Scotland is a food and drink mecca. If you think this statement is a late April Fool’s Day joke, think again.
I have just returned from a trip to the bonny land of Scotland where I can assure you, the beverage and culinary landscape of the country is equal to its delightful scenery.
Our short but sweet tour of Scotland’s scene will start where all good tours begin – at the bar. The craft beer scene is on fire with famed beer punks Brewdog leading the way and a slew of others making top-notch beers. Due to Scotland’s strict drinking and driving laws, many are also making fabulous .5%s. We all know that this land is famous for its malt whiskeys that began as moonshine, with the first one to legitimize 200 years ago, Glenlivet. There is also a burgeoning craft spirit scene making exciting spirits like Dark Matter’s spiced rum, Strathearn’s Heather Rose gin and Ogilvy’s potato vodka, all of which opened around a year ago.
Now that I’ve whet your palate, let’s talk food. The list of puddings at any restaurant or cafe is always no less than six items long. Exquisitely executed items such as Eton mess, sticky toffee pudding are to be found at the end of every meal in any Scottish household. Some of the most delicious lamb and beef abound – grilled, braised or wrapped en croute, all from local farms, of course. There is an abundance of fish, shellfish, beautifully baked breads, and miles of fresh produce like strawberries, potatoes, currants and gooseberries. I must admit that most of the green I crossed paths with was on the rolling hills and not in the form of collards and kale. Leave that to PNW (Pacific North West).
And cheese! These people have been making cheese since time immemorial. Check out The Scottish Cheese Trail, on which you can travel to farms, shops, producers like the wonderful Cambus O’ May – and even enrol in cheese making courses.
The thing that gets overlooked about Scottish cuisine is its simplicity. We have somehow equated quality with “shishifoufou.” Nothing says quality like a well made square sausage or bacon roll. Perfectly cooked, local bacon or square sausage on a fresh roll with a dollop of brown sauce (HP). Who is with me?
A bit on Scottish food would not be complete without a word on, you guessed it: haggis. What can I say? While successfully trying to woo a Scottish man a few years ago, I made a haggis. From scratch. Even though it’s an important part of the culinary culture and history of the land, if I never see or taste another again, it will be too soon.... but that’s just me.
Despite all the meaty talk, Scotland is very gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly. Many Canadians are proud of their Scottish heritage. Those waters, like the whiskey, run deep. I would encourage anyone interested in fine fare to consider a trip to the northern UK to explore the beauty of the food and drink culture. You may run into a few castles, lochs and kilts while you’re there.
In case you’re not planning a trip across the pond anytime soon, let me share with you a couple of recipes from Ma McLellan’s recipe box:
The Potato Scone (Tattie Scone)
8 oz cooked sieved potato (great use for leftover mashed potatoes)
2 oz flour
1/2 level tsp. salt
1/2 oz butter or margerine
Mix together, divide into eight, flatten into triangles and fry.
Shortbread
6 oz flour
2 oz rice flour
2 oz castor sugar
1/4 lb. butter
Knead into a ball, divide in two, roll to ¼-inch thick and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
A word to the wise: My mother-in-law said to ignore any recipe that calls for corn flour. She very seriously cautioned, “That’s not shortbread.”
