Shetland.org

Food and Drink

Keen cooks know that the Shetland larder is particularly well-stocked. We have wonderful seafood and meat, of course, but we also have other, less predictable, good things. That said, Shetland’s produce deserves to be better known and renewed efforts are now being made to ensure that consumers are aware of what we have and can find it in the best outlets.

Fishing

Fishing is, and always has been, at the core of Shetland’s economy. Annually, it’s worth roughly a quarter of a billion pounds. The islands are surrounded by some of the most productive and cleanest seas in the world. For generations, the industry was based on hunting fish at sea, a pursuit that has always been uncertain and often risky.

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Aquaculture

Since the 1970s, however, fish farming has developed in the islands’ sheltered voes (sea-lochs). The species most commonly farmed is salmon but other species such as sea trout are also grown. Shellfish farming has also become established and Shetland produces excellent mussels, grown on ropes with no artificial assistance, that find a ready market across the UK and farther afield.

Agriculture

Shetland’s land is mostly suited to extensive grazing. The dominant agricultural activity is sheep rearing but we also have herds of dairy and beef cattle. As in the rest of Europe, the pattern of livestock production has been heavily influenced by the nature of agricultural subsidies and, until recently, the emphasis was on volume for live export. The balance has recently shifted in favour of a lower stocking regime that offers more opportunity for the finishing of high-quality stock and the better management of the environment.

Shetland’s particular speciality is our pure-bred native sheep, which is a small animal particularly well-suited to Shetland conditions. It produces notably lean meat with a wonderful depth of flavour. The secret is in the special quality of the grazing: heather, salt-misted grass and, sometimes, seaweed. Shetland breeders are gradually introducing native lamb to specialist butchers throughout the UK and it’s also beginning to appear on restaurant menus. At present, however, most lambs are exported for finishing in the north-east of Scotland.

Dairy Produce

Shetland dairy farms produce most of the milk used in the islands. There’s local butter, yoghurt and ice-cream, too, with cheese production imminent.

Local Varieties

Although most fruit and vegetables are imported, local produce is available. The south mainland is well-known for potatoes, especially the traditional Shetland Black, which is steadily winning new admirers. Carrots, cabbages, kale and turnips are grown and salad leaves, herbs and strawberries are raised under glass or in polytunnels. Rhubarb grows so well in Shetland that a recipe book has been devoted to it. Among cereal crops, the most distinctive is bere (Hordeum vulgare), an ancient variety of barley that is reckoned to be the oldest cereal variety cultivated in Britain, if not the world.

All of this produce is available and is used locally. As elsewhere, there’s a growing interest and pride in food that’s local and has been grown under the most natural conditions.

Local Bakeries and a Brewery

One of the nice things about living in Shetland is the range of locally-produced bread, cakes and biscuits; we’re lucky to have several local bakeries scattered around the islands. Recently, though, there have been some more unusual additions to the Shetland table. Chocolate, fudge and other confectionery including the enticing ‘Puffin Poo’ have appeared. We also have a micro-brewery on the island of Unst and there is talk of at least one distillery, something that we’ve hitherto lacked. Shetland botanicals are already used in gin that’s distilled in Scotland.