The Food of Scotland

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Scottish cuisine offers a delightful blend of hearty flavors, with iconic dishes like haggis, neeps and tatties, and traditional Scotch broth. Travelers can savor affordable pub fare, such as fish and chips or a savory meat pie, while exploring a rich tapestry of local ingredients, including fresh seafood and Highland game.

Budget-friendly options abound in bustling markets, where street food like Scotch eggs or bridies provide a taste of authentic Scottish flavors. From porridge for breakfast to indulging in shortbread or tablet for a sweet treat, Scotland offers a diverse and satisfying culinary experience for budget-conscious travelers.

Scottish castle

These notes were made during a few days in Scotland. These are just our food experiences and you may have a totally different experience depending on your budget, where you travel and where you eat.

Scottish food has some similarities to England, especially the northern regions.

• Porridge - I couldn’t help but eat this every morning I was there, I just had to! This hot breakfast is made from cooked oats and served with golden syrup. The most common breakfast in Scotland.
  
• Full breakfast - This type of breakfast is also eaten up north, found in restuarants (not sure how often in the family home though). Very similar to the English version, but with blood sausage included.
  
• Blood sausage - See England Yorkshire section. They claim to have invented this interesting dish, however it is seen all over Scotland.
  
• Haggis - A meaty meal made from animal lungs, heart and liver, mixed with oatmeal, onions and barley, salt and spices. This is the basic recipe, and I am sure there are other variations. It is eaten all mushed up like mince meat, and has rather a strong meaty flavour. There is also a vegetarian haggis, for all the non-meat eaters, made with the oatmeal and barley, but with nuts and other vegetables instead.
  
• Clap shot - Potatoes and parsnips, boiled and mashed with salt, pepper and butter. Usually served with haggis.
  
• Scotch eggs - (probably from Scotland) a boiled egg, wrapped in sausage meat crumbed with bread crumbs and deep fried.
  
• Scotch pie - a small pastry encased pie filled with sausage meat.
  
• Shortbread - Coming from Scotland, this famous biscuit is basically made from flour, butter and sugar. Made to melt in your mouth!
  
• Clottie dumplings - Like a fruit cake, made from flour, raisins and syrup, the mixture is plced in cloth and boiled in a pressure cooker.
  
• Scotch Whiskey - lots of differnt makes, the basic difference for this type of whiskey is the way the grain is roasted for longer. You can smell the yeast in the streets. I don’t like whiskey so I can not comment on the flavour at all!

More

• Traveller's World Food Guide
• Scotland - Van Explorers' Paradise: Navigating Glasgow to Scotland's Coastal and Borderland Gems.

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