Food for thought

I AM an Edinburgher born and bred and have almost always been proud to say so. Since having taken my two young children along to the Edinburgh Festivals Cavalcade in Holyrood Park on Sunday for an afternoon of fun, I am very embarrassed. The Cavalcade itself was its usual delightful mix of pipe bands, professional shows and decidedly homespun arrangements. The kids loved it!

My source of discomfort was the disgraceful array of what the programme refers to as "catering". There were half a dozen trailers all selling the prerequisite burgers, hot dogs and chips for the princely sum of three to four pounds a pop.

As devotee of Edinburgh's fantastic Farmers' Market I am not adverse to paying such a price for a quality burger. These however, were of the pre-frozen, mass-produced variety that I for one would not allow my children to eat, with a side of frozen chips.

We as a nation have a wealth of some of the finest cuisine you'll find anywhere. Where was the gourmet porridge? Where were the haggis, neeps and tatties? Where were the stovies? Where was the seafood? Where, for that matter, were the Aberdeen Angus burgers?

S SORENSEN

Woodhall Road

Edinburgh