TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH SOUP

Shared by Teresa Arévalo:

For those who enjoy eating fish, here you are a traditional fish soup: Traditional Scottish Cullen Skink

Cullen skink, one of Scotland's most famous dishes, is a hearty soup that is traditionally made with smoked haddock. The name of this come from Cullen, a small town in the northeast of Scotland

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup parsley sprigs, leaves and stalks separated, more leaves for garnish
1 bay leaf
1-pound smoked haddock fillet, preferably not dyed
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 ounces store-bought or homemade mashed potato, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crusty bread, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It:

1. Gather the ingredients

2. Put the milk, parsley stalks, bay leaf, and the whole piece of haddock into a large saucepan.

3. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Set aside.

4. Bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to low simmer, about 3 minutes.

5. Remove the pan from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes so the herbs and haddock infuse their flavours into the milk.

6. Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spatula. Set aside.

7. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the herbs.

8. In another large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and the onion. Cook gently until the butter melts and the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the onion.

9. Add the infused milk and the potato to the onion-butter mixture. Stir until the potatoes dissolve and the soup thickens slightly.

10. Flake the smoked haddock into bite-size chunks, discarding any bones. Add to the soup.

11. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the chopped parsley and cook until the haddock is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Don't overstir, because the fish chunks might disintegrate.

12. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Be careful with the salt, as the fish will impart quite a salty flavor all on its own.

13. Garnish the soup with the reserved parsley leaves and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve with crusty bread, if desired.

Enjoy it!

SCOTTISH ADS

Shared by Michael Church and Inmaculada Romero:

Here´s some info about a wee Scottish drink...

Ah how I miss this Scottish non-alcoholic beverage! Nectar from the gods...

If you have visited Scotland, you may have come across this orange fizzy drink.

It outsells its Coca Cola rival, and in fact Coca Cola wanted to buy the company.

Read more about it from the Scotsman newspaper:

https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/irn-bru-carnival-opens-today-20-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-scotlands-national-drink-3874400

Another add:

SCOTLAND IN IMAGES

Shared and curated by Petrina Moir:

Did you know that Scotland is one of the few countries with free camping? So if you fancy a stroll off the beaten track, you can literally pitch your tent up anywhere. Just be careful of the midgies!

Have any of you had the chance to explore this spectacular country?

Shared by Sergio García:

I fell in love with Scotland being a young child, after watching the film "Highlander"; since then I decided that I had to visit this country. Finally, I could did it some years ago...what an experience!!

The best solution when driving through narrows roads:

Have you ever seen this furry cow? Awesome!

What to say about the Eilean Donan castle? No words...

SCOTTISH SYMBOLS

Shared by Melina Rellán:

Scotland is a wonderful country full of things, places.. to discover.

Here you have some links about the Scottish symbols and their meanings, they are great!! nad, they also help you understand better the Scottish culture and customs:

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Shared by Shawn Redwoord.

Source: https://www.daringgourmet.com/scottish-shortbread/

Traditional Scottish Shortbread Recipe Perfectly crumbly, irresistibly buttery and wonderfully delicious, Scottish Shortbread has been a year-round favorite treat for centuries!

Shortbread is as basic and simple as a cookie (biscuit) can get. But it’s also divinely delicious. And for that reason shortbread has been a favorite throughout the UK for hundreds of years.

The origin of shortbread goes back to somewhere around the 12th century when it was originally made from leftover bread-making dough that was left to dry out and harden into “biscuit bread.” Over time butter replaced the yeast and biscuit bread evolved into shortbread. The term “short” refers to the crumbly texture from the large quantity of butter. Butter was a luxury item and so shortbread was enjoyed only on special occasions and, of course, by the nobles and royals.

The more refined version of shortbread as we know it today is attributed to Scotland, in particular to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century. She was particularly fond of what was known as Petticoat Tails, which was a thin shortbread baked in a large circle and cut into triangular segments. In her day the shortbread was commonly flavored with caraway seeds, which were all the rage in British baking for several centuries. In fact, the earliest published shortbread recipes from the 18th century were more elaborate than the standard shortbread today: They were baked with candied citrus peels and garnished with caraway comfits.

Traditionally Scottish shortbread is baked in either a rectangular or square slab and cut into fingers, as individual round biscuits, or in one large circle and cut into triangles. But you can cut them any shape you like and also use cookie stamps. I have and often use these cookie stamps, these ones, and these ones and love them all – excellent quality.

I’ve read a few claims that “traditional” Scottish shortbread is made with farola: “Scottish Shortbread is traditionally made with farola, a free-flowing cream coloured and fine granular powder or flour milled from durum wheat.” But the oldest recipes I’ve researched do not, so this “tradition” may be a later/more contemporary one.

We’re making Scottish shortbread the traditional way with just 3 ingredients: Flour, Sugar and Butter. Well, and a tiny pinch of salt, too. Nothing else is needed, no fancy ingredients, no flavor enhancers. The key to a good Scottish shortbread is the quality of the butter. That is what flavors the shortbread and the shortbread is only as good as the butter.

That said, shortbread is also incredible if you want to add things like homemade candied ginger, homemade candied citrus peels, dried cranberries, rosemary, and anything else your imagination inspires you to try.

Another key is using caster sugar. Not regular granulated sugar. Not powdered sugar. Caster sugar is very fine granulated sugar. Caster sugar is commonly used in British baking and it’s an all-around smarter choice than granulated. The reason is that the sugar crystals in granulated sugar are much larger and take longer to dissolve during baking and may not dissolve completely. Caster sugar dissolves more rapidly leaving a finer texture to the baked good.

Shortbread is very simple, very easy to make and once you’ve made it yourself there will be no need to buy it again!

Traditional Scottish Shortbread Recipe

Let’s get started!

You can either buy caster sugar (it’s overpriced) or make you’re own, which is what I do. Super easy: Just put the sugar in a blender or coffee/spice grinder and pulse until it’s very fine.

INGREDIENTS

250 g (240 grams) all-purpose flour
2 sticks (230 grams) quality unsalted butter , cubed and softened at room temperature (the better the butter, the better the shortbread)
100 g (120 grams) caster sugar , or "baker's sugar" in the U.S. (if you can't find any simply pulse granulated sugar in a blender until very fine. Do NOT use powdered sugar)
0.5 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins:
Homemade Candied Ginger (click link for recipe)
Homemade Candied Citrus Peel (click link for recipe)
Other options include nuts, fresh herbs, dried cranberries, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan. You can also use a round cake can and cut the shortbread into triangles.
Place the caster sugar, flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it's combined and looks like coarse breadcrumbs but is soft and pliable and comes together in a dough when you press it together between your fingers. If it's too dry and crumbly it needs to be pulsed a bit longer. (If using any add-ins, stir them in at this point.)

3. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Use your fingers and hands to firmly press down the mixture. Note: If the mixture is too dry to work with, including pricking with a fork (see below), then it was not pulsed long enough in the food processor.

4. Optional: Prick the shortbread with the tines of a fork, creating rows. Some people also like run a knife between each row of fork tines to make cutting the shortbread easier after it's baked. You can also prick the shortbread with a fork immediately after it is done baking while it is still warm; the holes will be more pronounced this way as they have a tendency to close during baking.

5. Place the shortbread on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden and firm. Let cool. Cut and serve.

6. Store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to several weeks. Its flavor and texture improves over time.

If you want to take your shortbread to the next several flavor levels, try our traditional Scottish Millionaire’s Shortbread. With layers of shortbread, caramel and chocolate it is the ultimate indulgence!

SCOTTISH PRONUNCIATION

Shared by Sara I. Terrón:

Here you have a funny clip about 2 Scottish guys in problems with the voice recognition system. I hope you enjoy it.

THE KING OVER THE WATER

Raising a glass in a toast has long been an important social ritual. For Jacobites, gathering in secrecy to honour the exiled Stuarts, the toast possessed a special significance. The most famous Jacobite toasts are those to ‘the king over the water’, during which glasses would be passed over a vessel containing water such as a finger bowl.

Jacobite societies had to be secret since they were officially banned. Nevertheless, they met frequently and, over a bowl of water, toasted “the King,” using wine glasses engraved with Jacobite symbols.

The toast was well understood by the members as a tribute to the “King over the sea,” or James III, as the Bonnie Prince Charles Edward Stuart styled himself.

Source: https://www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk/articles/the-king-over-the-water/

SELKIE FOLKLORE

AND THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH

Shared by Mary Lynn Marshell:

Among the world's mythical creatures, I've always been extremely mesmerized by the Scottish island shapeshifter, the Selkie (seals that can take on human form).
There are fascinating folktales, much Celtic art and many versions and films about the Selkie. Have you heard of them?

Who Are the Selkies?

Selkies, Mythical Creatures Bestiary

The Selkie Bride
A traditional Scottish folk story animated by Walter McCrorie

My all-time personal favorite and almost a family cult-film is The Secret of Roan Inish.

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH CULLEN SKINK

Shared by Romina Teresa Arévalo:

For those who enjoy eating fish, here you are a traditional fish soup.

Cullen skink, one of Scotland's most famous dishes, is a hearty soup that is traditionally made with smoked haddock. The name of this come from Cullen, a small town in the northeast of Scotland

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup parsley sprigs, leaves and stalks separated, more leaves for garnish
1 bay leaf
1-pound smoked haddock fillet, preferably not dyed
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 ounces store-bought or homemade mashed potato, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crusty bread, for serving, optional