3 Scottish foods worth going the extra mile for

brenda
August 4, 2015
2 comments

These 3 delicious Scottish foods are not quite so easy to find, but here’s why they’re well worth going the extra mile for.

Would you travel for food? If so you are part of a fast growing population of experience seekers. Those, who love nothing more than getting to grips with the country they are in via the readily available iconic national dishes and the more unusual regional and local specialities.

As dedicated food travellers ourselves we work tirelessly at Tasting Scotland to create a range of premium quality culinary, food and whisky tours across the whole of Scotland that tells the Scottish story; one glorious mouthful or sip at a time.

Whether you choose a guided tour with one of our expert food and drink guides or a self-drive itinerary, our journeys combine a chance to really savour the true flavour of Scotland.

Here are the top 3 foods we feel are well worth seeking out at a farmers’ market, quality food shop, in some cases online or to order when you see them on a menu.

So forks and knives at the ready let’s begin:

1. Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop.

Ann Dorward, Multi Award winning Cheese maker at Dunlop Dairy

It seems fair to start, quite literally, with the ‘Champagne of Cheeses’. Made by artisan cheesemaker Ann Dorward on her Ayrshire farm, this 300 year old cheese received European PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status in the Spring of 2015.

Dunlop, a cow’s milk cheese not unlike Cheddar, can be made anywhere in Scotland. But aside from Ann’s recipe (that uses vegetarian rennet) it’s the high quality of milk that makes her cheese particularly special. Milk from Ayrshire Cows, fed on the lush green grass courtesy of good levels of rain fall and perfectly suited clay rich soil, is used to create a mild and nutty cheese when young, developing as it matures to give a slight sharpness.

Like to visit Ann’s dairy for an insight into cheese making and a tasting experience? That can be arranged via our Platinum, tailored tour service.

A healthier option: Highland Beef.

2. Highland Beef. With its majestic long horns and flowing coats of hair the Highland Cow is as synonymous of Scotland as the haggis is. And yes, we eat both.

Happily foraging on the heather clad hills and food sparse mountain uplands since around the 6^th Century, the Highlander is quite simply an incredible breed. Despite what most cattle would consider as a ridiculously meagre diet it has the capacity to develop lean, well-marbled flesh, that is tender, succulent and has a delicious, distinctive flavour despite these unsavoury conditions.

Chef in Scotland: Blessed with premium ingredients.

But aren’t we supposed to be eating less red meat? Well yes, but Highland Beef provides a healthier option with lower levels of fat and cholesterol and higher levels of protein and iron than any other beef.

From the farm to the frying pan, we can let you taste it within 1 mile of its origin. Contact us here for more details.

3. Smoked Gigha Halibut.

The happy halibut island.

This is an exceptional, award winning product that showcases Scotland’s passion for innovation. A rich culinary heritage of fish smoking is continued in a new and delicious way on Gigha, a beautiful island a mere 7 miles long and half a mile wide on the west coast of Scotland.

8 hours from the hustle and bustle of London

Named Gigha from the Norse word ‘gudey’ (meaning Good Island or God Island) the halibut farmed here (Wild Halibut is endangered) is fed by owner Amanda Anderson and her team a certified organic diet resulting in ‘happy halibut’. It is then delicately cold smoked using whisky barrel oak chips from Kilchoman Distillery on Islay.

Sustainable fish from God’s island? What do you think? Like to visit Gigha Halibut as part of your customized food tour in Scotland?

Our team of chefs can also create a cooking masterclass for you that combines these ingredients, as part of your unique food tour of Scotland.

Enquire about any of these options by contacting us here.

Tasting Scotland…….creating experience for those with discerning taste.