It is easy to get wrapped up in any culture you visit when you try the food for the first time. Sweet and
savory, spicy and exotic, whatever the combination the food seeps over your tongue or how it tingles
your palate – you will understand so much more about the country you are visiting through their food.
Scotland is no different – in fact it might be a better example of cultural diversity through the food than
most countries. In Scotland you will hear some crazy names and even crazier ingredients in their food,
but these food items have been stables for hundreds and even thousands of years. So, you aren’t just
having the ability to taste their culture, but you are getting a history lesson on your plate.
Let’s dig into these famous and delicious food:
1) A Full Scottish: This is probably one of the most beautiful breakfast platters you might see
anywhere in the world. Similar to an English Breakfast however this one arrives to your table
with black puddling, lorne sausage and tattie scones. Depending on where you are in the
country you might see Haggis included with your breakfast choices. Best thing about this
breakfast, this isn’t just served as the first meal of the day, but you can have this breakfast
during any time of day! Most of Scotland serves it all day!
2) Tatties and Neeps: If you aren’t familiar with the terms tatties and neeps it is probably because
you aren’t from around Scotland. A neep (turnips) is a root vegetable that is found commonly in
Scotland and is known also as a delicious side to many Scottish meals. A Tattie (or known as a
potato to the rest of the world) is known as the best side dish to the later mentioned Haggis!
These are what you’d call “staple” foods in Scotland.
3) Haggis: In case you might have heard this wrong not this isn’t a Harry Potter character. A
Scottish poet, Robert Burns, said it best – ‘Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the
puddin’-race! Aboon them a’ye tak your place’. Now if you didn’t catch all that he basically
meant that this Scottish iconic dish might pucker your face a little. This dish is made up of
Sheep’s liver, lungs, heart all ground up super fine and then mixed up with oatmeal, a dash of
salt and onion to round of the dish and then is stuffed into the lining of the sheep’s stomach
(back in the day, now they use something else that looks similar to the olden days). Now you
might be dry heaving just reading this list of items that make up the delicacy dish Haggis but
trust us – Don’t dis it till you try it! You will be shocked how wonderful this meal is.
4) Battered Mars Bars: No this is not some crazy pregnancy craving in the works, this is a dessert
staple in Scotland. The Mars bar is covered in batter and then placed in the deep fryer, it only
stays in the fryer for a few moments but that is all it takes to create this mouth-watering
dessert. The batter acts like a barrier and once the chocolate hits the heat of the fryer it melts
rapidly and once you bit into the bar you will get an explosion of oozing chocolate. Now if you
don’t like mars bars that’s okay too, you can ask to switch it to any sort of candy bar and deliver
similar results, but we suggest trying the original recipe at least once.
5) Shortbread: Now everyone, whether you’ve traveled to Scotland or not, has tried shortbread at
least once. It is highly popular and is found at nearly every Christmas party you attend but did
you know that shortbread originated in Scotland? The first recipe showed up around 1736 and
has been a crowd pleaser ever since. Pairs perfectly with a cup of tea and is also a common gift
to be given around Hogmanay or Christmas.
When you are in Scotland be sure to try as many new kinds of food as you can stomach! As said before,
this is the fastest and tastiest way to learn about cultures and their history. Don’t miss out on the
amazing foods that Scotland has to offer, even if they seem a little crazy for you, try it once! You’ll be
glad that you did.