Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING & DRINKING
In the past 20 years, Scottish restaurants, especially in Edinburgh and Glasgow, have
garnered significant attention for their culinary excellence, using the best ingredi-
ents—whether West Coast langoustines (aka Dublin Bay Prawns) or Perthshire
raspberries—that the country produces in a variety of styles.
Let's begin with traditional Scottish cooking, which is hearty. Staples include
fish
(such as salmon, oysters, or haddock, often smoked),
potatoes
(
tatties
),
turnips or
swedes
(
neeps
),
oatcakes, porridge oats,
and local game such as
grouse
or
veni-
son.
And, of course,
haggis,
which remains Scotland's national dish—though it's
perhaps more symbolic than gustatory.
Fish and chips
is also common, though up
north it is called a fish supper if you're taking it away and a fish tea if you're eating in.
But modern Scottish cuisine is more diverse and innovative, borrowing from
French and even Far Eastern techniques, using local produce such as scallops or
lamb. One of Scotland's best-known food exports is
Aberdeen Angus
beef, but
equally fine is free-range Scottish
lamb,
known for its tender, tasty meat. Fish, in
this land of seas, rivers, and lochs, is a mainstay, from wild halibut to the herring
that's transformed in the smokehouse into the elegant
kipper.
Scottish
smoked
salmon
is, of course, a delicacy known around the globe. Scottish shellfish is world-
class, whether oysters, mussels, clams, and crabs, or lobsters and their smaller or
delicate relative,
langoustines,
which have become a hit in upmarket restaurants.
Ranging from pheasant and grouse to rabbit and venison, game is also a key feature
of the Scottish natural larder.
Scottish
raspberries
are among the finest in the world. You should definitely try
some of Scotland's excellent
cheeses
as well. One of the best is
Criffel,
from the
south of the country: A creamy and rich semi-soft cheese made from the milk of
shorthorn cows that graze only in organic pastures. Delicious.
At your hotel or B&B, the morning meal is almost insured to include the Scottish
breakfast (which is essentially the same as the English breakfast) or the
full fry-up,
as the locals may call it. Expect most or all of the following: Eggs, bacon, and sausage;
black pudding; very occasionally haggis; grilled tomatoes; mushrooms; sometimes
fried bread; toast with marmalade or jam; juice; and coffee or tea.
These days, “eclectic” best describes Scotland's metropolitan
restaurant scene
.
While perhaps not as varied as England's biggest cities, Indian restaurants abound, as
do French, Italian, and Thai options. But Edinburgh currently has more Michelin-
starred restaurants than any other U.K. city, excluding London. In rural areas, the
selection can be more hit or miss, while the English gastro-pub phenomenon has not
really spread north of the border. But stick to my recommendations and you should do
just fine.
PUB LIFE IN SCOTLAND
Much socializing in Scotland centers on the local pub.
It can be the gathering place for an entire community, the place where locals go to share
news and exchange gossip. At certain pubs, pickup sessions of traditional and folk
music are common. Even if you're not a big drinker, going out for a pint of lager, a dram
of whisky, or a bite to eat at a Scottish
howff
can be a memorable part of your trip.
The most widely available, mass-produced Scottish beers are Tennent's lager and
McEwan's ale, but from region to region, you may find a number of local breweries,
making anything from light-colored lagers to dark ales. Among them, Deuchars IPA
(Edinburgh), Black Isle Organic, and Orkney's Dark Island are standouts. The most
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