Scottish cuisine isn't known for being of great quality, but there are a few things that are actually pretty decent. Here are a few of the things I've run across.
Most people have heard of haggis, and I've tried it twice since I've been in Scotland: once in Orkney, where it was fantastic, and once at the Archibald Simpson Pub, where it was tolerable. In both instances, it was accompanied by neeps and tatties. When I was in Orkney, I was informed by Gray 1 that when neeps and tatties are combined, they create an Orcadian dish called clapshot; but, it's not technically clapshot unless the turnips and potatoes are harvested after the first frost, because the freezing process "does something to the sugars or something".
At The Machar, you can accompany your pint with a macaroni pie. These are also available from the Auld Toon Cafe on High Street, which also sells something I was unfamiliar with until last week: mince and tatty pies. It's sort of like a shepherd's or cottage pie, but with more of a beef/lamb gravy consistency instead of actual chunks of ground lamb or beef. They're awesome, and quite filling. You wouldn't think that two little pies would do the trick, but if you can finish two pies, you won't be hungry for quite a while.
Pie: it's not just for apples anymore. (But, let's face it, even if macaroni and mince and tatty pies are awesome, apple pies are quite obviously the best pies.)
I see mince pies in all the stores now. Is it a holiday thing? It looks disgusting.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it's a holiday thing or not, but I can ask. You ought to try one, and if you hate it you're only out a quid and a half. They're really awesome. Have you had shepherd's pie? It's similar to that.
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