Food & Drink in Scotland
Eating & Drinking
It has been said that the worst food in the world is found in Scotland, and certainly one would have to wonder about a country that gave the world the deep fried pizza and, worse, the deep fried Mars Bar.
Haggis is the national dish, a sort of pudding made of oatmeal, onions, chopped lung, heart and liver, all well seasoned and cooked in a sheep's stomach. It is traditionally served with turnip and mashed potato, a dish known in Scotland as "Haggis, neeps and tatties". It isn't as disgusting as it sounds. Really.
Scotland is home to one of the most unhealthy breakfasts in the world - the fry-up - but in typical contradictory fashion, also to one of the healthiest, porridge. Quite often both are eaten at a single sitting.
But set all that aside, because it is possible to eat very well indeed in Scotland, there are excellent restaurants all over the country serving wonderfully fresh seafood, highland venison, prime Angus beef and tender lamb from mountain sheep.
Traditional Scottish dishes and foods to look out for include smoked fish, especially Arbroath Smokies and Lochfyne kippers (pictured); Delicious meat pies known as Forfar Bridies; cheeses, particularly those from Orkney, Islay and Galloway. For sweet treats try Selkirk bannocks, Dundee cake, Scottish shortbread and Moffat toffee.
The Organic Food movement is strong and growing and small artisan food producers sell their fare at the growing number of farm shops, farmers markets and food fairs as well as regular stores.
Whiskey, Beer & Wine
To drink, what else but the famous dark, peaty Scotch Whisky, available in so many different varieties that you could easily have one every day for a year.
While blended whisky is probably familiar to most peope, take the opportunity to try the more complex flavours of a single malt should try Lagavulin, Laphroaig, The Macallan 25 and Talisker.
Beer is widely brewed, mostly Ale traditionally brewed from barley rather than hops. McEwen's is available everywhere, but great beers to look out for are Caley, Isle of Skye Red and Balhaven 90 (not for the fainthearted).
No wine is grown in Scotland, obviously, but there are wine from all the major regions of the world widely sold.