Food Biadh

[Preseantair] Le iasgach a’ sgadain, cha mhòr air a dhol à bith anns na h-eileanan, b’ fheudar dha na h-iasgairean tionndadh gu iasgach eile, a’ mhòr-chuid a’ tionndadh gu iasgach mhaorach. Ach chan eil an gnìomhachas sin gun thrioblaidean ceangailte ris fhèin.

[Coinneach I MacLeòid] Bidh daoine eòlach air na naidheachdan a bhios anns a meadhanan mu dheidhinn a’ chunnairt a bha co-cheangailte air togail creachann is mar sin às a’ Chuan Sgìth bho chionn ùine ghoirid is mathaid gur e rud tha gu bhith ann a tha a’ tachairt gach bliadhna anns na mìosan as blàithe. Ach chan eil sin na chunnart, chan eil ceangal sam bith eadar an t-seòrsa cunnairt sin agus a bhith a’ togail feamainn ann an dòigh sam bith, ‘s ann air sgàth gur e bivalves a th’ anns na sligean a tha sin agus gu bheil iad a’ sìolachadh òtrachas no truailleadh sam bith a tha sa Chuan agus gu bheil iad gan glèidheadh airson ùine ghoirid agus mur eil iad ga chairteachadh as-dèidh ùine a-rithist agus tha iad sàbhailte an uair sin ach tha rannsachadh air sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air gach seachdain a’ dèanamh cinnteach gum biodh iad sàbhailte airson dìon a’ phobaill, ‘s ann a tha casg air a chur air a bhith togail chreachann is mathaid maoraich eile aig amannan dhen bhliadhna.

[Preseantair] Ach, air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, tha daoine fhathast a’ moladh nan dòighean traidiseanta, ‘s tha iad dhen bheachd nach eil sìon cho math ri biadh nàdarra na mara.

[An Canon Aonghas MacCuin] Tha mise a’ cleachdadh an liuthad as fhèarr san fheamainn agus bidh mi a’ tighinn an seo a h-uile bliadhna dhan lòn a tha seo. Nis, tha lòn a tha seo ìseal mar a tha e air tràigh reothairt. Chan eil seo a’ tighinn am bàrr ach mu dhà latha anns a h-uile mìos. Agus mar sin, bidh mi a’ tighinn an seo a chruinneachadh a h-uile sìon a dh’ fheumas mi. Tha dobhar a’ fàs na liathaig ann an seo. Tha a-nis an dobhar sin, chaidh am fear sin a thiormachadh, gabhaidh e a bhruich mar a tha e, gabhaidh e tiormachadh cuideachd. Ach tha am fear seo loma làn siùcair. Siùcar sònraichte anns an fhear seo. Agus tha e loma-làn den t-siùcar a tha sin. Agus cha chreid thu cho milis agus a tha e. Bhiodh daoine, an Èirinn gu h-àraidh, bhiodh iad a’ measgachadh seo le fionnlagan agus bhiodh iad a’ dèanamh seòrsa de dh’uisge-beatha dhiubh. Agus mar sin, tha am fear sin, prìseil, prìseil, prìseil math. Tha fear sin ann. Seall air an fhear ud a-nis.

[An Canon Aonghas MacCuin] Tha muinntir Donegal, muinntir Donegal, nì iad feum dhen sin agus ‘s e cairgean a th’ aca oirre, chondrus crispus, ach chan e a th’ ann idir. Tha seo math dhan bhodhaig agad, gu h-àraidh ma bhios tu ag òl cus. Tha e a’ cur lìnigeadh ùr air an stamag agad. Carson nach eil sinn a’ dèanamh feum dheth …an leisgean, o chionn, tha e nas fhasa a’ dol dhan bhùth agus bidh thu a’ ceannachd ann an sin. Tha mise an aois a tha mi trì fichead ‘s a seachd-deug am-bliadhna agus tha mi ag ithe an t-uabhas feamainn agus iasg agus maorach. Ma tha thu ag ithe iasg, tha thu aotram nad inntinn. Tha sin ann cuideachd. Daoine a tha ag ithe tòrr feòla, tha iad cho slaodach agus an lethid sin. Ach an duine a tha ag ithe iasg agus maorach agus feamainn, tha iad cho aotrom nan inntinn, tha mi cinnteach às an sin cuideachd, am measg a h-uile rud eile math is mòr.

Chaidh am prògram seo, Annlan, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2000.

[Presenter] With herring fishing, almost going out of fashion in the islands, the fishermen had to turn to other fishing, most of them turning to shellfish fishing. But that business is not without troubles.

[Kenneth I MacLeod] People will know of the news that has been in the media about the danger that was connected with collecting scallops and from the Minch a wee while ago and maybe the thing that was happening every year in the warmest months. But the danger is not, there is no connection between the sort of danger and in gathering seaweed in any way, it’s due to bivalves in the shells there and they propagate sewage or any pollution that is in the Minch and save it for a short time and it leaves after a short while and they are safe after that but the research studies are being done every week to make sure that they are safe for the public and the ban on collecting scallops and perhaps other shellfish at other times of the year.

[Presenter] But in the Highlands, people are still recommending old traditions, and they are of the opinion that there is nothing as good as natural food from the sea.

[Canon Angus MacQueen] I use most of the best seaweed and I come here every year to this pond here. Now this pond is low as it is in in the springtime beach. It doesn’t come to the top but for two days every month. And like that, I come here to collect everything that I can. Cress grows in this tangle here. That now is the cress, that one has dried out, it will do as it is, it will dry out too. But this one is full of sugar. Exceptional sugar in this one. And it is full of that sugar. And you would not believe how sweet it is. People, in Ireland especially, they mix is with bog myrtle and they make a sort of whiskey with it. And as such, that one is very, very, very good. That one. Look at that one.

[Canon Angus MacQueen] The people of Donegal, they make use of it and they call it carrageen, chondrus crispus, but that’s not what it is at all. This is good for your body, especially if you drink it. It puts a new lining on your stomach. Lazyness has put an end to that, because it is easier to go to a shop and buy it there. I am the age I am, 77 this year, and I eat a lot of it, seaweed and fish and shellfish. If you eat fish you are spritely in your mind. That’s true too. People who eat a lot of meat, they are slow and the like. But the man who eats fish, shellfish and seaweed, they are so spritely in their mind. I am sure of that too, amongst everything else great and good.

This programme, Annlan, was first broadcast in 2000.