On a Friday night in the summer local people and visitors at St Peter’s Hall in Daliburgh, South Uist, for a special event. The Ceòlas community group is putting on an evening local food as well as local music.

It starts with a chance for everyone to the products of various food in the Western Isles. Maclean’s Bakery is based in Benbecula, though it supplies shops throughout the Uists, and beyond. The Hebridean Smokehouse is based in North Uist. Salar, who also specialise in , are based in South Uist. And Kallin Shellfish are based in Grimsay.

After the “starters” comes the “main course”, a cookery using these local foods. The demonstration is conducted entirely in Gaelic, but for simultaneous into English are available at the door. The compère for the evening is Mary Macinnes. She starts by inviting to help themselves to more food and wine before the demonstration begins.

The translation is provided by the Ceòlas administrator, Mary Ellen Stewart. The demonstration is to be given by Isabel Graham, a well-known cook and , from the Orasay Inn.

For obvious reasons, is a speciality of the islands. Isabel uses a lot of fish and in her cooking. This could be freshly caught, for example monkfish, or smoked salmon, or scallops – or a of all of these. Everyone follows what she does closely. Crab is also important, and very popular.

As the evening draws on everyone gets to Isabel’s cooking. Even Mary Ellen gets to relax a little. The food is shared out, and the Ceòlas musical director Iain Macdonald gets his too.

Finally, before the music starts, Mary thanks everyone who has to the evening. The food was all provided free of charge, and Mary encourages everyone to make more use of fresh Uist food.

To finish off Iain Macdonald plays some tunes with local and visiting musicians. Iain, who lives in Benbecula, is around the world as a leading Scottish traditional musician on both pipes and flute. Here, in his own community, he can relax in the company of friends. It’s hard to imagine a better way to finish off a good meal.