SCOTTISH FOODS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 252, 25 October 1933, Page 13

SCOTTISH FOODS.

• r ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY. Ail address oil Scottish kitchens and foods, illustrated with historic anecdotes, was given at a meeting of the St. Andrew's Women's Society yesterday afternoon by Mrs. J. Henderson "Wills. Sprigs of heather, sent from Scotland by Mrs. Esmond Kohn, who is at present on a visit to her homeland, were distributed by the president, Mrs. W. Black. During the address various points of interest were illustrated by Bongs, rendered by Mrs. A. Middleton, who sang "Caller o*u" and "The Skye Boat Song," and by Mrs. A. Wyness, who sang "There Grows a Bonnie Briar Bush," "Weaving Lilt," and "Slippery Stane." A bouquet of yellow broom and scarlet pimpernels was presented to Mrs. Wills. Mrs. Wills stated that the union of Parliaments had made a difference to both English and Scottish habits. The English, who had previously eaten mainly game and fish, began to include oatmeal and other hitherto purely Scottish foods in their menus, while the Scotch, not altogether to their advantage, began to use wheat and flour more extensively. Moreover, the Scots could then afford to eat more meat.

The speaker pointed out that it was quite an erroneous idea that Scotland was a land famous for its scarcity of food. That was proved by the splendid mentality and physique of the people. The Scots were adepts at making the most of what they had whenever food was scarce, and it was sometimes scarce in every country. The Scots were proud of their independence, and their ability to make the best of whatever they had wd enabled them to preserve that independence. Their food was both palatable and sustaining. Soans, a favourite dish of the hardy Scots, was made from the husks of the oat, and it was perhaps surprising to some that a tasty dish could be made from such a source. In the time of the South African war, when Ladysmith and Mafeking were besieged and a great shortage of food was feared, an Aberdeen man named Simms had made soans, and it was these that had proved invaluable in keeping the garrison alive.

Continuing her descriptions of various national dishes, Mrs. Wills mentioned that the Highlander of older days had despised the Lowlander for his "effeminacy" in thinking of such things as the taste of food. To him food was anything that would sustain strength. It was remarkable that so many tasty dishes could be made from such things as sheep's and cows' heads. Many of the old recipes were typically Scottish, their connection with France being shown in their wide use of soups. The famous Scotch broth was over 200 years old. Dr. Johnson and Boswell on one of their visits to Scotland had praised it highly.! Hotchpotch was another famous dish made from mutton and every vegetable, and a story was told of the late Prince Consort, who, while coming from Scotland, was attracted by the odour of hotchpotch and stopped to inquire, for tli£ reciftii. Cockileeki was another i favourite soup made from fowl sod

leeks. The leek was an honourable and ancient herb, and had been accepted as the badge of Ancient Britain, now known as Wales. In that country in the old days instead of speaking of a young man as "the flower of his country" he was called "the leek of his country." Bare soup could not be omitted in any mention of Scottish dishes,! it was so well known and palatable. One of the chief foods of the Scottish servants and peasants waa brose. This was made from oatmeal, water, pepper, and salt, and many a labourer who worked long hours in the field lived on brose as his main food. Just as the potato was the Irish vegetable, so kale was the main vegetable of Scotland. Kale brose was ono of the more famous dishes * and was highly valued even in early days for that content to-day known as vitamins. Kale was sometimes used as the name of a broth which was made from it and sometimes for the whole meal. People would often say, "Will you take kale with me" instead of asking the guest to "dine."

Oatmeal, very early in the history of Scotland, superseded barley as the main national food. It was not only the staple food but also the official standard of values. It was significant that when McLeod betrayed the Duke of Montrose he was rewarded with 14,000 bowls of meal, for it was then regarded as quite as good as money. The humblest of families bought meal in large quantities, usually about 1401b, which was stored in the family meal chest. It had many and varied uses, often being used as a soap as well as a food. Haggis was tlio chief of puddings and Scotland's supreme national dish. It was a testimony to the national gift of making the most of whatever was available and it was a tribute to the ingenuity of the people that out of such small means they, could concoct a dish fit for a king. Haggis found a place on every table, whether it be in castle, cottage, or croft. The most ascetic nation in the world, the Greeks, had had a haggis, and an ode to it had been written by Aristotle.' The girdle was widely used in Scotland. In early days the Gallic system of cooking on a circle of hot stones was .employed until James VI. of Scotland had given to one small town the sole right to manufacture a girdle. In those days the equipment of every Scottieh soldier had comprised a flat plate of iron, to be used as a girdle, and some oatmeal. The speaker also mentioned that the oatmeal found in New Zealand was deficient in gluten. It had been found, however, that if flour was added in the proportion of three teacupfuls of meal to one of flour, a successful constituency could be obtained. The address was made even more interesting by the exhibition of a few dishes that Mrs. Wills had prepared. Haggis, some Scotch oatmeal puddings in strings like sausages, some oat cakes, and a Scotch bun were shown and distributed.