AN AMERICAN-born foodie who has a passion for haggis is on a mission to put Glasgow produce in the spotlight.

New Jersey-raised Madeline Miller, who moved to the city in 2004 for a PR and marketing job, has turned her love for Scots delicacies into a business after launching the Wee Food Tour.

Under the motto: Let Glasgow Nourish, Madeline takes tourists and local foodies on a tour of the city’s best places to eat.

She has teamed up with six independent restaurants and stores for the tour. It starts at the Ubiquitous Chip, George Mewes cheese shop and the University Café in the West End before moving east to Glickman’s Confectionery near the Barras, Guido’s Coronation Café at Gallowgate and finishing off in Café Gandolfi in Merchant City.

At £80 per ticket it’s not cheap but Madeline says there should be no cutting corners when it comes to the food industry.

Each business is paid fairly and they are tipped. The price also covers transport around the city and £5 of every ticket is donated to the Trussell Trust Foodbanks.

Madeline said: “Everybody gets paid on the way – I’m the last person to get paid.

“I make a £5 donation per person to foodbanks because it's hard to be stuffing our faces and walk by somebody in the street who is in need of something. It's a good way to give something back.”

Madeline said she was inspired by travelling to other cities which have their own food tours.

She said: “I like to go and mix eat with local people, try their local foods.

“The whole point in a food tour is to give people who are visiting a chance to try things they wouldn’t get at home.

“Every major city in the world has food tours. I thought if someone else doesn't do it and I have the chance to do it so I'm going to give it a go.”

Madeline set out to test various dishes and she believes she has come up with the ideal combination of tasty treats.

The menu includes different types of haggis, stovies, edible flowers and There’s also a chance to try the deep fried Mars bar, sweeties and a variety of cheeses.

The tour includes discussions on history and culture of Glasgow plus information on the food they’re trying.

Madeline said: “I wanted people to try things they couldn't get anywhere else and get them from the local businesses.

“To support independent businesses is a very big deal for me.”

Sisters Renee Wheeler and Lesley Fraser, from Toronto in Canada, went on the tour during their holiday to Scotland.

Renee said: “We are here for a short time and we wanted to pack in as much as possible.

“We thought this was a good way to do it because we’re seeing the city, learning about it and getting to eat.”

Lesley said: “This was my idea of getting the perfect tour guide.”

It was important for Madeline to include a mixture of high end and more budget friendly spots.

She said: “We cover the high and low and everywhere in between.”

Madeline is adamant that Glasgow can become a “food destination”.

She added: “If we're not vocal about presenting what we have and trying to change peoples' perceptions it won’t happen.

“We need to get the local knowledge out there.”

Visit http://www.weefoodtour.com/