Cat supports campaign to urge shoppers to re-discover Scotch Lamb PGI

One of Scotland’s favourite TV presenters, Cat Cubie, was in Dumfries this week to encourage shoppers to re-discover the delicious versatility of Scotch Lamb.

Glasgow-based Miss Cubie, best known for presenting the BBC Scotland weather and Euromillions lottery on BBC1, joined Scotch Lamb ambassadors to tempt consumers with tasty samples as part of a Scotland-wide Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) sampling campaign.

Due to the exceptionally wet weather conditions last year, which delayed lambs being ready for market, there is a late supply of Scotch Lamb currently available for shoppers to enjoy.

Every day this month the sampling team will be in a different store, covering the length and breadth of Scotland, to show the public how simple it is to cook succulent, tender Scotch Lamb and hand out recipe leaflets packed with simple dish ideas to take home.

The loin of Scotch Lamb is being cooked very simply at the demonstrations, fried in front of shoppers with a touch of oil and basted in a selection of flavoured butters ranging from orange and rosemary to garlic and thyme and chilli, parsley and garlic.

During the next fortnight the brand ambassadors will continue their journey around Scotland, taking in the Borders; the Lothians; Tayside; Fife; Aberdeenshire, Inverness; and Morayshire.

Miss Cubie is also visiting farms to hear more about the traceability and quality assurance behind Scotch Lamb and local sheep farmers Hugh and Linda Hamilton, who run 2160 Blackface ewes at Glenmanna Farm near Thornhill, joined the Dumfries sampling session.

Mr Hamilton said: “I’ve farmed all my life and weather plays a huge part in the job I do. When the weather is on your side the job is very satisfying but when it goes against you, as it has recently, it can be very difficult so it’s great to see Cat supporting Scottish sheep producers and getting behind the Scotch Lamb brand.”

As she shared her enthusiasm with shoppers Miss Cubie, said: “We have a fabulous natural product - with full traceability and quality assurance - on our doorstep and so it’s hard to understand why we Scots eat much less lamb and sheepmeat than consumers elsewhere in the UK.

“I’ve enjoyed being involved in the tasting session today and meeting Dumfries shoppers. It’s been really encouraging to hear their positive feedback on the samples, especially from those who thought they didn’t like lamb.”

As well as this consumer-facing campaign, QMS activity at ScotHot in the SECC earlier this month ensured Scotch Lamb was high profile at Scotland’s main hospitality event and showcased to well-known top chefs and the chefs of the future.

“Scotch Lamb, with its Protected Geographical Indication status, has become revered world-wide as a quality, premium product representing the outstanding quality of produce available from Scotland.

“Selecting the Scotch Lamb label means the produce comes with a promise that it has been born, reared and slaughtered in Scotland. Consumers can also be confident the lamb has been produced under robust quality assurance standards,” said Laurent Vernet, QMS Head of Marketing.

For more information on how to cook with Scotch Lamb download Quality Meat Scotland’s free ‘Perfect Steaks and Roasts’ app.  The new app includes easy-to-follow instructions, top tips and shortcuts for aspiring cooks of all levels of experience.

A selection of recipes is also available by visiting www.scotchbeefandlamb.com