Food and traditional recipes

     Scottish food is as varied as the country itself. Today Scotland's chefs take the best of their culinary heritage, re-interpreting their grandmothers' recipes to produce delectable variations on the old standards. Recipes highlight Scottish ingredients at their very best. Scotland is famous for Aberdeen Angus Beef, succulent Lamb, and delicate summer fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. An increasing number of specialist farms in the Highlands produce Venison, and cheese making is a rediscovered art. From the national dish of Haggis, to the finest whisky in the world, and what would breakfast be without the ubiquitous porridge. The Scots have learnt over the years to make the best use of the offerings nature handed to them from rugged mountains, lakes, sea lochs and streams, to fertile valleys and moorlands. in the following paragraphs you will see the list of recipes below that Scotland has indeed a rich and varied food heritage. What are the most important foods in the Scottish cuisine?   

     The most important food is the Haggis which is the national dish in Scotland. This food is a piece of pudding which contains sheep’s pluck minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt mixed with stock. The Haggis is served with swedes and potatoes.

     The Haggis was immortalized by the poet Robert Burns in his poem Address to a Haggis in the 18th century. The haggis is celebrated in Scotland and throughout the world on Burns Night every January 25th. 

     In other hand, we have the porridge. The use of boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both dish is one of the healthiest starts to the day. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish. Other grains or legumes may be used, although dishes prepared with other ingredients are often referred to by other names, such as polenta or grits.

     The third one is the oatcakes. Oatcakes are to Scotland what a baguette is to the French. The flat cakes made mainly from oats have for centuries been considered the Scottish national bread. They are quick and easy to make and make a delicious snack or accompaniment to cheese. Oatcakes are an ancient mainstay of the Scottish diet and were for a long time one of the main sources of carbohydrates for the average Scotsman. These days, Scottish oatcakes are commonly served with jam for breakfast or at afternoon tea topped with delicacies like smoked salmon and crème.

     Other delicious temptation is the Scottish tablet which is a sweet Scottish fudge-like candy. Scottish tablet contains sugar, butter and condensed milk and as you can see in this Scottish Tablet recipe is easy to make. Tablet differs from fudge in that it has a brittle, grainy texture, where fudge is much softer. Well-made tablet is a medium-hard confection, not as soft as fudge, but not as hard as hard candy. Tablet is often flavored with vanilla, whisky, or nuts.

     The fourth one is the Cullen Skink which is a hearty soup and traditionally made with Finnan haddock; potatoes and onions. In this recipe mashed potatoes are stirred into the soup creating thickness and flavor, some recipes however will add in scrubbed, new potatoes or potato chunks. Cullen Skink recipe is also known as Smoked Haddock Chowder in other parts of Britain.

     This soup is a local speciality, from the town of Cullen in Moray, on the north-east coast of Scotland. The soup is often served as a starter at formal Scottish dinners. Cullen skink is widely served as a part of an everyday dish across the North East of Scotland. Local recipes for Cullen skink has several slight variations by the use of milk instead of water, addition of single cream and other such slight variations. Cullen skink was traditionally served with bread.

     The fifth one is a dessert called Tipsy Laird Pudding. Tipsy Laird is the Scottish dessert served on Burns Night. It is essentially the same as Trifle, the pudding that has graced British tables for centuries but with whisky not sherry, and Scottish raspberries. This version is quick and easy to make using ready-made custard or make with custard powder following the packet instructions. Jelly may not always be used but no Trifle is complete without custard. Use Scottish raspberries if you can for complete authenticity.

     The seventh one is the Scottish Shortbread. It is one of the most famous Scottish biscuits and eaten around Christmas time and is part of a traditional Scottish New Year. For me though, it is too good for once a year, why not eat it year round, I do.

     The success of a 'shortie' as shortbread is also known is to handle the dough with care. Do not pound or knead heavily, and make sure your hands and the dishes you use are cold. The resulting shortbread will then be light and crumbly with a dense buttery taste.

     The last one is the tattie scones. Tattie scones are a popular part of a full Scottish breakfast. They are sometimes called potato scones; you may also hear them called fadge or potato bread in Ireland. They generally include liberal quantities of boiled potatoes, butter and salt.

     A typical potato scone is made with mashed potato  and plain flour is added to make it into dough which is then rolled out and put on a griddle to cook. They are traditionally served hot and cold potato scones are often reheated by toasting or frying. Potato scones contain a small proportion of flour to a large proportion of potatoes: one traditional recipe calls for two ounces of flour and half an ounce of butter to a pound of potatoes.

     Scottish cuisine has been greatly influenced by the cooking traditions and practices followed in the Great Britain. The delicacies made by the inhabitants of Scotland reflect the culinary habits of the Scandinavian Peninsula as well. However, the Scottish cuisine has unique features, distinctive tastes and varied recipes of its own. The mouthwatering dishes of the Scottish cuisine have been relished by people in its homeland as well as those in different countries across the globe. Like England, food in Scotland today is an eclectic mix of many cultures - English, Italian, Indian and Chinese. In Scotland, the Scots hold on tightly to their culinary heritage still using local, seasonal food. Oats are still widely eaten, as is fish, game, and of course beef. Scottish soft fruits – raspberries, strawberries, are renowned throughout the UK. Scottish cheeses, fruits and vegetables likewise.

     The Scottish food and drink industry is an important component of the Scottish economy and will be a significant contributor to its future growth.  This is an industry that is demonstrating strong performance to date and has a sustainable and profitable future, given the right conditions for business growth.  There are undoubtedly significant challenges to overcome, but this is a sector with a strong chance of weathering future economic uncertainties – and vital in providing Scotland with a diverse and balanced portfolio across the national economy.