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The
Sozzled Sole
 THERE'S a new bar in town. It is big, it is bold and
it is right on the pier. True, it smells a bit of fish most mornings.
But in early August Lerwick Fishmarket will be scrubbed down
and spruced up for its new temporary role as a haven for hungry
and thirsty souls.
Most of the Shetland fishing fleet will be tied up for the week
of the tall ships' visit, but any boats who need to land fish
will be berthed further along the harbour and their catches taken
by road to Scalloway fishmarket.
This will leave a great, cavernous space in Lerwick for a bar
area measuring an incredible 70 metres long. A large, wide ramp,
suitable for wheelchairs, will be built on the landward side
of the fishmarket, to lead customers into the centre of the action.
Right outside, at the south end of the building will be one of
the open-air stages, providing toe-tapping, non-stop musical
entertainment through the day and into the night. Wander a short
distance and you'll be in the heart of Trader's Village, outside
the Scottish Natural Heritage offices, among the stalls of crafts,
foods and local produce.
There will be plenty of snacks, meals and drinking holes to choose
from at both event sites. Shetland Fish Producers' Association
and the Shetland Salmon Farmers'Association are organising a
seafood barbecue. The maritime feast is to be cooked up by Raymond
Smith, from Monty's Bistro.
Cafes and bars along the Esplanade and Commercial Street will
be bringing a cosmopolitan air to the town, with plans to spill
out over the pavements and into the thick of things.
Caterer Stan Buchan is bringing up a fleet of trailers from Aberdeen,
selling all sorts of snacks including fast food, baked potatoes,
tacos, freshly baked donuts and ice cream. He is also bringing
a 36-foot-long American motorhome with a 20-foot awning for a
barbecue, where customers can savour the taste of native Shetland
lamb. The Shetland Agricultural Association is working with Stan
on this promotion. The decision to recruit the services of a
mainland-based caterer was not taken lightly. But Sail Shetland
felt that no single Shetland-based caterer could provide fast
food on the scale required. Stan Buchan has 10 years of experience
in this field and came highly recommended.
Message
in a bottle
TAKE a swig. Go on, you're in good company. The famous pale gold
Cutty Sark Scots Whisky is drunk throughout the world. An eye-watering
1.85 million cases were sold last year, making it the 8th best-selling
Scotch whisky worldwide. And now the amber nectar has reached
Shetland. Wholesalers Hughson Brothers have been selected by
the whisky's manufacturers Berry Bros and Rudd to supply the
drink in the isles.
Hughson Brothers director Drew Tulloch said they were seeking
to persuade all licensed premises in Shetland to stock Cutty
Sark Scots Whisky. The company has already had one promotional
push, just before Christmas, which saw many places putting the
drink on their shelves. Mr Tulloch is also hoping that smaller
shops in the country areas will take in a few bottles, which
are adorned with a picture of the distinctive Scottish clipper
ship, Cutty Sark. The ship, built in 1869, was the fastest sailing
ship of her day. Mr Tulloch said it was difficult to predict
how many cases the Shetland public could get through, but thought
that between 200 and 300 would be a likely target.
Berry Bros and Rudd is an independent family-controlled company
with considerable history and style. Established in 1698, it
is the oldest wine and spirit merchant in the UK and one of the
oldest in the world.
Cutty Sark whisky is made up of around 20 renowned single malt
whiskies, most of them from Speyside, and high quality grain
whiskies. The whisky is matured in the Highlands, predominantly
in American oak sherry casks.
And what does it taste like? According to those in the know,
the finished product has a fragrant aroma with hints of vanilla
and oak. It is smooth and fresh on the palate with a crisp clean
finish. So now you know.
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