Also don’t forget there are several fabulous famers markets in the regions which will be offering a wide range of products local to them, all of which are worth visiting.  There are several beer festivals and food & drink festival available during the year such as; Taste of Grampian in Inverurie, Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven and North Hop Aberdeen.  So be sure to plan a visit soon and make the most of what’s on offer.

Happy eating!