Forget the Mediterranean diet, I’m eating only food from Shetland for a month
1 hour ago
By John Johnston, BBC Scotland News, Lerwick
Could you survive a month eating only food produced in your local area? It would be challenging enough on the mainland. But Dr Alex Armitage is doing it in Shetland.
As part of Shetland Food Month, the consultant paediatrician has taken on the task of surviving on just local produce for the entire month of September. He’s already ventured out on his kayak to catch fish, foraged for mushrooms and berries, and savoured vegetables from a neighbour’s croft.
Dr Armitage, who is also a councillor with the Scottish Greens, grew up in London, where stories of his grandmother’s childhood in Shetland captivated him. He was fascinated by how people thrived on the archipelago, more than 100 miles north of the Scottish mainland.
Now, the islands rely heavily on regular deliveries of food transported by the Northlink ferry from Aberdeen. However, Dr Armitage is concerned that increasingly turbulent seas could leave Shetland cut off for prolonged periods, potentially depleting supermarket shelves.
"If we had a week where the ferry doesn’t come to Shetland and Tesco runs out of food, what would happen if that happened for longer? Could people actually survive on Shetland produce? I thought I’d test that out."
He began his culinary adventure with a hearty breakfast: egg, fish, and vegetables "fired up" in Shetland butter. He also whipped up Eggs Florentine with donated eggs and fried some traditional Shetland herring.
Most of the food he’s consumed has been generously donated, but he does purchase local milk and cream from a nearby shop.
Dr Armitage sees this challenge as an opportunity to delve deeper into Shetland’s food stories. He’s been out foraging for mushrooms, gathering blackberries, and fishing with his kayak.
"Shetland tatties are my favourite source of carbohydrate, without a shadow of a doubt. Getting other sources of carbohydrates is the challenge."
