Glorious Howe of Fife Food

Scotland, indeed Fife, has one of the best natural larders in the world, producing quality seafood, lamb, game, dairy, fruit and vegetables all year round.

The Howe is of course farming heartland, with a rich heritage of food and agriculture that has shaped the landscape and the local economy for the last 100 years and more.

As well as quality food producers the Howe is also home to some great food retailers, cafés, farm shops, restaurants and markets. All of which that make buying and eating local produce easy peasy.

If you're not a regular consumer of quality local produce, you're missing out! Read on to find out why, where and how you can buy glorious local food. 

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Also check out local chef Christopher Trotter's advice on

• >  what's in season
• >  where to buy quality local produce, and
• >  great seasonal recipes

in the following monthly newsletters, produced especially for this web portal.

October 08   &   November 08

(click to download, opens in new window)
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  So why buy local?

• Buying local is simply buying food produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible
• Buying locally produced food helps producers in the region maintain a well established rural way of life
• It gives the economy a much needed boost by keeping money within the community, sustaining local businesses and creating jobs for people who live here
• Locally produced food has travelled fewer miles to reach us - this means a smaller carbon footprint & less environmental pollution
• It may also be fresher, healthier and more nutritious, having been spared lengthy periods of storage, chilling and travel
• Culturally, local food has its own ‘story', bringing a shared meaning at mealtimes and a deeper connection to the land.

In short, buying and eating local, is environmentally friendly, healthy and fun!

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How to buy local?

1. Check out Fife Farmers' markets at  

• Cupar for delicious and local fresh food. 9am to 1pm on the 3rd Saturday of every month at Bonnygate Car Park, Cupar
• St Andrews, 9am to 1pm on the 1st Saturday of every month in Argyle Street Car Park, St Andrews
• Dunfermline, 9am to 1pm on the 2nd Saturday of every month at The Glen Gates, Bridge St, Dunfermline
• Kirkcaldy, 9am to 1pm on the the last Sat of every mon in The Town Square, Kirkcaldy

2. Shop locally and take advantage of fantastic local specialist food producers and retailers, including

• Fletchers of Auchtermuchty, seriously good (and award winning) venison home reared in extensive pastures. Choose from joints, casseroles, steaks, mince, sausages, burgers and much more. Available via the Reediehill farm shop, via the telephone, by ordering online or at local Farmer's markets
• R H Water & Sons (Butchers), Ladybank - small, traditional high quality butchers (a member of The Guild of Q Butchers) producing most of its products on the premises. Specially selected scotch beef, lamb and pork all well hung and matured, plus its large selection of BBQ & cooked products (steak pies, quiche, macaroni, curry etc). Attracts customers from all over NE Fife. Also sells local fruit and veg.
• Luigino's, Falkland - Italian delicatessen where you can pick up home baked bread and freshly made pasta; wood-fired pizza, rich coffee and yum hot chocolate!
• The Wee Bakers, Falkland - local bakers and confectioners with hot and cold snacks to take away all day
• Pillars of Hercules Farm & Cafe, Falkland - an organic farm occupying 6 hectares on Falkland Estate which grows salads and veg, plus supplies free range eggs and Xmas turkeys
• Bellfield Organic Nursery, Strathmiglo - A family run business operating a box scheme for organic vegetables plus organic fruit, bread, eggs and milk

3. Visit a variety of farm shops. Local institutions include

• Pillars of Hercules Farm & Cafe, Falkland - for organic wholefoods, eggs, fruit, veg, chilled & frozen foods, eco-friendly household products, plus wine & beer
• Jamesfield Organic Farm, Abernethy - claims to stock the widest selection of organic produce in Scotland including groceries, fruit & vegetables, jams & chutneys, breads & scones, coffees & teas, pastas, pulses & sauces, wines & beers, confectionary & biscuits, cheeses, milk and ice-creams, plus organic meats (beef, lamb, pork and free-range poultry)
• Muddy Boots, Balmacolm - stocks fresh local and seasonal produce including fruit and vegetables and chilled and frozen foods. Also has a family friendly tea-room and heaps of outdoor family entertainment

4. For the freshest of berries why not pick your own fruit?

• Cairnie Fruit Farm, by Cupar has strawberries, raspberries, black/redcurrants, gooseberries, tayberries and for 2009 brambles & cherries, all available to pick or to purchase ready-picked.  Also mega maize and children's activities plus farm shop & tea room.

5. Enjoy local produce prepared by chefs in local restaurants, including 

• Tranquility Restaurant, Freuchie - An Eat Safe award winner, famous for its meringues and strawberry tarts (which are made on the premises, as well as its pre-Xmas lunches (be sure to book for these)
• Lomond Hills Hotel, Freuchie - its candlelit restaurant has an A La Carte menu serving a wide range of Scottish produce, including salmon, steak, venison, oysters and more
• The Gateside Inn, Gateside - with an a la carte menu, bar menu, Sunday Roast and High Tea menu on offer, there's something for everyone at this well-known Scottish country inn
• The Malt Barn Inn, Newton of Falkland - famous for its French-style flambé dishes, the Malt Barn has a choice of day and evening menus and uses locally grown and organic produce where possible
• The Tannochbrae Tearoom, Auchtermuchty - Scottish cuisine sourced locally & served in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. A tearoom during the day, the Tannochbrae draws its blinds in the evening to serve intimate candle-lit dinners (available by advance booking). BYOB in the evening. 
• The Forest Hills Hotel, Auchtermuchty - established in 1738, this hotel's restaurant has an olde-worlde atmosphere with oak-beamed ceilings, large Flemish murals and candle-lit tables

6. Pop into a local café or tearoom for the best in snack meals and home-baking, including

• Kind Kyttocks Kitchen, Falkland - Multi award winning tearoom whose menu has a Scottish flavour. Baking fresh every day
• Pillars of Hercules Farm & Cafe, Falkland - everything here is organic & vegetarian including soups, salads, toasties, paninis & yummy brownies
• The Hayloft Tearoom, Falkland -  freshly prepared soups, sandwiches, light meals and home made cakes scones
• Taste Cafe & Takeaway, Auchtermuchty - ideal for a quick bite, tel orders welcome
• The Tannochbrae Tearoom, Auchtermuchty - light meals and delicious home baking
• Tranquility Restaurant, Freuchie - hot and cold meals and snacks served at your table
• Scottish Deer Centre Courtyard Café, Bow of Fife - range of family friendly meals and snacks from this Healthyliving Award winner
• Buzz's Bistro at Fife Animal Park, Collessie - a popular café and restaurant by day with licensed bar and evening meals on request
• Kirsty McLellan Coffee Shop & Gallery, Gateside - situated in the historic Gateside Mills building, enjoy a coffee whilst you browse arts & crafts

• Muddy Boots, Balmalcom - home baking and daily specials featuring fresh, seasonal farm produce. Plus the addition of a new conservatory will mean there's more room for lunch this winter.

7. How about a pint of real Scottish ale and a hearty meal at some of our renowned pubs?

• Albert Tavern, Freuchie (award winning ale, no food)
• Lomond Hills Hotel, Freuchie
• The Forest Hills Hotel, Auchtermuchty
• Cycle Tavern, Auchtermuchty
• Ladybank Tavern, Ladybank (Cook Safe & Eat Safe awards)
• Lomond Tavern, Falkland
• The Stag Inn, Falkland
• Strath Tavern, Strathmiglo
• The Gateside Inn, Gateside

Of course there are many great food producers elsewhere in Fife, here are some of the favourites nominated by site visitors:

• Harvey Mcguires, Pitscottie
• Luvians, Cupar
• Puddledub Pork, Auchtertool
• East Neuk Seafood
• The Sun Gastro Bar & Restaurant, Cupar
• Loch Levens Larder, Milnathort
• Lochend Farm Shop, Scotlandwell
• Blacketyside Farm Shop, Leven

If your favourite local food producer or retailer is not listed here and deserves to be, please tell us and we'll add it.

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Can I have local food delivered to my door?

For those living rurally, popping out to the local shop is sometimes not an option. The following Howe producers have an on-line ordering facility making shopping from home convenient and accessible.

• Fletchers of Auchtermuchty - for various cuts of meat, sausages, pate, olives, venison parcels, veniburgers, smoked venison and much more. Delivery is £12 per order or FREE on orders over £125. Or you can order your venison on-line and collect it from our farm shop / at a local farmers market.
• Larderbytes - a virtual organisation, based in Freuchie, that manages local food supply chains and aims to deliver products into homes efficiently and via local producers. Its on-line ordering service enables you to select a range of local foods for delivery direct to your door. Sadly it doesn't run in Fife yet. But register your interest in joining the Fife network and we may see this helpful facility get here sooner rather than later.

At the following outlets you can place your order via the telephone or email and they will deliver to your door

• Jamesfield Organic Farm, Abernethy - choose from a large range of organic produce, and have it delivered to your door anywhere in the UK (minimum order £50). Products include organic and free range meats, organic fruit and vegetables; organic drinks, dairy, groceries, bakery, household, snacks, conserves, even pet food!
• R H Water & Sons (Butchers), Ladybank. Free local delivery of range of quality meat products as well as local fruit & vegetables.
• Bellfield Organic Nursery - Organic fruit & veg boxes delivered straight to your door the next day, fresh, healthy and very tasty. Prices from £10 including delivery.
• Pillars of Hercules Farm & Cafe - a good selection of organic vegetables, salad and some fruit, delivered direct to your door (anywhere in Fife) for £15. Produce is seasonal and where possible from their own farm, though in winter this is supplemented with some imported produce for variety.
• Double M Dairies - Strathmiglo - delivers milk and dairy products on a daily basis around the Howe.

It is important to us that we make accessing local food as easy as possible. So if your Howe business delivers food or offers an on-line ordering facility and is not listed here, please tell us. Thank you.

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What's happening with food in Fife?

The simple answer is loads! There are websites aplenty with information on food in Fife and further afield. Here's a few you may want to check out.

• The Fife Diet - a network of local people committed to eating food only from Fife for a year and documenting their experiences. There's heaps of info on this blog re where you can buy great Fife produce - well worth a look.
• WECAN! "Food for Fife" Project - supports local community groups in establishing new food initiatives which are aimed at tackling inequalities in diet and health.
• Buy Local Eat Local a Fife Council initiative to showcase the best of Fife's high quality produce
• Slow Food Fife - Established in Aug 08, this group of Fife food enthusiasts promote slow food and organise events for the exchange information about good food and drink in the area.

More food related websites

• What's on your PLATE? - the campaign for Scottish food and farming with info on what's in season, favourite recipes and more.
• Healthyliving Award - award scheme designed to make it easier for all of us to eat more healthily when we eat out by clearly identifying healthier food on the menu.
• Slow Food Edinburgh - Slow Food Fife's sister group. Promotes an attitude to food which values locally grown produce, eating food in season, small-scale artisan producers and non-industrialized farming
• Fairtrade UK - with news of Fairtrade events, schools, retail products and wholesale suppliers in Scotland and beyond
• Soil Association Scotland - an environmental charity which promotes sustainable, organic farming and healthy eating. Find out which farms and suppliers are certified organic by the soil association and where to buy local, organic food throughout Scotland
• Farm Shop UK - directory of farm shops and facilities around Scotland plus events, recipes and more
• Veg Box Recipes - full of recipes that work with veg boxes, farm shops, farmers' markets and allotments.
• Why Organic? - a wealth of knowledge on organic suppliers, visiting organic farms, seasonal recipes and ideas for family days out
• Eat Scotland - the Visit Scotland guide to eating and drinking in Scotland
• Scottish Food in Season - highlights the quality in Scotland's natural ingredients, links this through to suppliers, delis, producers, farmers' markets and shops, and then to plate (recipes etc).
• Forth Valley Food Links - the latest news and information on developments towards a sustainable local food economy for the Forth Valley area of Scotland
• Health promoting schools - Scotland's school dinners are improving to provide children with the best possible start in life and help them develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime
• Food and Health Alliance - managed by NHS Health Scotland and supported by the Scottish Executive and Food Standards Agency Scotland, this network represents the range of stakeholders involved in implementing a multi-sector, food-chain based food and health strategy.

The above list is not exhaustive, and is based on the information available at the time of writing. If you know of a local food producer, are part of a food-related organisation, or have info you feel should be featured here, please, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you.