I was generously treated to lunch today in Roast, a celebrated trough in Southwark. When I arrived at our table I was handed a leaflet which read:

ORGANIC ORKNEY HEATHER FED LAMB

As part of our commitment to using the best produce that Britain has to offer, we are promoting the use of rare breeds and organic produce.

Today we have a Shetland breed lamb from the Orkney islands. The lamb was born in April on the Brown’s farm near Holm, overlooking Scapa Flow. They (sic) were killed last Thursday. They fed naturally, at their own pace on heather and grass.

Today we will roast the lamb and it will be served with Ramsey of Carluke award winning Haggis and Clapshot.

Having pondered this for a time, I decided to have beef. It’s always best, I find, to eat animals to whom one hasn’t been, as it were, introduced. I noted that neither of my companions chose lamb either.

Aside: If, like me, you were wondering what clapshot is, Google reveals that it’s a traditional Orkney recipe of potatoes and swede which is usually served with haggis.