When people think of Scottish food (or even British, for that matter), they don't automatically think "yum."
At least, that's what I was expecting when I arrived in Bonnie Scotland a while back. But, like usual, I was wrong. While I admit the thought of
Haggis didn't fill me with culinary anticipation, I was adventurous enough to try it and guess what? It tastes like chicken. Ok, it doesn't but it did remind me of a nicely spiced and savoury meatloaf. So there you go.
I first had proper haggis at the last meal my ex-boyfriend's parents had made us before we left. In the picture above, the haggis is the ground beefy looking things to the left and right of the ham and pinapple. The haggis to the right was actually vegetarian, which sounded more appetizing but seemed slightly redundant. It also didn't taste as good.
To go with our meal of haggis and ham, we started with a traditional soup called
Cullen Skink. It's a delicious, creamy fish soup, reminiscent of clam chowder, but with a smokey twist. And a stupid name.
To make matters even more tasty, we got to dip Balmoral Bread (expensive but melt-in-your-mouth) into the warm dish.
Another great thing about Scottish food - and what reminded me a lot of New Zealand - was the abundance of tasty meat pies. Not only could you purchase these tasty morsels at any gas station, deli or cafe, but they came in all sorts of flavours.
Another type of meat pie is the Scotch Pie, which is prolific at any football match. I had my Scotch pie with a side of chippies (fries), a forkful of deep-fried haggis and one powerful pickled onion. The typical Scottish take-away meal.
One thing I didn't have, but have tried in Canada, is the Deep-Fried Mars Bar. Sounds like a heart attack on a plate, and let me tell you it is. Might explain why Scotland has such a high heart disease risk. But, oh, it's worth it.
Scots love a lot of sweets, the most famous of these being their beloved Shortbread biscuits, found in shops all over the world.
I was more found of the salty snacks such as these Hula Hoops crisps...
...and Pickled Onion Monster Munch...
And Branston Pickle, spread on everything, especially salty Aberdeen buns (I have a jar sitting in my fridge right now, though I prefer the "small chunk" version).
To wash all of that down, you should reach for a nice cold Tennents, the beer which is known as
The Pride of Scotland. I can see where they are coming from too, although I am a sucker for most things "beer."
Last but not least, there is a most famous symbol of Scotland:
Irn Bru. This soft drink is sold everywhere, has miraculous hangover-curing properties (or so it goes, since my hangovers are usually beyond cure), gives you energy galore and tastes like orangey bubble gum. It also prides itself as having 32 different and "secret" flavours in each bottle.
According to Wikipedia:
"When McDonald's restaurants first opened for trading in Glasgow they did not serve Irn-Bru. This was seen as an insult by some Scots, and a campaign to correct this oversight was launched. After many of their restaurants were picketed, McDonalds relented and began to stock Irn-Bru alongside their other soft drinks."Just goes to show that the Scots aren't just passionate about life, but about their food and drink too!
PS - I'm going to be doing a giveaway for a Forever 21 dress on my other blog - yep, I have another blog
Anywhere But Here, a fashion-oriented one which is updated more than this one.
While the Berlin Wall seems like a distant memory, you can still find other important historical reminders throughout this fantastic city. The Brandenburg Gate is not only the symbol of Berlin (now that the wall has been taken down) but was once an actual gateway into the city (and is the only gate to remain standing).
Built as a sign of peace in 1791 by Friedrich Wilhelm II , the Brandenburg Gate has a vibrant history. After Napolean conqured Berlin, the gate became a sign of his power. Later, as the Nazis came into play, the gate was used to symbolize their power. As the Cold War started and Germany was split in two, the gate became closed off as the Berlin wall fell into place. American's placed the following sign on the gate, in numerous languages for all to read: "End of the Free World. You are leaving the American Zone."
By the time the Wall was finally torn down, the Brandenburg Gate took on a new symbol: Liberty.
The gate is great attraction for Berlin. Not only does it keep history alive by reminding us of its violent, stormy and evolving paths but it is also a great introduction to the city of Berlin.
