Day six: living on local foods

Much has been made in recent times of the quality of food produced in Scotland and the need to cut down on "food miles".

Ice cream, apples and blueberries have been a Dumfries highlight

BBC reporters Angela Soave, in the Scottish Borders, and Giancarlo Rinaldi, in Dumfries and Galloway, have decided to set themselves a related test.

Over the space of a week they are trying to survive on only food produced from their respective regions.

Below are their reports on how they have fared so far.

Scottish Borders

Dumfries and Galloway

GIANCARLO RINALDI IN DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

It is a proud moment in the life of any Scots father - watching your daughter eat her first pie.

It is one of our great rites of passage like going to your first Queen of the South game, dipping your toes in the freezing water at Millport or treating your first midgie bite.

My little girl picked out the pie herself, a beautiful concoction of hard-boiled egg encased in sausage meat.

I was certain she would never eat it.

Like many five-year-olds she likes to make meal times a testing ground for her father's patience.

What takes three hours to lovingly prepare takes only seconds to be dismissed with an "I no like it".

Local food week saw Giancarlo's daughter eat her first pie

No such problems with the pie.

It was scoffed down in minutes making her uncle - something of a connoisseur of the pastry crust - immensely proud.

It was a definite highlight of my eat local week.

After falling off the wagon somewhat on Saturday night I have discovered a renewed resolve.

Mostly this is thanks to messages of support coming in from around the globe.

It seems like this local diet has touched a worldwide nerve.

And the Dumfries and Galloway food producers list just keeps getting longer and longer.

I freely admit to my shame at not knowing about a lot of these places before.

However, I can promise they will not be forgotten.

I am always the first to make a big deal out of my Italian culinary roots.

Indeed, colleagues will unkindly tell you that I rarely take less than two hours for a lunch break.

Don't they understand you can't hurry three courses?

Now I will also take to boasting about Scottish foodstuffs as well.

Once this week is over I am looking forward to bringing them into the pot along with my Italian recipes.

Should make for a great combination, I reckon.

Who knows, my daughter may even eat that too.

Giancarlo is on the lookout for suggestions of Dumfries and Galloway produce and where to get it.

Contact him at [e-mail] or click here.

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ANGELA SOAVE IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS

It's true what they say: second day soup does taste better.

Second day stew too, which I'm having for lunch - and probably tea too.

And it's such an easy, one pot dish. Why don't I make it more often?

The answer is that I usually buy a lot of things at the supermarket. But not meat - a mixture of defiance and past experience means I'd rather go to my local butcher.

But too often, I don't - working hours, shopping times etc. No excuse, really.

Yes, on day six, a pause for reflection. Tomorrow is my final day of eating only Borders produce.

I have to say, unlike some - et tu, Rinaldi? - I have stuck to the rules.

Melrose is a haven of small shops and is picturesque too

Although, I won't be sorry to forsake the local vino. I've even got used to drinking hot water rather than tea (not saying I like it).

So come Wednesday, will I go back to my previous diet? No.

I hadn't realised just how little local food I bought; that will change.

I've discovered some fabulous things - and got a raft of suggestions for even more.

But by and large these items are disappearing from our high streets.

The number of butchers is dwindling, as we forsake red meat for ready meals.

Fruit and veg shops? An endangered breed, here in the Borders.

And if we can't buy these goods, who'll bother to produce them?

There are towns where it is possible not only to eat well, but to shop well - and I'm lucky to have one on my doorstep.

Melrose still has bakers, a fruit shop, a fish shop and a couple of excellent butchers.

The hotels, restaurants and cafes use locally produced food.

A wee shop overlooking the abbey sells fantastic home baking and tablet - although its ice cream comes from Orkney (great, just not this week).

All this and downright picturesque too. But these days, I would say, unusual.

You can e-mail Angela at [e-mail] or by clicking here.

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