Wheaten bread was for long a luxury item for the wealthy while in the Highlands the poor ate potatoes as a substitute for bread. Wheat is grown in Scotland but the soil and climate do not favour its cultivation. However, bere and barley were more widely cultivated, especially in the Highlands and it was not until the agricultural improvements of the eighteenth century that nutritious, energy-giving oats became the dominant cereal. In the 14th century, French chronicler Jean Froissart noted Scots soldiers carried bags of oatmeal to make their own oatcakes. Oats have been the staple food of Scots for centuries. Dr Balfour of Glasgow having taken lodgings in a questionable house, caricature by John Gibson Lockhart from an album ca.1810-1817. ![]() Alongside traditional dishes, the wealthy were experimenting with French methods of cookery and curries from the East added to the cosmopolitan mix. These all appear in Scottish recipe books. Until improved methods of agriculture were introduced in the 18th century, most domestic animals were killed off after the summer's grazing and their meat preserved for the winter months by salting, smoking, burying and freezing and other methods. Eating copious amounts of meat, especially roasts, indicated wealth and status. Meat, poultry and gameĪlthough Scotland has ample supplies of wild animals and fowl, other than on feast days, ordinary people were fortunate to have the occasional hen in the broth. Fish on the shore at Strathnaver, Sutherland Illustration from 'A Voyage around the Coast of Great Britain' by William Daniell, 1814. Today, fishing continues to be a major industry and employer and Scottish salmon is a globally prized commodity. Later, entire coastal communities were set up devoted to catching, processing and packing fish for local consumption and export. Demand was fuelled when Roman Catholicism brought fast days to Scotland.įood from the sea, river and pond was plentiful and cheap and by the Middle Ages was an integral part of most Scots' diet. The fishing economy began in earnest when the Vikings arrived in the 8th century in search of herring and land to cultivate. But archaeological evidence indicates early Scots ate little fish. With thousands of miles of coastline Scotland has fish and shellfish in abundance. Inside of a weaver's cottage in Ilay from 'Tour in Scotland and voyage to the Hebrides 1772' by Thomas Pennant, 1776 Fish Here are some foodstuffs that can be found in Scotland's rich natural larder. For most people though, meat was an occasional luxury. In additional to these basic foodstuffs, the well-to-do ate large quantities of meat washed down with beer and imported wines. In good times, people thrived on this limited but wholesome diet. In the past, those who could afford to would supplement this simple diet with milk and ale, butter, cheese and fish. Foods such as kale and porridge featured prominently ¬are now promoted as superfoods. ![]() In pre-industrial Scotland ordinary people had a fairly frugal diet of 'broses' made from barley, oats, beans and pease cooked in a cauldron over an open fire. ![]() Scotland is blessed with a plentiful natural larder
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |