Scotland has always provided it’s inhabitants with an abundance of food sources. The very earliest settlers relied on the oceans and rivers to provide them with plentiful fish. Oats quickly become the staple source of food once agriculture had arrived.
It was generally only the well to do, rich Scotts, that could afford to consume meat in medieval times. In fact, it would be a very special occasion, even for a middle class family, to have meat on the menu. During these tough times, most relied on their animals as food source for Dairy products, not such much as for their meat. Cheese, as a food and enriched protein source, was hugely relied on at the time. A typical Scottish dish of this era would be a stew consisting of local herbs, root vegetables, a few scraps of meat (where possible), accompanied with bread and cheese. Bread was a Scot’s main carbohydrate source, up until the time when Sir Walter Raleigh introduced the British Isles to the potato.
Throughout their history, the Scots have always been on the go; moving their animals from the highlands, down in to the markets of Edinburgh. This mobility meant that they needed a convenient food source to carry with them whilst journeying. It is thought that this gave rise to the idea of the famous (or infamous) Scotch dish – the Haggis. When you think about it the Haggis could be considered a medieval takeaway meal. A bag (sheep or pigs stomach) filled with whatever scraps of meat and other delights that they were able to collect from their homes.
The French connection with Scottish cuisine goes way back to the time of Mary queen of Scotts. Many of her staff, including cooks, were French and it is believed that they introduced a lot French ingredients and culinary styles. Such continental fusions were done away with, once Scotland fell to England.
It was generally only the well to do, rich Scotts, that could afford to consume meat in medieval times. In fact, it would be a very special occasion, even for a middle class family, to have meat on the menu. During these tough times, most relied on their animals as food source for Dairy products, not such much as for their meat. Cheese, as a food and enriched protein source, was hugely relied on at the time. A typical Scottish dish of this era would be a stew consisting of local herbs, root vegetables, a few scraps of meat (where possible), accompanied with bread and cheese. Bread was a Scot’s main carbohydrate source, up until the time when Sir Walter Raleigh introduced the British Isles to the potato.
Throughout their history, the Scots have always been on the go; moving their animals from the highlands, down in to the markets of Edinburgh. This mobility meant that they needed a convenient food source to carry with them whilst journeying. It is thought that this gave rise to the idea of the famous (or infamous) Scotch dish – the Haggis. When you think about it the Haggis could be considered a medieval takeaway meal. A bag (sheep or pigs stomach) filled with whatever scraps of meat and other delights that they were able to collect from their homes.
The French connection with Scottish cuisine goes way back to the time of Mary queen of Scotts. Many of her staff, including cooks, were French and it is believed that they introduced a lot French ingredients and culinary styles. Such continental fusions were done away with, once Scotland fell to England.