Chalky White

Elizabeth always thinks of me when she goes to visit her family in Scotland.

That is mainly because I am one of the few people she knows who are not first generation Scottish but who actually like that delicacy from north of the border known as White Pudding. I do have Scottish ancestry through my grandparents and something in my genes has awoken a longing for periodic consumption.

I once spent my entire saved up holiday money, a fair few pounds even in the 1970's, in the supermarket on the Blair Atholl Camp Site, Perthshire on the stuff and I seem to remember that I ate it all myself over a few cooked breakfasts in the family tent.

I was not being greedy.

The rest of my family could not bring themselves to eat any of it. It was, in my juvenile opinion, their loss. I have some appreciation of their position because White Pudding is not the most aesthetically pleasing of foods. It can be a bit off putting in anaemic sausage form resembling those rare piles of dog excrement which are chalky white and coarsely textured when seen on the pavement or in the local park. Although not perceived to be a health hazard until the 1990's it was quite common for sheeps brains to be used as a binding agent in the mix. Of course the concerns over links to CJD, BSE or Scrapie have since outlawed this application for offal.

White Pudding can also be bought in slices which are more user-friendly and at least give some clue as to how they are to be cooked. Simply fried. You may be familiar with black pudding or blood pudding as it is sometimes called. The white version is similar in composition but only likely to be offered on a menu in Scotland, Ireland, Northumberland, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

It is an oatmeal based product and can be made from pork meat , beef suet or even in vegetarian format although in this latter example may resemble just a greasy porridge blob.

My particular favourite is the pork composition with suet and bread added to the oatmeal base. This can also be made quite spicy from careful seasoning and therefore not dissimilar to haggis. It is most frequently found on a breakfast plate and compliments the usual sausage, fried egg, bacon, black pudding as per the Irish version or with the added English servings of mushrooms, tomatoes or kidneys.

It is also a bit more versatile and the classic serving is mince and tatties. The Scottish chippies have white pudding battered and crispy in hot oil and therefore an ideal main course for the culturally rooted deep fried mars bar. It can also make a nice savoury stuffing for a chicken.

I have rarely found it myself in the chiller cabinets in my local Tesco or Sainsbury's . I have on occasion but ultimately in vain searched the ethnic foods section hoping to stumble across a secret consignment behind the foods of the Orient and the Indian Sub Continent . I have therefore to rely on the kindness of Elizabeth to source what I consider to be a real treat and I have just taken delivery of 8 chunky slices which will take pride of place on my plate in the morning. A great start to a weekend.