Read an Excerpt
Introduction
I have long been fascinated by the relationship between Scotland and North America. My love for all things North American-Scottish began over 25 years ago when I spent some time with the Chicago Scots, a not-for-profit organization that fosters Scottish culture throughout the city, doing a culinary demonstration for a fundraiser they held at Navy Pier. From that trip on, I have delved into the history and impact Scotland has had on North America. Did you know of the 46 men who have been President of the United States, 35 of them are of Scots decent? Or that the US Declaration of Independence was partly modeled on Scotland’s 1320 Declaration of Arbroath? Or that 21 out of 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, and two of them were born in Scotland? Likewise, I was thrilled to discover that the first Prime Minister of Canada, John A. Macdonald, was born in my home city of Glasgow –I actually ran a restaurant just a few feet away from the plaque that marks his birthplace.
Other great Scots have not only impacted the US and Canada but also the world. Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh in 1847. Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline in 1835. Car manufacturer David Dunbar Buick was born in Arbroath in 1854. Uncle Sam, Davy Crockett, Mickey Mouse, George Washington, Neil Armstrong all have links to Scotland. The Scottish influence in the birth of modern America was acknowledged in Senate Resolution 155 — 105th Congress (1997–1998), which declares April 6th each year to be designated and observed as National Tartan Day. The resolution honors the role, “that Scottish Americans played in the founding of the Nation”. Now thousands of people from all over the US and Canada descend on New York City to celebrate all things Scottish and march up 6th Avenue in the annual Tartan Day parade.
As a chef, educator and food ambassador, I have been promoting Scottish food at home and abroad for over 30 years, serving the great and the good in the most wonderful locations all over the world and showcasing our produce and food traditions from Singapore to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. I have been lucky to work with amazing organizations all over the US and Canada, teaching at incredible culinary schools and making many friends along the way. And the more I travel, the prouder I become of my homeland.
I decided to write this book because I felt that a book celebrating Scottish traditional food, written for a modern kitchen and lifestyle, had not been done before. During the process of writing this book, I have learned loads myself about Scottish recipes and regional traditions, and found myself calling friends all over the country to ask about their childhood memories of food and to support me with any regional recipes I might have missed. I have tried to include every aspect of our food, from land and sea—not just from our past but recipes that are as relevant now as they have always been.
Scotland’s larder has some of the world’s most sought-after food. Its phenomenal beef, fish and shellfish are unrivaled – from langoustines to black puddings, from hot smoked salmon to Shetland mussels. With to-die-for flavor combinations, Scottish cooks have long known the pleasures of creating dishes that use superbly fresh, seasonal and locally-sourced produce. Scotland has been forged by centuries of influence from foreign lands, weather and a changing landscape, and this is reflected in the food Scots eat today.
Consider, for example, Scottish livestock. The Scottish climate lends itself to producing amazing lamb and beef: our wet weather and terrain provide ideal conditions for grazing animals, making them hardy and strong. Scotch beef ranks amongst the most renowned in the world, so much so that the word Angus is commonly used as a mark of quality. How much of this “Angus” beef served abroad is part of the famous breed is unclear, but the sheer hint that the breed has come from Scotland is enough for millions of consumers to pay a premium for it.
We are blessed with an incredible coastline of 11,000 kilometres around Scotland, if you include the islands; that’s more coastline than France and Spain combined. The first settlers of Scotland did not take advantage of this magnificent bounty, preferring to live off the land and not the ocean. It was not until the 8th century, influenced by Norsemen, that we started to fish for commercial purposes. The Vikings arrived initially as pirates and marauders but returned to settle mainly in Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, bringing with them boat-building and fishing skills. The biggest problem was that the catch was highly perishable. Various ways of preserving fish were developed, including drying, salting and smoking – traditions we still maintain today in Scotland. Staples like Arbroath smokies have stood the test of time, and cold smoked salmon has a global appeal.
We are now experts in aquaculture and annually export £640 million worth of farmed salmon across the globe. Our shellfish is also highly prized: Scotland is the leading European supplier of langoustine, which thrive in Scotland’s cold seas and lochs. We produce over £80 million worth of langoustine a year, which are shipped both live and frozen to North America, Europe and Asia. Scottish lobster is also popular – it can be found on the menu in over 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo alone.
During the 19th century, Scotland became a playground for the wealthy of the south. Every autumn the trains from London’s Kings Cross station were filled with the guns and fishing rods of the industrial giants of the day, destined for the Highlands of Scotland, with forests and rivers teeming with life. Queen Victoria had an influence on all things Scottish. When she purchased the Balmoral estate, it opened the floodgates: Scotland became the place to be for the rich, helping to forge the shortbread-tin image of Scotland today. My own family history is tied into this amazing period: my great-great-grandfather was a gillie (a person who attends someone on a hunting or fishing expedition) on a Highland estate, and I also had relations who worked at Balmoral for Queen Victoria.
Historically, we have also had great choice in vegetables (regardless of misconceptions to the contrary), with the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets offering broccoli, peas, greens, potatoes, turnips, onions, cauliflower, asparagus and savoy cabbage. We also had a great many orchards dating as far back as the 13th century. Modern-day Scotland produces enough soft fruit to export and our seed potatoes are planted in farms all over the world. Some of our most famous food and drink contain crops like barley and oats: oats are a key ingredient in our famous haggis, and barley is vital in the making of whisky.
There is now also a food revolution going on in Scotland’s inner-city cooperatives, which are bringing people together to grow vegetables in vacant, unused land. The Wash House Garden, an organic, no-dig market garden in Parkhead, Glasgow, provided a lot of the amazing produce used in this book. Commercially, the garden grows organic fruit and vegetables for sale and donation, giving local people access to some of the best food possible. By also hosting inherently fun and therapeutic workshops for all ages, community volunteering sessions, free meals and events, the organization provides opportunities for people to connect with good food, the natural world, themselves and one another. In so doing, it improves mental and physical well-being, builds skills and knowledge and brings people together – all while getting their hands dirty and filling their bellies!
My whole career I have been fascinated by the story of Scotland’s traditional foods and, at the same time, enthralled by the ingenuity and creativity alive in Scotland today. I hope The Scottish Kitchen opens a small window into our world so that we can keep those traditions alive for generations to come.
