If one can describe great weather as ‘a following wind’ this was how the gods smiled on Auchindrain’s first Food Fair over the weekend of 19th and 20th May.

In typical Auchindrain style, the event at the preserved farm township was a fusion of then and now, with traditional food production methods – like churning for butter and buttermilk and making griddle scones and clootie dumplings on a peat fire – blending their aromas with those of the here and now and the classics.

The scent of the lamb spit roast –  part of the buffet organised by Leanne Muldowney of Inveraray’s George Hotel – dominated the outdoors centre of the event up beside the wooden ‘Colt House’ that is a listed building in its own right.

Down inside the ultra-couth reception centre, with its gleaming and open stainless steel kitchen. Chef Andrew Maclugash performed a cookery demonstration – with mass tastings. He smoked a mackerel, made mackerel pate, oatcakes and nettle soup.

Andrew’s cheffing credentials are very interesting – you could say mouthwatering. He was a chef on the Hebridean Princess – and we know how high-end that is, travelling to all of the glorious nooks and crannies of the Scottish inshore and offshore coast with the ship. He then transferred to its sister ship and did the Carribbean side of the business. He now works on developing ‘ready meals’ for Waitrose, through a company contracted to deliver this service.

So when Helensburgh gets its new Waitrose, there will be a readymade Auchindrain connection through Andrew Maclugash’s impact on the ready meals available there.

Up at the buffet area, there were stalls and skills, with Jill Bowis spinning even more yarns than usual.

The sheep that provide the raw material looked curiously through the fence.

The stalls featured a Celtic art gift display, Paradise Kitchen preserves from the Isle of Seil, Pamela Airlie’s jewellery from Ford on Loch Aweside.

And the most spectacularly irresistible (we fell at first sight) collection of cup cakes from two Inveraray women who just do this as a favour for a select few special events.

Karol Chodorowski from Eastern Poland who is one of the two new members of staff, churned butter in the thatch-roofed Bel Pol’s cottage.

Sheena McAlister from the Campbeltown Heritage Centre made wonderful griddle soda scones and clootie dunplings over peat fires in one of the cottages.

Both were served – as were all of the stall holders, the buffet and the arriving visitors at the gate by the hard working and cheerfully good mannered 14th Midlothian and Bonnyrigg scout troop.

They laboured endlessly with buckets of water hauled around the long township to all who needed it. They helped the spinner and the Inverclyde Gaelic Waulkers and they guided visitor parking.

Their camp site down by the burn below the Colt House was a bright splash of alien colour – and some of them had managed to get permission to sleep in the box beds in a couple of the cottages that night.

As the last of the visitors dallied with the griddle scones, little groups of the 14th Midlothian and Bonnyrigg legion slid politely behind backs topping up the peat fires. They wanted to be sure of a warm night. They’d heard the stories of the troop’s 2011 experiences when, in dreadful weather one of their tents became a kite and the boys who slept in the cottages were colder than those in the tents.

Eva Paterson (Swedish, now a resident Scot, snaffled up by a smart Loch Fyneside farmer)  who runs the catering service at Auchindrain, was on hand to support the buffet operation and meet old friends.

Bob Clark, Auchindrain’s Development Manager was everywhere but made sure he got to the butter shortly after it emerged from the churn, He had earlier welcomed Argyll and Bute’s MSP, Michael Russell to the event.

Cathy Wilson of Islay’s Ailsapress, dropped in with visitors from near Munich who were going on to stay the night in Kilmartin – because Bayern were playing Chelsea and they could catch it live if they waited to take the Islay ferry the next morning. (Given the result, we’d better say no more on this topic.)

Storyteller, the magnificent Padraig MacNeil, told us about Stirling twinning with Galway in the west of Ireland and sending over the Wallace sword for the agreement between the two towns to be signed on.P{adraiog has been commissioned to write a poem to commemorate the marriage – in Scots and Irish Gaelic and on the Doric. He gave us a sneak preview in song and recitation . This will definitely be an event to witness.

Residents from across Mid Argyll and Cowal mingled with visitors from all parts – some maxing out with a parallel visit to the established Loch Fyne Food Fair running at the head of the loch.

There were people everywhere, the Auchindrain livestock attracted cameras and a wary eye to those horns. They had some visitors VERY attracted by the smell of the Lamb Rolls.

On the second day there was a shinty match played by the Camanach Cup winning Inveraray Club on the field which Karol had cut two days earlier; and Cowal’s Walking Theatre Company amazed and astounded its audience as it towed them around the township, anxious to miss nothing.

All in all, this was a major success for Auchindrain and its unsleeping team – and a very enjoyable (and well  fed) experience for everyone.

And if you want cute…