The signature dish of Scotland is undoubtedly Haggis, and impressive though it is, Scotland's kitchens have a whole lot more to offer. Traditional Scottish cuisine is based on local produce - oats for porridge and oatcake biscuits (bannocks), salted, or smoked meat and game. Fish is a staple and the city of Aberdeen has been known for its cured fish since the 13th Century.
Traditional Scottish Cuisine
17/09/2019
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.
The Scots are a nation of self-confessed sweet addicts and aside from their heavenly fudge and boiled sweets (boilings) link "rhubarb rock" and "Soor Plooms", there is a host of traditional puddings like cranachan and cream crowdie, girdle scones and clootie dumpling, not to mention jams, jellies and preserves of all kinds.
Aside from whisky the Scottish have a second national drink - Irn Bru. It is very sweet, very orange and defies description except to say that it consistently outsells Coca Cola in Scotland.
Meat
Scotland's free-range beef is renowned for its taste and tenderness. The herds roam freely on Aberdeenshire's rolling hills eating a natural diet free of recycled protein, hormones or additives.
The distinctive Scottish Black Face sheep produces lean and succulent lamb which is a staple in the Scottish diet. The Scots cook with ALL of the animal as witnessed by Haggis.
Haggis
Haggis is one of those dishes that divides people - you love it or you hate it. It is made from sheep's offal (pluck) which is chopped finely, mixed with toasted oatmeal then sewn into the sheep’s stomach lining and boiled for a further three hours.
Haggis is traditionally eaten on Burns Night, January 25, when Scotland celebrates the birth of its most famous poet, Robert Burns.
During the celebration, Burns’s poems are read, and the haggis is addressed by a member of the party, with verses from Burns' poem, 'Address to a Haggis.'
Fish
Scotland produces some of the finest salmon in the world.
The Rivers Tay and Tweed are major salmon fisheries and salmon fishing has been a traditional pass-time for the aristocracy and commoners alike.
In order to protect the dwindling fish stocks fish farms have bee tends to be smoked, and thinly sliced, served as an entrée.
Scotland also has a large sea fishing industry yielding cod, haddock, plaice, halibut, and whiting.