ARRAN FINE FOODS (PATERSON ARRAN Ltd)

Factory and Kitchen Shop
The Old Mill, Lamlash, Isle of Arran, KA27 8LE
Contact: Christine Gupta
Tel: 01770 600606.....Fax: 01770 600225
Email: enquiries@paterson-arran.com Web:www.paterson-arran.com

Like Janet Keiller's decision to make marmalade, when faced with a glut of oranges, Ian and Janet Russell's response to a local farmer's bountiful crop of mustard was to pot it. They had come to Arran in the early 1970s to run the Old Pier Shop at Whiting Bay and making mustard was a useful off season income. Early production was in their domestic kitchen and their whole seed mustards, in the style of the French Moutard de Meaux, were finding a ready market. Though they have now sold the company, and run Arran Aromatics, it was from these early beginnings that today around 7 million pots are filled annually in a modern factory on the outskirts of Lamlash.

The range of mustards and preserves, which is constantly developing, has expanded into jellies, marmalades and chutneys though the Original Arran whole-seed Mustard remains the most popular in the range. My tour of the factory with Margaret Andrew, Technical Manager, began in the area where 200 odd non-perishable raw materials are stored. All fresh fruits and vegetables are stored frozen since none are grown on the island. Mustard now comes from Canada where cleaning and grinding to the required grades of 'heat' takes place. We are standing among giant plastic containers which hold a thousand litres of oil, brown bags of mustard, and sugar by the ton are piled high on the shelves. On a lower shelf there are some brown bags of a chemical - calcium lactate. "What's it for?' 'We use this with fruits which are low in calcium,' says Margaret Andrew. 'You need the correct balance of acid sugar, pectin and calcium to get a good set and some fruits are just too low in calcium.'

Factory policy is not to use artificial colourings or flavourings and they are now working towards eliminating any products which have been genetically modified. They also plan to make all products suitable for vegetarians very soon.

Now we have moved to the centre of the factory production and the first stop is
at the measuring-out area where the ingredients and methods are followed for each recipe. A raspberry preserve is cooking today. In the action centre of the factory, stainless steel, steam heated 'boilers', which look like miniature whisky pot stills, are boiling the preserve. All the raspberries have come from Rendalls of Blairgowrie. 160 kilos bubbles in two boilers and is then piped, when it reaches a 'set', to the jars waiting on the production line. The set is controlled to guarantee 45gms of fruit to every 100gms of preserve. There is intense noise from the production line and a sweet, fruity scent of bubbling fruit fills the air.

Product Range: Preserves including Raspberry, Wild Berry, Strawberry, Blackcurrant, Bramble and Pear, Rhubarb and Ginger. Marmalades including Orange, Vintage, Lime and Lemon, Orange and Carrot, Orange and Glengoyne, Mandarin and Cointreau, Bonnie Prince Charlie (thick cut), Robert Burns (thin cut with whisky) Mary Queen of Scots (thin cut with whisky). Mustards including Original, Herb, Malt Whisky, Beer, Extra Hot and Honey. Chutneys including Autumn Fruit, Plum, Rich Fruit with Brandy, Peach with Cinnamon, Apricot with Apple, Old English with Real Ale, Mango with Ginger, Chilli Tomato, Tomato, Garlic and Almond. (Shortbread and biscuits are made at the Livingston Factory).

Distribution: Retail and Wholesale. Delivery area: Local and National On Arran: Inspirations, Duchess Court Shops, Island Cheese Co, Gift Shop and Boutique (Brodick), Corrie Crafts and Antiques, Isle of Arran Distillery, Post Office (Lochranza), Gordon Bros.

Shop open all year, check winter opening times
Delivery area: Local and National
Shop open all year -
Mon-Fri 9.00-5.00, Sat-Sun 10.00-4.00, until 16th October
Wed-Sat 10.00-4.00, after 16th October