From our Oct 28th edition

I visited the Good Food Show last weekend in Glasgow. It is a foodies’ dream come true with all sorts of produce from places the length and breadth of the land, there for people to sample and buy.

From rapeseed oil from Nigg, to spicy curries from Lanarkshire, ice cream from Perthshire, and the usual array of whiskies and beers from just about everywhere you can think of – although not too many from up here.

I suppose it is a long way for people to travel and the Show is three days long so for exhibitors there are cost implications as well as the time involved.

But food is obviously big industry because the place was heaving. I have no idea how many people were there but while it is true that man (or woman) cannot live by bread alone, it seems that it still attracts a large portion of a great many people’s interest and attention.

If you want to be famous then it seems you could do worse than become a TV chef. And if you think I am exaggerating then when you have a spare five minutes see how many you and the family can name.

I suspect you may be surprised by the length of the list you come up with.

There was any number of them in Glasgow last weekend, demonstrating their skills to the crowds and of course selling their books afterwards. I have an abiding image of John Torode and Gregg Wallace of Masterchef fame, looking utterly bored as they signed book after book for their adoring fans, without even looking up to smile at the people responsible for their overflowing bank accounts.

To me, the real celebrities are those who grow and produce the food these chefs then go on to cook with. It’s these people – the farmers and crofters, the fishermen and those who transport our food to us – who are the ones that deserve our praise because they are the people without whom there would be nothing to arrange artistically or otherwise, on our plates.

So as you can imagine I declined to queue for anyone’s autograph. Instead I enjoyed talking to the stall holders. I lapped up their passion for good, Scottish produce and the often very simple ways they choose to use it.

I think sometimes we forget how good the food we have on our own doorstep is.

I think we forget the privilege, even up here, of having so many wonderful things to hand – and in such abundance.

And we also forget the effort that goes into getting that food to us, not to mention the one who is responsible for the whole of creation in the first place. As you sit down to eat tonight, why not pause before you tuck in to say a big "thank you" for them all – Susan Brown.