Published on : Thursday, June 5, 2014
With the landmark 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn just weeks away, a Scottish secondary school and the 2014 Food & Drink campaign today (4 June) dished up hearty fare to prepare troops for battle day and officially launch the Land of Food and Drink at Bannockburn Live (28 & 29 June).
The Bannockburn Banquet, consisting of a traditional hog roast, saw first year pupils from St Thomas of Aquin’s High School in Edinburgh join together in a theatrical and culinary tribute to the Battle of Bannockburn. Encompassing skills from across the curriculum, pupils educated guests on the best of Scotland’s traditional music, heritage and natural larder.
Award-winning chef and 2014 Food & Drink ambassador Neil Forbes helped the combatants prepare for the re-enactment by showcasing the best of Scotland’s food and drink heritage and exploring the comparable offerings of the staple diet from 1314 through to today. The chef demonstrated the seasonal produce that would have been eaten in those days, such as wild salmon, apples, barley, oats and kale, and how this would have been cooked in the 14th century.
The Banquet marks the announcement of the 22 local Scottish suppliers that will make up in the Land of Food and Drink at Bannockburn Live. Thousands of visitors to the unique event on 28-29 June – which boasts headline music acts such as Julie Fowlis and Dougie Maclean as well as the biggest ever live re-creation of the Battle of Bannockburn – will devour a myriad of Scottish delicacies from Perthshire lamb and beef, Hebridean seafood, traditional treats such as clootie dumpling and shortbread through to Scottish reared buffalo and pies with provenance.
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Food and Drink Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland is a nation rich in history with a wealth of exceptional food and drink. The Bannockburn Banquet and Land of Food and Drink Village at Bannockburn Live offer the ideal opportunity to learn about Scotland’s seasonal specialities both now and through the ages. Through these events we can celebrate our proud heritage and culinary traditions, inspiring more Scots and Scots-at-heart to explore our phenomenal natural larder in this, our second Year of Homecoming.”
Sharing his foodie expertise Neil Forbes explained: “Scotland is blessed with outstanding produce and passionate producers. With so many iconic products and regional specialities being served throughout the last 700 years, it’s no wonder Scotland is encouraged to take advantage of its fantastic natural larder. Stories about our food heritage, culture, people and produce conjure a sense of pride, and so, commemorating the Battle of Bannockburn seems like the perfect event fit to inspire young people across the country to eat Scottish.”
VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said: “Bannockburn Live is a feast for all the senses and none more so than taste with this extraordinary line-up of suppliers providing hot food, fine delicacies and tempting treats. With such a packed line up for this stunning event, there will be lots of hungry visitors and warriors to feed and I have no doubt the Land of Food and Drink will cater to every need!”
St Thomas of Aquin’s, which was awarded funding through the Food for Thought: Education Fund, brought together the talents of 170 pupils across a range of academic departments to explore the rich Scottish history and the delectably rich larder Scotland has to offer.
Margaret Winders, teacher and event organiser at St Thomas of Aquin’s High School said: “Sharing in Scotland’s national celebration of the second anniversary of Homecoming is proving to be a great opportunity to engage our pupils in Scotland’s heritage. This interdisciplinary project is showing them the importance of homecoming and, conveying the times and events surrounding the Battle of Bannockburn has created a wonderful opportunity to educate pupils in the food heritage of Scotland through the Food for Thought fund, while allowing them to work with an inspiring Scottish chef.”
Suzanne Hargreaves, Senior Education Officer, Health and wellbeing said: “Education Scotland is delighted to work in partnership with Scottish Government and Scottish Business in the Community to fund and support establishments around food education. This is an excellent example of how the funding has been used to build the confidence and capacity of practitioners. It is encouraging to see a real commitment towards sustained partnership working within the learning community to enhance food education for learners.”
From Friday 27 – Sunday 29 June, all eyes will be on Stirling as it hosts a spectacular weekend of events including Pipefest (27 June), the Armed Forces Day National Event (28 June) and Bannockburn Live (28-29 June).
The weekend provides an un-missable showcase of 700 years of history, pride in our armed forces, and will create a significant tourism boost to the city and surrounding area in 2014, the year of Homecoming Scotland.
Bannockburn Live, organised by VisitScotland and Unique Events, is expected to welcome up to 20,000 people over the weekend with a feast of music, battle performances, food and drink and family entertainment planned from 10am – 7pm.
Source:- VisitScotland
Tags: VisitScotland
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