You are offal..... but I like you

Scotland. Holiday and food.

McDonalds does not count inspite of what I said in yesterdays blog.

There is a great variety of national dishes and locally sourced produce to seek out and enjoy and behind every great holiday there is a great menu to be had. There is something very different to be seen on the supermarket shelves in this part of the United Kingdom even under the branding of the multiple retailers who dominate our shopping, eating and lifestyle habits whether intentionally or subversively.

Take the meat aisle.

There is the dominance of prepared and pre-packed products in pork intended for the breakfast table. Square, round and normal shapes of sausage meat with chops and black pudding. I can appreciate the logic that those battling against the Highland Climate and often highly physical workload require a huge calorific intake but not the love-affair with foodstuffs that will, eventually, clog the arteries and valves in a debilitating effect.

I avoided the temptation of a Scottish fry-up on this vacation although it would have been very helpful in getting me and my mountain bike up the tortuous West Highland Trail from our base at Rowardennan to the posh Inversnaid Hotel in reasonable style and back again with a little bit of energy left at all.

Still, there are plenty of other delicacies and treats to be had and here are just a few of them.

1) Haggis. This is a regular meal for our family every wednesday, almost without fail, although the day itself has no deep significance or symbolism. It is mainly because I can almost guarantee that the nearest Waitrose will have some in stock on that day and accompanied by mashed swede and mashed potatoes with spring onions it makes a delicious and inexpensive meal. You do have to be careful to check the authenticity of the ingredients as a one-off Tesco purchase of Haggis turned out to be made of everything apart from the proper bits of sheep.

2) Cured Salmon. The air in the Highlands is remarkably refreshing, so much so that to a townie like myself an intake of it whilst on holiday can be painful to lungs encrusted with urban grime until acclimatised and thereafter just bracing. The freshness is often mixed with that wonderful aroma of burning wood from open hearths, visitor's barbecues and the increasing number of traditional fish smoking houses. The Argyll sourced salmon pieces were amazing in a packed lunch. Soft fleshy fish, lightly smoked and so tasty.

3) White Pudding. I have written on this phenomena before being a regular recipient of it from friends and relatives returning from Scotland. It is a strange thing in form and texture but if you like, individually, oats, animal fat, rendered meat and skin wrapping then I can recommend it to you.

4) Irn Bru.  It is a carbonated soft drink by Barrs of Glasgow and an iconic part of Scottish Culture. It is a drink that you either love unquestionably or, after studying the list of ingredients, make a pledge never to contemplate buying at all. There is a sort of a warning on the can that the use of certain of the ingredients can induce behavioural traits in young children. All I know is that it tastes nice and can also bring out a beautiful lustre to a stainless steel sink basin.

4) Home made soup. Many of the cafes in our holiday area championed home cooking and a particularly enticing menu item advertised an intriguing soup of the day as "Ranoot". The name, perhaps of Gaelic or Celtic derivation, gave no clues to its composition whether animal, vegetable or mineral. I had just cycled 17 miles in light drizzle and a cold breeze and the cafe was the mid point of the journey. My usual bike supplies are made up of chocolate bars and water and so the prospect of hot soup was appealing. I asked about Ranoot expecting to be given a detailed breakdown of its history and authenticity for the Highlands. Instead I was told there was none left, or as the sign clearly said it had Ran Oot.

It has been a good holiday week. Best of all the combination of good eating and harsh cycling in the Highlands has meant that I have not gained any weight at all. Perfect.