I had thought of entitling this piece La Cuisine Ecossaise but that sounded much too pretentious for the
simple, homely but deliciously varied offerings of the Scottish kitchen,
beloved nourisher of many a strapping Scots youth and of yet more rotund Scots
greybeards. I now peep into this well-stocked larder and make my selection.
The eminent Liberal Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Prime
Minister of Britain (1905-08) and of course a Scot, was asked to describe his
ideal meal: “Mutton broth, fresh herring
or salmon, haggis, roast mutton, grouse, apple tart, strawberries – maistly
Scotch”. Unsurprisingly, Campbell-Bannerman tipped the scales at an heroic 19
stone. What his selection showed was the wide natural resources available to
the Scots – Aberdeen Angus beef, mutton and lamb, game birds, fish and seafood
galore, fruit and berries – with only haggis striking an unfamiliar note.
Haggis, the minced and spiced “pluck” of sheep, with onion, suet and oatmeal
crammed into a bladder and boiled makes a classic Scots “winter-warmer” dish
and a traditional part of a Burns Supper feast every 25 January, always with
mashed neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes). It is admittedly peasant fare and
may not have impressed Escoffier, but I find it delectable.
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| Haggis, neeps and tatties |
After
the usual plateful of fragrant kippers,
let’s start with the staples of bread with its various offshoots. My home city
of Aberdeen welcomes the morn with her distinctive Buttery Rowie (a “morning
roll” according to cut-glass shop-girls), a succulent flat piece of heaven, a
little greasy with her lard and butter, served piping hot with clover honey; I
salivate just to write about it!
 |
| Aberdeen butteries |
 |
| A well-filled bap |
I
associate Edinburgh, my smiling old grandmother and another smiler, the late
Queen Mother, with Baps, the white
floury variety, an incomparable breakfast feature, warm with heather honey, but
a versatile carrier of snack sandwiches of all kinds.
Getting
more sophisticated, and more nightmarish for the dietician, we embrace Selkirk Bannocks (bread suffused with
raisins), griddle cakes – otherwise Scotch pancakes (much smaller and
thicker than crepes and spread with jam), and Black Bun (a pastry covered fruit cake) capable of sinking The
Titanic, let alone the consumer. The king of all Scots cakes is Dundee Cake, invented by Keillers, famed
marmalade makers in that fine city, a rich confection of fruit, sultanas and
almonds.
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| Black Bun |
 |
| Dundee Cake |
Less
gastronomically challenging is the famous variety of Scottish biscuits like the
currant-speckled Abernethy, doucely partaken with afternoon tea, traditional and
crunchy oatcakes, a favourite of my lovely wife, and the amazing products
of McVitie & Price, not least the globally iconic Dark Chocolate Digestive, consumed by the packetful. Beyond praise
is Scots Shortbread, often home made,
but Walkers and Patersons are reliably toothsome brands. I recall a plateful of
ambrosial shortbread served warm one afternoon at Kildrummy House Hotel on
Donside – Ah, memory hold the door!
 |
| Succulent Shortbread |
But
what about the main event, the Scottish feast itself? The soup course is no
problem, we are spoiled for choice, strong runners including Scotch Broth and Cock-a-leekie but my favourite is Cullen Skink, a creamy fish soup, richly graced by finnan haddock, potatoes and onions.
Baxter’s tinned version is a delight.
 |
| Hearty Cullen Skink |
The
fish course can take advantage of the abundant catches in the cold seas
surrounding Britain and the seafood cornucopia of Scotland’s long coast. We
could have oysters or crayfish from the West, or halibut or sole from the roaming Scottish fishing fleet. I will however settle
for poached salmon with a light
salad, ideally rod-caught on any of a dozen great rivers, food for kings.
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| Poached Salmon |
Our
main dish brooks no argument; it has to be Scottish
Beef, roasted yet slightly underdone, a juicy delight, with home-grown sprouts and potatoes. Just to prove we
are no chauvinists, we will invite glorious fluffy Yorkshire Pudding to accompany us and wash it all down with a glass
or three of Claret.
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| Scottish Roast Beef |
As
a dessert, I had thought of selecting the famed Deep-fried Mars Bar, chance invention of a chip shop in Stonehaven,
south of Aberdeen but I suppose that would be just too gross. Instead I
recommend Cranachan, a venerable
confection made of whipped cream, honey, fresh Angus raspberries, toasted
oatmeal and a wee dash of whisky.
 |
| Cranachan |
Time
for bed, and as a nightcap a warming glass of Speyside malt whisky, supplemented perhaps with a sinful portion of
traditional sugary Tablet, which a
great-aunt used to produce every Hogmanay. Calories blissfully uncounted, I can
then slip into the profoundly grateful Caledonian sleep of the just!
SMD
5.07.15
Text
Copyright © Sidney Donald 2015
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