Did you know? Part 4 What comes to mind when you hear the words Scottish Food? Haggis? Shortbread? Porridge? Deep-fried Mars bars (for those in the US, think Milky Way)? If you want to learn more about what the Scottish eat, the history of Scotlands traditional foods, which dishes are favorites and which are world-famous, and much more.... youve come to the right place NOTE: but you might want to eat something first, as all this talk of amazing food is going to make you hungry! As with so many other aspects of Scottish traditions, the unique blend of races that make up the ancestors of todays Scots (plus Scotlands rich and diverse landscape) played a huge role in shaping this part of Scottish culture. Its believed that the first people who arrived in the north of Scotland somewhere between 800 BC and 1000 BC, were the Picts. These ancient people were hunter-gatherers, as were the Celts who came next - and Mother Nature couldnt have provided for them better! Scotland is a small country, but it has an abundance of water in the form of lochs (lakes), rivers, streams and, of course, the sea which surrounds the Scottish mainland and its numerous islands. It also has fertile soil, tons of natural resources and a fairly temperate climate. Hunting, fishing and raising sheep and cattle provided the meat for meals, and the soil was perfect for growing oats and barley, plus many root vegetables and soft fruits. This made traditional Scottish foods a very healthy diet. The arrival of the Vikings in Scotland (the first raid of Scotlands northern isles is believed to have taken place towards the end of the 8th century), added new dimensions to the way Scottish food was preserved and cooked. The Vikings brought the Scandinavian methods of Salting and smoking to Scotland, and they soon became popular. Its also believed that the famous Aberdeen Angus cattle originated from Viking stock brought with the raiders. Heres a look at the main ingredients of traditional Scottish meals.... Meat Beef (including that famous Aberdeen Angus), lamb and mutton, venison. The Scots dont traditionally eat much pork, (perhaps the occasional wild boar in bygone days), but pigs arent nearly as popular as cows and sheep. Game Both the Scottish highlands and lowlands are full of wild game (although today theres less wild game and some of it is farmed) including pheasant, grouse, partridge, pidgeon, hare, rabbit and more. Fish and Seafood The lochs and ocean provide a ready-made supply of food. Salmon, Haddock, Trout, Mackerel and Herring are probably the favorites, with plenty of fresh seafood/shellfish such as lobster, crab, prawns, scallops, mussels thrown in. Crops/Grain Oats and barley are the grains that you see most often in traditional Scottish food, probably because the soil and weather make great growing conditions. Wheat doesnt grow as well, but of course is now readily available. Vegetable Root vegetables such as potatoes, turnips and carrots show up in many savory dishes. Cabbage, cauliflower, peas and leeks are popular too. Fruit Soft fruits like blackberries (called brambles... I loved going bramble-picking!), raspberries and strawberries appear in many desserts (sweets), while apples and rhubarb make wonderful pies and crumbles. Authentic Scottish food isnt fancy, but its wholesome, filling, generally easy to prepare and surprisingly tasty when you realize that spices arent commonly used... salt and pepper being the staples. Centuries ago, stews, broths, soups, haggis, fish and porridge were what most Scottish people ate regularly.... basic meals that kept the ancient Scots warm and gave them the strength and energy they needed. The heavy, starchy nature of many meals helped to keep stomachs full for a long time too. When encouraging me to eat porridge for breakfast, my Nana used to say thatll stick to your ribs... and you know what, she was right! If you know anything about Scottish food, youve probably heard of the Haggis... but you may not know what it is. And first of all, lets be clear - in spite of many cartoons and caricatures, a haggis isnt a creature but a food dish! In fact it may the most well-known and famous item on the list of traditional Scottish foods. The earliest historical mention of a haggis-like dish appeared in the 15th century, but its believed that similar dishes appeared as early as the 9th century, or before. The haggis is made from a sort of sausage-meat made from the offal (or innards - lungs, heart, liver etc.) of a sheep. These are boiled, then minced and mixed with onion, lightly toasted oatmeal, suet, stock and salt and pepper. Its all mixed together and put inside a sheeps stomach which is sewn closed and then the whole thing is boiled for several hours. Now, I admit this may not sound all that appealing (and personally I dont think it even looks that good while cooking), but its tasty and worth a try if youre ever in its homeland. Haggis is traditionally served at a Burns Supper (or on Burns Night) accompanied by tatties and neeps (aka potatoes and turnips). Burns Night or Burns Supper celebrates the birthday (January 25) of Robert Burns, Scotlands National Poet. Burns was so enamored of the haggis that he even wrote an entire poem devoted to its splendors! And of course, no Burns Supper would be complete without the traditional and world famous drink.... Scotch Whiskey! Porridge This is another traditional Scottish food that dates back to the very early days of Scotland. Oats were used in many dishes, and porridge was probably one of the most common and versatile meals that the ancient Scots came up with. Traditional Scottish porridge is made with porridge oats (medium ground oatmeal, NOT quick cooking or rolled varieties), water and salt. The oatmeal is added to boiling water and then boiled slowly with constant stirring to prevent lumps (lumpy porridge isnt good!). Salt is usually added about 2/3 of the way through the cooking process. Its served with creamy milk and, if you like, a little more salt on top! Today many people prefer sweetened porridge (or oatmeal as its known in the US), and sugar, syrup or honey is often added to the unflavored variety. But that isnt the way Scottish porridge is made. In more ancient times, Porridge may have been one of the worlds first take-away or fast-foods! Thats because the ancient Scots would cook up a huge pot of porridge, then let it cool and set, before cutting it into slices which they would put in a sack (or even their pockets) to be eaten later on that day! Scottish Food Today Its interesting to note that although these days we dont have to rely on food that is locally-grown, raised, or hunted, traditional Scottish foods really havent changed very much over time. But, of course theres a lot more variety available, the influence of more exotic cultures, and newer methods and techniques for preparing meals. A Full Scottish Breakfast If you ask for a full Scottish breakfast today, youll get more than the porridge you would have expected hundreds of years ago! Your plate will probably contain bacon, eggs, Lorne (or square) sausage, black pudding (a type of blood sausage), maybe fruit pudding (a sausage made from suet, wheat flour, sugar and dried fruit such as raisins), grilled or fried tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, and maybe even potato scones. Now add some toast and marmalade or jam, and a cup of strong, hot tea and youll be set up for whatever the day may bring! But a gentle warning... when I indulge, the only thing I want to do was go back to bed to sleep it off :o) Although simple and traditional Scottish cooking still prevails, Scotland now boasts some beautifully modern city centers which have tons of fine dining restaurants featuring upgraded versions of traditional Scottish food plus a huge variety of other cuisines. Even the fast food side of Scotland food offers a variety of different themes and Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Italian food jostles for position alongside the traditional Scottish fish and chips, fried Haggis... and yes, even those infamous deep-fried Mars bars! One side of the Scottish attitude to food that you might not be aware of, is just how much the Scots like their sweets or puddings (aka desserts). Scottish pies, puddings, cakes, sweets (in this case I mean candies) and such are some of the best in the world. I think they rival the French pastries you get in Paris, and thats saying something! In keeping with the wholesome and filling nature of most Scotland food, Scottish puddings and cakes are often dense, heavy and sweet. Cakes and buns using dried fruit are very popular - think Dundee Cake (fruit cake topped with almonds), Black Bun (very dark and rich fruit cake), Clootie Dumpling (a fruit cake which is steamed rather than baked) for example. Soft fruit and apples or rhubarb appear regularly in pies and crumbles (cooked fruit with a crumbled topping made from flour, butter and sugar). A lighter, but still traditional, dessert is Crannachan (made from whipped cream, whisky, honey, fresh raspberries and oatmeal) which is served in a tall glass, and is delicious.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 19:06:56 +0000
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