Festival puts Angus produce centre stage

The week-long event will encourage producers to work with venues to showcase the amazing food and drink to be found in the area.

Fiona Walsh, one of the event organisers from Appetite for Angus, said: “We are so lucky to have such a wealth of amazing food and drink on our doorstep. With the best berries grown in our fields, world famous PGI status Arbroath Smokies and a plethora of innovative food and drink producers, we are spoilt for choice.

"It makes for the ideal place to host a festival, with a real focus on provenance and collaboration.”

With funding from Scotland Food & Drink, and support from Angus Council, the festival aims to encourage local sourcing of ingredients, and championing local food and drink in hospitality menus throughout the county.

Fiona added: “Consumers are growing more and more aware of how far their food has travelled to make it on to their plate, they are keen to see local produce on menus and on the shelf of their local farm shop.

There will be a wide range of events happening throughout the week-long festival, with a information posted to a dedicated website and on the event’s Facebook page, @atasteofangusfestival.

Public events will begin on November 4 with a producer night market at Charleton Fruit Farm in Montrose, which will also run throughout Sunday for those unable to make the evening event.

A coffee and chocolate pairing event at Hospitalfield is also planned for the same day, hosted by Forfar-based chocolate maker Chloe Oswald of Chocolatia and Angus’s first coffee roastery, Sacred Grounds of Arbroath. Further events include a pop-up restaurant by Rae’s and a “Great Taste” celebration dinner at Wee Cook .

The public is encouraged to keep an eye on the Taste of Angus Festival page on Facebook, where information about events will be posted regularly. Growers, producers, hospitality venues and retail outlets across Angus are encouraged to email [email protected] to find out how they can take part.