Sustainability. Slow living. Eco credentials. When Anja Baak and her husband Jan Jacob set up their charcuterie business in 2003, these were not the buzzwords they are today. But a move from the Netherlands to rural Scotland – Spean Bridge, to be precise - opened their eyes and showed them their true calling. "We'd been looking to move out of the city, so when Jan Jacob was offered a job as an estate manager in the Highlands, it felt like the opportunity had come at the right time,” recalls Anja. This was in 2000; they packed up their lives, said goodbye to their friends and set off with their three young daughters to begin a new chapter.
“Part of Jan Jacob's job was the management of deer on the land,” Anja continues. "Venison was not so widely eaten back then, and he wanted to find ways to add value and preserve the life of the product.” Jan Jacob had begun experimenting with the Dutch tradition of curing meats, just as a hobby at first then a lot more seriously as he hit on a successful balance of flavours, textures and techniques. Great Glen Charcuterie was born, quickly winning numerous awards for its products and the enterprising couple behind it.
Such success had felt unlikely at the start. “We spoke to a Dutch butcher friend of ours about the idea and he wasn't sure we'd be able to make a venison salami, for instance, especially in the ‘pure' form that we wanted to," says Anja. “But, Jan Jacob was determined, and we were one of the first in the UK to do it.”
Denne historien er fra May - June 2022-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May - June 2022-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Escape BOATH HOUSE
An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels
CLEAN AND POLISH
Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space
JUST A HINT OF PINK
This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness
LAURA THOMAS
The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels
