Great British Bake Off star Flora Shedden brought a buzz of excitement to the Scottish Parliament this week as she joined the Presiding Officer to unveil a specially commissioned bake made with honey from the Scottish Parliament’s beehives.
The Scottish Parliament became the first legislature in the UK to have beehives installed in June 2014. The Presiding Officer invited the Great British Bake Off star to Holyrood to celebrate the first batch of Parliament honey and to encourage the use of local produce.
The Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP said: “It’s great that the Scottish Parliament has been able to support Scotland’s honey bee population, which unfortunately has been in decline in recent years.
“The bake that Flora has prepared for us today is a perfect way to enjoy Holyrood honey and to show what can be created with local Scottish produce.”
Visitors to the Parliament can now sample Holyrood honey for themselves. A limited amount of the honey will be put on sale in the Parliament’s gift shop, and a recreation of Flora’s cake will be added to the menu of the public café.
Speaking after she unveiled her bake, Bake Off favourite Flora said: “Scotland is blessed with a fantastic larder. I particularly enjoy baking with Scottish honey as it’s such a wonderful natural ingredient that is full of flavour. I’m delighted to create this bake for the Scottish Parliament that celebrates their bees and their first batch of honey. I would encourage people to look at what they can create using local ingredients.”
Two beehives were installed in the Parliament’s Queensberry House garden in 2014. The hives were removed last autumn to harvest the honey and it’s expected that hives will be placed in the Member’s Garden again in the Spring.
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