Lockerbie farmer Anthony Steel of Kirkwood at Dalton is making a special offer for local residents. … Anyone living near Lockerbie can get some outstanding lamb at half price; and there’s 40% off for those living elsewhere within D&G.
Moreover, this isn’t just normal lamb … this is shh’annu lamb. Shh’annu lamb has been attracting attention and being bought by the top chefs in Britain from Edinburgh to Kent.
Here’s what chefs with the highest possible accolade of three Michelin Stars, have said about shh’annu: “chops were very tender and tasty. The shoulder also had some lovely marbling”, “Flavour and quality undoubtedly very very high..” and “Best tasted in England” (from a French chef!).
Alain Roux of Waterside Inn, with 3 Michelin Stars offered a quote: “Shh’annu lamb is a very good quality meat offering tasty, distinct flavours. It has a slightly firm but tender texture and a juicy sweetness. The samples I shared with my team were very enjoyable”.
Last year Kirkwood sold shh’annu to 11 Michelin Star restaurants. This year demand is even higher, and whilst it’s good news for Kirkwood, it is also good news for locals. Anthony Steel explains:
“Just about every week till Christmas when sending large orders to the restaurants, we will have a few extra joints or cuts from the lambs….. legs, shoulders, or mince etc. This is an ideal opportunity for those local to us to fill up their freezers.”
“Last week for example we had 21 legs left over as 3 restaurants wanted more racks and cutlets than legs. Local people, who were able to collect, snapped them up like hotcakes! This week we will have several extra shoulders and a couple of legs I think. Next week it might be chops.”
“So send an email to [email protected] to tell us that you are interested, and then we will send emails weekly to tell you what’s available.”
Mr Steel says he doesn’t have enough of these extraordinarily tasty lambs – shh’annu lambs are treated specially during their lives, are from a unique composite breed, are killed older than most lambs, and carcasses are hung in a careful way. One restaurant he reports wants 40 racks a week.
When he sent samples out, not one, but two, Michelin Star chefs, came back with almost the same words: “We get sent hundreds of samples here but I have never tasted anything as good as this!” Nicola Braidwood, who has held a Michelin star for 20+ years: “loved the shh’annu especially the chops, sweet and delicate as tenderness and we recommend it”. Two more comments from chefs: “amazing samples. Really impressive stuff.” and one who specialises in rare breed sheep said: “delicious – old full flavoured but super tender – awesome!” Another said “Thanks for the samples. I have to say they blew me away!” and one more “Totally delicious! An awesome product.” While Paul Kitching wrote: “a James Heriott lamb, bygone age lamb, with clean, wild, precise meatiness; an intense burning flavour on the palette. It is pure, real, nostalgic and free.”
Currently shh’annu is often on the menu at amazing restaurants such as Starkfood.co.uk in Kent, Ynyshir.co.uk in Wales, theDysartPetersham.co.uk in Richmond, London or Condita.co.uk in Edinburgh. Also serving shh’annu is Morstonhall.com in Norfolk, and Winteringhamfields.co.uk in Lincolnshire.
