Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One thing to keep in mind is that lentil soup, a seemingly vegetarian staple of Scottish
pub and restaurant menus, is traditionally made with ham stock.
Eating with Kids
Following the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places in 2006, many Scottish
pubs and restaurants have had to broaden their appeal by becoming more family friendly.
As a result, especially in the cities and more popular tourist towns, many restaurants and
pubs now have family rooms and/or play areas.
In this guide we have indicated restaurants
that offer children's menus, high chairs and
other child-friendly facilities with a family-
friendly icon.
You should be aware that children under the
age of 14 are not allowed into the majority of
Scottish pubs, even those that serve bar meals; even in family-friendly pubs (those in pos-
session of a Children's Certificate), under-14s are only allowed in between 11am and
8pm, and must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or above.
The website
www.scottishbrewing.com
has a com-
prehensive list of Scottish breweries, both large and
small.
Cookery Courses
There are two principal places that offer courses in Scottish cookery.
Kinloch Lodge
Hotel
(
01471-833333;
www.claire-macdonald.com
)
is located in Kinloch on the Isle of
Skye. Here, cookery demonstrations using fresh, seasonal Scottish produce are given by
Lady Claire Macdonald, author of
Scottish Highland Hospitality
and
Celebrations
.
Nairns Cook School
(
01877-389900;
www.nairnscookschool.com
)
in Aberdeen of-
fers two-day courses in modern Scottish cook-
ing at the school owned by Scotland's top TV
chef, Nick Nairn, author of
Wild Harvest
and
Island Harvest
.
It is illegal to import haggis into the USA, as the
US government has declared that sheep lungs are
unfit for human consumption.
What Are Ye Drinkin'?
A Pint…
Scottish breweries produce a wide range of beers. The market is dominated by multina-
tional brewers such as Scottish & Newcastle, but smaller local breweries generally create
tastier brews, some of them very strong. The aptly named Skull Splitter from Orkney is a
good example, at 8.5% alcohol by volume.
