Uist’s new festival of food and writing takes place later this month.
This is the first year of the event titled Toradh (Gaelic for harvest) which sees the communities of North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist work together to put on a display of history, tradition, pride and creativity.
Over 40 events are planned from Thursday 24 August to Sunday 27 August including farmers’ markets to book fairs.
A beer festival is being staged while cheese making, a cookery demonstration and food foraging are also on the menu.
Local food producers will be showcased during the festival.
Prof. Magnus Course will talk about the deep-
Roddy Maclean is leading seashore foraging event, identifying seaweed species and shellfish which can be used as food by their Gaelic names. Wellies required.
On the Sunday, Father Michael MacDonald will conduct a blessing of the boats and fishermen’s mass at Lochboisdale marina.
Several intriguing panel discussions are planned: ‘Our Food, Our Future’ will be moderated by Iain Stephen Morrison (editor Am Pàipear) and include crofters, foodies and food thinkers from the Western Isles and beyond.
It will look at some of the forces driving local food production, and relate the
local scene to national trends. ‘Could Uist be a Land of Milk and Honey?’ will explore
alternatives for the croft -
Authors will discuss their writings at a book fair in Lìonacleit Library, and a special Uist Noire evening will take place with local mystery writers.
The full programme is at www.toradh.org
New food and writing festival
10 August 2017