David Lawson

A Traditional Scottish Christmas & New Year

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“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never though upon;… That thou canst never once reflect on old long syne.” – Robert Burns

A season full of celebration and yuletide cheer! Although it is argued that no one can do the festive season quite like the Scots. As a result of this theory, which as a traditional Scottish food manufacturing company we fully support, we have put together some top tips in how to have a most traditional Scottish Christmas & New Year:


Christmas Eve
Christmas was traditionally banned in Scotland for nearly 400 years. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that Christmas was actually declared a national holiday! Since then Christmas has exploded in popularity, with people traditionally burning the branches of a rowan tree on Christmas Eve (24th December) to signify getting rid of any bad feeling towards friends and relatives. 

In some parts of the country people will also eat a traditional dish of oats, fine meal and water called ‘sowans’ and even call Christmas Eve ‘Sowans Nicht’.
Christmas Day
Celebrated on the 25th December, Christmas day of course centers round family and dinner. We Scots will most likely have the winter favourite of soup for a starter – cock a leekie, spicy parsnip and carrot and coriander are popular choices. However, if you’re not a fan of soup, freshly caught smoked salmon is never in short supply, and is chiefly served with caviar as a salmon & caviar rilette.
For the main meal, roast turkey with cranberry jelly, roast potatoes, parsnips and brussel sprouts are customarily on the menu. Many families may also have multiple meats as part of the spread; Aberdeen Angus beef, pheasant, pork, goose and venison are top picks.  
The Scots love our stuffing – whether it’s in the turkey or on the side. Kilted chipolata sausages (sausages wrapped in bacon), gravy and even steak pie are also included in a traditional spread.
A delicious and rich traditional Scottish Christmas pudding will usually be the dessert. This is served with brandy butter, rum sauce, custard or fresh cream.
Boxing Day
‘Boxing Day’ derived its name in Scotland and the rest of the UK centuries ago when the Lords & Ladies would distribute boxes of gifts and supplies to workers and families residing on their land. 

In a modern Scotland, Boxing Day triggers the start of the Winter Sales where bargain hunters can expect to pick up great deals! Shops are usually busier than even black Friday!
Hogmany
Hogmany in Scotland is like no other – from singing and dancing to the world famous Auld Lang Syne to traditional fire festivals. Must see fire festivals in Scotland are Stonehaven, Comrie and Biggar. 

First footing is also a popular Scottish traditions where friends and neighbors visit each other bearing gifts. The first person to enter a house can either bring good luck or bad luck. A tall, dark and handsome man is the luckiest, whereas a red head or fair-haired person is unlucky!
What’s your favourite festive tradition?


Rise of the UK’s Top Celebrity Chefs

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“Anyone who’s a chef, who loves food, ultimately knows that all that matters is: ‘Is it good? Does it give pleasure?’” – Anthony Bourdain
As purveyors of high quality produce we think very highly of those who have the same sentiment towards food as we do – chefs, and in particular, celebrity chefs. How does one go from merely enjoying food to making a high-flying celebrity career out of it? We look at some of the top UK chefs and their rise to fame & success:

Gordon Ramsey
After setting up his first restaurant, ‘Restaurant Gordon Ramsey’ and receiving two Michelin stars, Gordon then went on to become a TV chef with a series of shows airing in over 200 countries worldwide. He’s now the proud figurehead of over 30 restaurants worldwide with his flagship one being London’s longest-running restaurant to hold three Michelin stars!

Gordon Ramsey
Paul Hollywood
Paul grew up working in his father’s bakery, going on to become the head baker at several hotels around the UK. In 2010 he became a judge on BBC’s ‘The Great British Bake Off’ resulting in his popularity skyrocketing. He now has his own sellout tour and several cookbooks!

Paul Hollywood

Hemsley & Hemsley
The two sisters Jasmine & Melissa Hemsley are the new up and coming chefs who live for whole, organic, nutrient filled food. They started their career in a London based family business and used social media and blogging to get their name and message out there. They’ve just released their first cookbook ‘The Art of Eating Well’. Watch this space!

Jasmine & Melissa Hemsley
Jamie Oliver
Jamie grew up in the restaurant industry with his parents owning their own pub/restaurant. After graduating from Westminster Catering College and doing various stints in restaurants around Europe he started doing TV and grew his fame from there. As well as transforming the British school catering system with his ‘School Food Matters’ campaign, he now has several cookery shows, cookbooks and top quality restaurants!

Jamie Oliver
Lorraine Pascal
After she left her career as a model, Lorraine completed a Diploma in Food & Wine at Leith’s College and worked in some of the most renowned kitchens around the world. She then went onto start her own Celebration Cake business and later landed her own TV series with the BBC. She has now published several cookbooks topping the bestseller chart multiple times! 

Lorraine Pascal
Jacqueline O’Donnell
Jacqueline is one of our favourite high profile chefs because like us, she is a huge fan of high quality Scottish produce. She’s worked in high profile Scottish kitchens such as Shirley Spears, Raymond Blanc and Nick Nairn. You can follow what she’s up to on her fantastic page “What’s Cooking Good Looking” via the Angus soft fruit website.

Jacqueline O’Donnell
Tony Singh
Tony is a Sikh chef who now lives and works in Edinburgh. He’s owned and worked in various restaurants throughout his cooking career. He’s been a chef for over 22 years and has appeared in various cooking shows on TV including BBC’s Great British Menu and Ready Steady Cook.

Tony Singh

Who’s your favourite celebrity chef? Tell us in the comments section below!

How to Cook Traditional Scottish Puddings

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“The proof is in the pudding!” – Unknown


The savoury Scottish pud – a delicacy that graces many Scottish dinner plates. Whether you’re eating black, red or white there’s a way to do it. Many a Scot will just pop into the local chip shop and eat them fried in batter and served with chips – and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! 

However, what if you want to have a go at something a bit different? Or you fancy yourself a bit of home cooking?  As a food manufacturing company that specialises in the famed traditional puds we’re here to give you some top tips for cooking them at home!
Prepared with traditional Scottish oatmeal a Speyside Specialities black pudding is made with only the best ingredients making it moist, well seasoned and unique. Some of our tips for cooking are:
  • Always slice your black pudding at approximately 1.5 – 2cm thick. This will help stop any crumbling when trying to cook.
  • Whether you are frying or grilling your black pudding the key is to be gentle. If you are too enthusiastic you may cause your pud to prematurely crumble!
  • Black pudding tastes great with scallops. Have a look at the recipe here:  *LINK*

White pudding is one of our most popular products. It’s made with Scottish oats, beef dripping and a delicious blend of seasoning. Some of our top tips for eating white pudding are:
  • Slice your white pudding the same way you’d slice your black pudding – about 1.5 – 2cm thick. White pudding is oatier than black pudding meaning it’s even more prone to crumbling so be extra careful!
  • The traditional way of cooking white pudding is wrapping it in tin foil, placing it in hot water and leaving to simmer for 15 minutes. If you’re a bit short on time you can microwave it by cutting a slit through the skin and heating for 2 minutes.
  • You can adapt white pudding to fit almost any dish – some of our favourite’s include mince & tatties, sausage & mash and of course, it’s the perfect accompaniment to your Sunday chicken dinner. 

A firm favourite with meat lovers, a Speyside Specialities red pudding is made with pork cuts, suet, spices and the perfect combination of seasoning.  Remember to keep these tips in mind when preparing your own:
  • Red pudding (or polony) can be sliced slightly thinner than black and white pudding. Slice to your preference.
  • Once it is sliced you can grill, fry or microwave it. Make sure it’s cooked right through before eating though!
  • You can be as creative as you like with red pudding. Serve it with chips, eat it in a sandwich or bagel or use it as an alternative topping to homemade pizza!

It is sometimes difficult to find these products out with Scotland and for some only certain regions of Scotland. You can order all of our products via our online shop and we deliver UK wide… to see our full range of traditional puds click here. 


A Winter Warmer… Food for Cold Nights

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“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” – John Boswell


There’s no doubt about it. Scotland does winter food remarkably well. It’s very likely this is to do with the often bitterly cold climate, the not so hot summer days and the harshest of winter winds. 

To help fight back from these dismal days we use hot and hearty recipes… and boy do we have those in abundance!

From the Scottish favourite of mince and tatties to a thick Scotch broth these winter warmers are bound to put the colour back in your cheeks. Our current favourite however has to be haggis stovies.
So sit back, get your stove ready… and enjoy this recipe for delicious haggis stovies to help warm you up on a cold winter night.
What You Need
3Ibs of tatties (potatoes)
4 small onions (sliced)
2 small heaps of salted butter
Beef or lamb dripping/stock

Optional Extras
Chopped parsley
Carrots
Salt and pepper

Preparation
Chop up your potatoes into halves or quarters depending on size
Break down your haggis until it is nice and crumbly
Melt half of your butter into the pot/pan and brown the haggis
Add the rest of the butter and wait until it is completely melted
Add the potatoes, onions and any other ingredients
Pour the stock over the food, cover it up and cook in the oven at 270f/130c for about 2 ½ hours. Remember to check regularly to keep an eye on the liquid. If it dries up add a small amount of water.
Season and serve… delicious!

Do you have a favourite winter recipe? Tell us all about it in the comment section below or email recipes@speysidespecialities.co.uk


Robert Burns Halloween – Then & Now

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Boo! It’s that time of year again – Halloween is drawing near and, as a food manufacturing company that specialises in traditional Scottish produce, we look back in time to the most celebrated Scots poet – Robert Burns.
Old ‘Rabbie’, was famously a big fan of all things mystical and spooky. He even penned a whole poem dedicated to All Hallow’s Eve – the night where the veil between living and dead is said to be thinnest!

Halloween being of Celtic origin has many its traditional myths and legends described in great detail by Burns in his poem “Halloween”. However, many non-Scots and Scot themselves may struggle to understand Burns traditional Scottish dialect which is why we have translated some of the Robert Burns poem from then… to now:
Then                                                                 Now
Upon that night, when fairies light                Upon tha night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,                            On Cassilis Downans dance
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,               Or over the lays, in splendid blaze
On sprightly coursers prance;                         On sprightly horses prance              
Or for Colean the rout is ta’en,                        Or for Colean the route is taken
Beneath the moon’s pale beams;                    Beneath the moon’s pale beams
There, up the Cove,to stray an’ rove,             There, up the cove, to stray and rove
Amang the rocks and streams                        Among the rocks and streams
To sport that night;                                           To sport that night.
Amang the bonie winding banks,                    Among the bonny winding banks
Where Doon rins, wimplin, clear;                   Where the river Doon runs clear
Where Bruce ance rul’d the martial ranks,   Where Bruce once ruled the martial ranks
An’ shook his Carrick spear;                             And shook his Carrick spear
Some merry, friendly, countra-folks              Some merry, friendly, country-folks
Together did convene,                                       Together did convene
To burn their nits, an’ pou their stocks,        To burn their nuts, and pile their shocks of wheat
An’ haud their Halloween                                And have their Halloween 
Fu’ blythe that night.                                         Full of fun that night 
To find out the full translation visit: www.mythicjourneys.org/mythkids_oct06_burns.html
What do you make of these old Celtic legends? Are you a believer? Will you be taking part in any of these Halloween traditions? Tell us all about it in the comment box below:

Food Festivals Around the World

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“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Wolf

All around the world there is one thing we have in common – food. We all eat it, we all love it and many of us celebrate it. As a Scottish food manufacturing company, we specialise in traditional food, sourced locally from the vast landscape of Scotland. We encourage and admire the celebration of local food, which is why we have put together some of our favourite food festivals from around the world.


La Tomatina – Spain
Held on the last Wednesday of August, this food festival consists of throwing tomatoes at one another. The twist is that there has been up to 50,000 participants in the past, using up to 250,000 pounds of tomatoes in the “world’s largest food fight.” The festival is now so popular that tickets to the event have to be sold to limit numbers.
Potato Wrestling – Minnesota, USA
Potatoes or ‘tatties’ have been a staple in many a culture’s diet – including the Scots, which is why we love this festival in particular. Minnesotans have been gathering for their Potato Days Festival every year from around 1938, where they celebrate the spud by eating it, mashing it and wrestling in it!

Cheese Rolling – Gloucestershire, UK
Every year on the spring Bank Holiday Monday, visitors from all over the world flock to Coopers Hill to roll cheese. This results in many a body chasing an eight-pound wheel of double Gloucester down the 60-degree incline. Injuries are standard with many participants being treated for broken bones!


Melon Festival – Chinchilla, Australia
The Australians celebrate the cool and refreshing fruit through their annual Water Melon Festival. Festival-goers take part in watermelon trivia, watermelon fun runs, watermelon arts and crafts and even a watermelon street parade!

Boiled Sweets Festival – Spain
Everyone loves a tasty boiled sweet from time to time, however having one (or hundreds) thrown at you sounds a little painful. The annual Les Comparses at Festa Major does just that, with participants raining boiled sweets on one another… certainly a colourful event!

Do you have a favourite food festival? If so, leave a comment in the comments section below and tell us all about it!