Salmon, shellfish, smoked herrings, Arbroath haddies, Aberdeen Angus beef, Borders lamb, game, and preserves are just some of the delicacies this northern land offers at the table.
One of the typical dishes par excellence is haggis, sheep’s stomach stuffed with sheep offal, onion, oatmeal, and served with bashed neeps, very thin slices of turnip, and chappit tatties, mashed potatoes.
Other Scottish dishes include shepherd’s pie, minced beef with mashed potatoes, and cock-a-leekie, a chicken and leek stew. The cheeses are also excellent, with the Lanark Blue standing out for its strong flavor, the Caboc, coated with oatmeal, and those from the Orkney Islands. Among desserts, the apple pie triumphs, the classic apple tart served with custard, a warm vanilla cream.
In recent decades, Scottish dining has made more than appreciable efforts to promote and showcase the quality of its primary products. The result is that, in general, it is not difficult to eat satisfactorily, whatever the level of the chosen venue, from luxury restaurants to modest inns. Naturally, fast food is also widespread; for a quick (and economical) lunch, chippies—fish & chips shops—are very popular, appreciated also by tourists.
Meal times, especially in restaurants in small towns and outskirts, tend to be less flexible than in big cities; between 5 pm and 7 pm, it is also customary to serve a special meal called high tea, based on sandwiches or finger foods with salmon, cheese, ham, eggs, pâté, sweets, scones, soft homemade biscuits, and the inevitable shortbread, oatmeal cookies.
