To fully taste Scottish cuisine you need to be "bravehearted". The fact is that this country is not famous for serious gastronomic research, and the main ingredient of most dishes is the good old butter, which was considered a delicacy here back in the nineteenth century.
When the Russian government imposed a ban on the supply of food from the European Union, the United States and Australia, Russian society became worried, among other things, about what we would now cook from.
Scottish homebaked bread with butter
It's funny, but in Scotland (especially in the villages) and without any sanctions, imported products are almost never found on supermarket shelves, and the vast majority of the country's population do not have the habit of cooking with "foreign ingredients". Here, take, for example, our favorite olive oil, without which today no self-respecting Russian culinary specialist can imagine life. In Scotland, it can be said that it did not take root, here, as they prepared it for butter, and they cook it, and everything is fried on it: from cod, potatoes and lamb to delicious steaks from the famous Scottish angus.
Lamb fried in butter
The second important point is that vegetables and fruits are not particularly honored in the country. In principle, historically there were very few of them in Scotland due to the harsh climate, and the locals ate mainly root crops: potatoes, carrots and turnips. Now, it would seem, nothing prevents you from buying any vegetables and fruits: from the simplest to the exotic, but habit is second nature, and the Scots prefer to get by with potatoes, carrots and peas in the old fashioned way.
Meat, bread, potatoes, peas, carrots and butter are the basis of Scottish cuisine.
However, this has its own trick, because as a result, the cuisine of Scotland is harsh, masculine, the very food of the highlanders, who are accustomed to simple and high-calorie dishes, in order to properly refuel in the morning, and then work all day in the sweat of their brow under the endless Scottish rain.
Fish&Chips is the most popular Scottish food
True, pluses, as usual, give rise to minuses. Unfortunately, Scotland is the second country in the world in terms of the number of people suffering from obesity (in the first place is the USA). Still, in modern conditions, the Scots are not able to spend as many calories during the day as the ancient highlanders spent, so there are so many large people here that even if you don’t have the habit of counting the calories of each dish, then during a trip to Scotland she may occur spontaneously. So, tasting folk Scottish dishes is worth it moderately, so that after the vacation you do not have to urgently go on a diet.
SCOTTISH BREAKFAST
In any hotel in the country, even if it is the simplest Bed&Breakfast, for breakfast you will be offered either continental or traditional menu. Everything is clear with a continental breakfast, but what is a Scottish breakfast? It includes two pieces of toasted bacon, one egg scrambled eggs, half a pancake, chopped meat, a portion of haggis and some butter-fried vegetables, usually tomatoes or potatoes. In a word, I ate in the morning - I was free until the evening.
Drinks include juice, tea or coffee. By the way, the Scots respect coffee very much, the most common variation is coffee made in a French press, which is not strong, but a large serving volume fully compensates for the morning lack of caffeine in the body.
HAGGIS - THE MAIN SCOTTISH DISH
Sheep is one of the symbols of Scotland, they graze everywhere here, and haggis is a dish of lamb offal cooked with onions, oatmeal, lard and salt - major hit Scottish cuisine. In the old days, the dish was cooked in a lamb's stomach, but now in Scottish stores you can increasingly see cheap versions of haggis in an artificial shell, which you just need to heat up in the microwave to cook.
haggis s mashed potatoes
Like all folk dishes, haggis has historically been the food of the poor, because for its preparation those parts of the sheep that cannot be sold are used, that is, the worst part of the animal carcass.
Sheep - the symbol of Scotland
Although the description of haggis is unlikely to cause you enthusiasm and an immediate desire to try this dish, in fact, haggis is a very tasty thing. Yes, the dish is very fatty, yes, terribly high-calorie, but to say that this is bad means to brazenly oppose the truth. No wonder Robert Burns even dedicated an ode to haggis, and since then, on January 25, on the birthday of the main poet of Scotland, all citizens of the country, even very far from poetry, have to eat haggis.
In hotels, haggis is most often served as part of a Scottish breakfast, and this is justified, since the main national dish of the country just has time to digest in a day. But for dinner, it’s better not to eat haggis, after all, this food is very heavy and fatty.
SCOTTISH ANGUS STEAK
If haggis is the food of the poor, then the Aberbine Angus steak is the food of the rich, because the black bulls of the Aberdeen Angus breed are the pride of Scotland, and their meat is considered a delicacy all over the world. Indeed, a medium-rare Scottish Angus steak is the most tender meat that is in no way inferior to the best Australian beef.
The steak is served richly, the meat is served with french fries, peas, fried onion rings and tomatoes baked in oil. One “but”, in Scotland even steaks are often fried with the addition of butter, which does not emphasize, but rather “kills” the taste of meat, so when ordering it is better to additionally say that meat should be cooked for you without the ubiquitous butter.
SEAFOOD: OYSTER AND MARINE GRINDERS
Those who, even for the sake of gastronomic impressions, are not ready to forget about the figure, I would like to advise you to lean on lobsters, mussels, oysters and other seafood during a trip to Scotland. They are excellent here, however, “you need to know the places”, since they are not served everywhere.
One of the right places is the seaside town of Oban, from the embankment of which boats leave every hour towards the islands inhabited by seals and puffins.
Embankment of the town of Oban
On the local embankment, two restaurants are open at once, where sea reptiles are given away for next to nothing, while lobsters, oysters and mussels, as they say, did not know grief a couple of hours ago and lived quietly in the depths of the sea.
If you find yourself in Oban, feel free to ignore the first restaurant on the city embankment and go to the second one, Oban Seafood Hut, it is located at the end of the embankment, next to the nets for catching marine reptiles.
However, a restaurant is not quite the right term; most accurately, this institution can be characterized by the unsightly definition of “street stall”. Under the glass of the tray - the freshest seafood (many are still moving), they are cooked right there, in the field kitchen.
Street food at Oban Seafood Hut
You can eat seafood at the tables of a cafe, or, sitting on the curb of the embankment, however, in the second case, you will immediately have competitors - voracious seagulls, lying in wait for sluggish tourists.
Eating Seafood on the Oban Promenade
If you digress for a minute, you will be left without a piece of lobster, because the winged mafia acts quickly and decisively.
- We will eat oysters right on the street!
It is especially funny to eat oysters on the embankment, because, despite the fact that the seafood stall looks like a hot dog shop from the outside, oysters are served here as if “in the best houses in Europe”, that is, shellfish are served on a silver tray with ice , lemon and other mandatory attributes.
Oysters on ice at Oban Seafood Hut
One more thing to keep in mind: the institution is open until 18.00, because it is focused on the sale of fresh morning catch. The second place where I discovered an excellent seafood restaurant is. The town, by the way, is not Scottish at all. appearance and more reminiscent of some Normandy.
Town of Portmahomack
There is a long coastline, a beach with light sand, clear blue water, in which, not afraid to catch a cold, children splash, and white-painted houses from afar seem like cardboard scenery for some movie about life on the shores of the blue-blue sea.
Portmahomack beach
Tables at a local restaurant The oystercatcher book in advance, because it is considered the best institution in the area.
Assorted seafood at The oystercatcher restaurant
The restaurant's menu varies depending on the morning's catch, so it makes sense to order a platter: they will bring a little of everything that the sea has become generous with today.
Assorted Seafood at The Oystercatcher
As a rule, the standard portion includes crab, a couple of large shrimps, mussels, oysters and scallops. By the way, the Scots, in their passion for butter, truly know no bounds and often eat oysters in the following way: the clams are first dipped in butter and only then the unfortunate oyster is sent to the mouth. It looks a bit wild from the outside, and I didn’t dare to make such a gourmet experiment.
SCOTTISH CHEESES
And in the restaurant The oystercatcher you can taste the best views Scottish cheeses. There are many varieties of cheese in Scotland, for the most part they are soft and very fatty. From understandable comparisons, French blue cheeses and brie cheese come to mind, this is about the same thing, even with streaks of blue mold and with the famous light moldy crust.
Assorted Scottish cheeses
In addition to cheeses made from cow's milk, sheep's cheeses are also common, they are more curdish and sometimes there are varieties with spices among them. Yes, cheeses are also very satisfying, for example, even the two of us were not able to completely master the cheese plate.
Scottish blue cheese
And yet, in Scotland, cheese is served not as an appetizer, but as an analogue of dessert, that is, at the end of a meal, keep this in mind when visiting restaurants.
FISH OF THE DAY AND FISH&CHIPS
If you need to go to special places for good seafood in Scotland, then banal Fish & Chips are served here everywhere. Scottish fish and chips are no different from British: the same cod or haddock fried in a dough of flour, baking powder and dark ale, yes fried potatoes. The only difference is that in Scotland Fish & Chips are sometimes served with malt or savory sauce in addition to pea puree.
Fish&Chips, pea puree and ale are classics of the genre.
However, sometimes there are unusual variations on the topic, for example, Fish & Chips Tea, where tea bags are added to boiling oil when cooking fish, they say this manipulation gives the taste of fish an unusual shade.
In principle, it is Fish&Chips that is a real national dish of Scotland, it is cooked here on every corner, and even in the smallest Scottish village you will always find a snack bar where you can buy a pack of Fish&Chips to take away.
Cod with potatoes and lettuce, all cooked in butter.
Fish&Chips are much more popular among the local population than just Fried fish, which appears on the menu of restaurants under the name Fish of the day. As a rule, this is the same cod or haddock fried in butter, which is served with boiled potatoes, carrots and beans. Simple and without special frills.
Photographer: Davide Bacelle
Did you like the material? Join us on facebook
Julia Malkova- Julia Malkova - founder of the website project. Former editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about traveling for my own pleasure and the pleasure of readers. If you are a representative of hotels, tourism office, but we are not familiar, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
Scottish cuisine has been greatly influenced by the culinary traditions and practices of the whole of Great Britain. Also in traditional Scottish dishes, echoes of the culinary habits of the Scandinavian Peninsula are noticeable. However, Scottish cuisine has its own unique features, its own characteristic taste and their own authentic recipes.The Scots are a sedentary people and do not export their delicacies abroad. Therefore, to talk about the features of the Scottish national cuisine outside of Foggy Albion, few can. However, the local culinary specialists really have something to brag about.
In fact, Scottish cuisine is very close to European and American. Starchy carbohydrates such as pasta, cereals, bread are an essential part of the diet. These carbohydrates are usually accompanied by fruits and vegetables. In addition to meat and fish, cheeses, yoghurts and dairy products in general occupy an important place in the culinary tradition of the Scottish people. A special taste is given to dishes due to the successful mixing of a few spices, vegetables and meat.
In general, if you look at the menu of an average restaurant in Edinburgh, then there will be dishes from fish, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, pork and lamb. That is, in terms of the ingredients used, the local cuisine is by no means unique and rather conservative. Scotland is a country of farmers, and therefore, since ancient times, fresh home-grown products and high-quality home-grown meat have been highly valued here. Spices are not used very actively - a few centuries ago, spices in Scotland were very expensive, and ordinary people could not afford them. In general, Scottish cuisine is rather primitive and rough, but hearty and, most importantly, based on fresh, high quality products.
However, there are also very original dishes in the local cuisine, which you will not find anywhere else. unconditional calling card Scottish cuisine is Haggis - very original dish, which is prepared from the lungs, liver and heart of a sheep or calf, stuffed with oatmeal seasoned with pepper and onion. This dish was very popular throughout the UK until the 18th century, but then it fell out of favor in other parts of the island. However, Haggis is not an everyday dish - it is traditionally cooked on holidays (for example, on the birthday of the writer Robert Burns, which is a national holiday).
Other popular Scottish dish- oatmeal cakes made from barley and oat flour, which are baked in a pan and invariably served with cheese. A very popular recipe on the east coast of Scotland smoked fish haddock. The city of Aberdeen is considered the meat capital of Scotland - it is very popular here hearty meals red meat (usually beef).
However, the Scots live not only on meat and fish. On the contrary, in the UK they are considered the biggest sweet tooth. Indeed, sweets are very popular in this region. In particular, Black Ban is widespread - hearty fruit pie with raisins, brown sugar, currants and chopped almonds. As well as throughout Britain, a wide variety of puddings are very popular here (especially black (blood) and white (from a mixture of oatmeal, lard and onions)), as well as sweet preserves - jams, jellies and preserves. In summer, the Scots with great pleasure eat fresh fruits and berries - raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.
Hello my dear. The work week is picking up pace. We were well energized by hearty rich meat soups on Monday and Tuesday, now it would be necessary to rest a little. So today we will have fish soup. It is no less satisfying than previous soups, but much lighter. "Skink" in translation from the language of the Scottish Celts means "essence", but now it's just a very thick soup. "Cullen" is a small seaside town where it was once invented. So "Cullen skink" means "thick Cullen soup". The ingredients of this soup are very simple - fragrant chopped salted and smoked haddock, potatoes, onions and cream - it was from them that the fishermen of the pretty Scottish village of Cullen cooked the first "Cullen Skink". The fish is boiled in milk, then potatoes and other ingredients are added to it. Moreover, you can add a lot of potatoes, because for local residents this soup can sometimes replace a whole dinner. Traditionally, as I said, "cullen skink" was made with smoked haddock, but now they use fresh. I cooked soup from fresh haddock (all smoked was forbidden to my husband!) and milk, but, believe me, this option is no worse. And then a surprise awaits you - a bonus to the "Star Week".
The attitude of the Scots to cooking is well expressed in the old proverb: "He who disrespects food is simply devoid of reason." The country, famous all over the world for its unsurpassed whiskey, can truly surprise lovers of tasteful food.
Scottish cuisine bears the imprints of the culinary traditions of many peoples who inhabited the lands of Scotland in different time- from the Celts and Vikings, to the Anglo-Saxons and the French.
Scottish food ingredients
Most Scottish cuisine is based on the simple and nutritious food of local farmers and fishermen. Without a doubt, its main ingredients can be considered oats and barley, which for centuries were the main agricultural crops in Scotland. Porridges, stews are prepared from these cereals, they are actively used in fish, meat dishes as well as for making desserts.
The basis of the meat diet of Scottish cuisine is lamb and beef, which are baked, stewed or used as a filling for pies. The apotheosis of Scottish meat cuisine, of course, is the specific dish Haggis, which mostly consists of sheep offal.
Scotland is surrounded by the sea on three sides and penetrated by an extensive network of rivers and lakes, so fish dishes are especially honored here. Salmon, trout, herring, haddock and other gifts of the seas and rivers are served here smoked, baked and fried, as well as the main ingredients for soups and thick stews.
Scottish Desserts
Scotland is famous for its puddings and homemade cakes all over the British Isles. The long established traditions of tea drinking have contributed to the emergence of a variety of different and original desserts. Worthy of special notoriety different kinds Scottish oatmeal cookies and gingerbread.
Alcoholic beverages in Scotland
The main and most popular alcoholic drink in Scotland, without a doubt, is whiskey. Made from malted barley or other grains, this tart, amber-colored drink has been produced by many private distilleries for centuries.
famous scotch whiskey brands
- Glen Grant
- The Famous Grouse
- Glenfiddich
- Bruichladdich
- glenlivet
- Cutty Sark
- ballantines
- Chivas Regal
- Johnnie Walker
- Dewars
- highland park
The most valuable and high-quality whiskey is considered to be its “single malt” varieties (Single malt Scotch whiskey), produced only from malt and water in stills of one plant. Whiskeys made with the addition of other types of grain or by mixing two "single malt" varieties are called "blended" (Blended Scotch whiskey). Such budget whiskeys make up the bulk of the production of Scottish distilleries (up to 90%).
- BY THE WAY. Although Scotch is produced in many countries of Europe and the world, according to Scottish law, only drinks directly produced in this country can carry the title of real Scotch whiskey (Whisky Scotch).
Another traditional Scottish liquor is dark ale, sung in medieval ballads. This tart, "live" beer has an amazing taste, which mixes creamy tenderness, spicy hop flavor and nutty notes.
