Scotland’s major distillery- Glenfiddich
From the first day to the last, the cuisine had an unmistakable Scottish focus.
In Edinburgh, our first dinner started with oatmeal (as a coating on the fried herring appetizer) and ended with oatmeal (as a key ingredient in the trifle-like dessert – delicious). Our last dinner in Glasgow was primarily smoked fish – arbroath smokies (haddock baked with tomatoes, cream and parmesan cheese, served in a little iron pot), smoked salmon and crab pate and smoked haddie (haddock) with peas and spring onion crushed potatoes.
In between, we savoured numerous other Scottish specialties while enjoying the rolling hills, fields covered with sheep and deep glades (several of which housed historic and quaint single malt distilleries) of the Speyside region.
Our visit was just six days but we had a taste of both major cities, plus, to the north, the most intensive whisky producing region in the world.
A great culinary introduction to Edinburgh is the Eat Walk Tour (www.eatwalkedinburgh.co.uk). For three hours in the evening a knowledgeable guide took seven of us through the quirky streets of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh to sample wines, whisky and wonderful small plates. Starting at the aptly named Whisky Snug Bar, the emphasis was on places tourists might not find themselves, plus unique restaurants where the locals eat. The tour included a stop at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society where we savoured a mellow 23-year-old single cask scotch.
Britannia in the Rain
Day two in Edinburgh was also filled with history and cuisine. The Royal Yacht Britannia retired from more than 40 years of service in 1997 and found its permanent home in Edinburgh (after competition from several British cities). Visitors can tour virtually the whole ship, from the bridge to Queen Elizabeth’s bedroom to the remarkably clean engine room. The city has even added a tea room where we sampled tasty scones with clotted cream and strawberries.
Queen’s Bedroom on Britannia
The National Museum of Scotland is a must-stop for its collection of rare Scottish antiquities, including a display of 12th century ivory chessmen and the gruesome Maiden, a 16th century beheading machine. The museum includes an excellent restaurant – The Tower – where we enjoyed a gourmet version of cullen skink, a traditional smoked haddock chowder. The restaurant has a superb view of Edinburgh Castle, the crowing glory of the Scottish capital.
We took another excellent afternoon tour to the Real Mary King’s Close, a mostly underground lane in the Old Town that was sealed off in 1645 to prevent the spread of bubonic plague among its many residents. Bodies were removed and the close eventually re-opened but people then reported many ghost sightings. Now the tour, through the remains of homes and shops, builds on that spookiness with period costumes by the guides and eerie sounds and lighting. An authentic, if scary, step back in time.
Our final dinner in Edinburgh was at a new sophisticated but rustic restaurant, Timberland, that produced local, seasonal and sustainable cuisine with a menu that constantly changes. Our server, a young lady from Vancouver studying for a Masters degree in Scotland, said the menu, featuring a variety of meat and game (like pigeon and venison) plus wild herbs and ultra-fresh produce, was much more inventive than anything she’s had in Canada. We feasted on wild sea bass, tender squid and lobster, smoked mussels and edible seaweed. A note at the bottom of the menu was startling: “Game may contain shot!”.
Scottish Salmon Three Ways
Early the next morning we were off in a rented car to a small region of Scotland with half the distilleries in the country. Speyside single malt has been called “the most creative and delicious transformation of water in the world.” With pristine water supplies in a multitude of picturesque glens and valleys, the Speyside region boasts 50 malt whisky distilleries within an hour or two of Aberlour and Balvenie Castle. Major distilleries like Glenlivet and Glenfiddich welcome visitors with a tour of the distilling process and, of course, a wee dram or two at the end. We took a ride on the historic Keith and Dufftown Railway which passes a dozen well known and more obscure distilleries, each with vast stone warehouses where the oak barrels, filled with spirits, are left to mellow for years, sometimes decades.
Next day we were back on the road (some four-lane, some just one-lane with quaint “passing places” every few hundred metres) heading for historic Stirling where, 700 years ago at the Battle of Bannockburn, the forces of Robert the Bruce routed the army of King Edward II of England to win freedom for the Scots. At the new Bannockburn Visitors Centre, a 3D in-the-round theatre and an interactive battle game allows visitors to become part of the action and make life or death battlefield decisions. Great fun!
Rising near the battlefield is the sturdy and strategic Stirling Castle, including the magnificent Great Hall, built by King James IV in 1503.
Our final stop, before flying back to Canada, was Glasgow. From its medieval beginnings, Scotland’s largest city is now a vibrant cultural and commercial hub that’s looking forward to hosting the Commonwealth Games in July.
Glasgow Transport Museum
The best way to get the flavour of the city is with the hop-on, hop-off City Sightseeing Bus. Every stop has appealing attractions but we particularly enjoyed the Riverside Museum, the city’s Transportation and Travel Museum that was selected as Europe’s Museum of the Year in 2013. Inside is an extensive collection of vintage cars, buses, locomotives and ship models plus the world’s oldest bicycle. Outside, by the River Clyde, is the 19th-century tall ship, Glenlee. Another stop on the bus route is the world-class Kelvingrove Art Gallery. It includes natural history, archeology and a large collection of top European paintings.
Often, when we’re in Britain, we seek out an Indian restaurant for good food and good value. Glasgow has an Indian/Pakistani restaurant that tops them all, mainly because the owners have found a way to combine their Scottish and Indian heritage. Mister Singh’s India has traditional (and tasty) Indian items but adds haggis to many of them for a unique flavour explosion. Most of the waiters wear kilts with a Singh tartan that’s been specifically designed using the colours of the Pakistani and British flags. Off the tourist path, it’s a restaurant worth discovering.
Mike Cantlay, the Chairman of Visit Scotland, told us that 2014 is an ideal year to visit his country. It’s the Year of Homecoming in addition to high-profile events like the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup. “Canadians and Americans feel safe and at home,” he told us, “because they are at home. North America has so much Scottish blood that it’s a natural fit. But we welcome everyone.”
Image Credits
All photos by John and Sandra Nowlan. All rights reserved.
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