What is Scotlands national dish?
Haggis
Although the name "hagws" or "hagese" was first recorded in England c. 1430, the dish is considered traditionally of Scottish origin. It is even the national dish, as a result of Scots poet Robert Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis" of 1787. Haggis is traditionally served with "neeps and tatties", boiled and mashed separately, and a dram (a glass of Scotch whisky), especially as the main course of a Burns Supper.
Scotland national rugby union team
The thistle is the national flower, and also the symbol of the Scotland national rugby union team. According to legend the "guardian thistle" has played its part in the defence of Scotland against a night attack by Norwegian Vikings, one of whom let out a yell of pain when he stepped barefoot on a thistle, alerting the Scottish defenders. The Latin Nemo me impune lacessit ("No-one provokes me with impunity!" in English) is an ancient motto of the Kings of Scotland, and also of Scotland's premier chivalric order, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, and of the Scots Guards (the latter both "belonging" to the monarch).
Scotch pie
A Scotch pie or mutton pie is a small, double-crust meat pie filled with minced mutton or other meat. It may also be known as a shell pie or mince pie (although the latter term is ambiguous) to differentiate it from other varieties of savoury pie, such as the steak pie, steak and kidney pie, steak-and-tattie (potato) pie, and so forth. The Scotch pie is believed to originate in Scotland, but can be found in other parts of the United Kingdom, and is widely sold all over Canada. They are often sold alongside other types of hot food in football grounds, traditionally accompanied by a drink of Bovril, resulting in the occasional reference to football pies.
Culture of Wales
Several Welsh dishes are thought of because their ingredients are associated with Wales, whereas others have been developed there. Cawl is regarded as the Welsh national dish; it is a slow-cooked meat and vegetable broth. Traditionally it was a vegetable-heavy dish, but now it is more likely to contain beef or lamb. Welsh rarebit is thought to date from the 18th century, although the original term "Welsh rabbit" may have been intended as a slur against the Welsh. Another use of cheese in a traditional Welsh dish is seen in Glamorgan sausage, which is a skinless sausage made of cheese and either leek or spring onion, which is then rolled into a sausage shape before frying. Laverbread is made using a puree of seaweed, and is traditionally served with a Welsh breakfast. Welsh cakes are made on a bakestone, and are small round spiced cakes containing raisins, sultanas and occasionally currants. Bara brith contains similar ingredients to Welsh cakes, but is similar to a tea bread.
The Welsh have their own versions of pancakes, Crempog's (sometimes called ffroes) are considerably thick. They are traditionally layered on top of each other to form a large cake. Some are very much like American pancakes, others may be made with yeast (called crempog furum) or oatmeal (although this is also true of American pancakes) and some are like Scotch pancakes.
Breakfast
Another traditional British breakfast consists of porridge, although now associated with Scotland, it has been consumed across Britain as a staple food since at least the Middle Ages. The breakfast cereal Scott's Porage Oats was produced in Glasgow in 1880. Before the arrival of American-style breakfast cereals in the early 20th century, dried bread soaked in hot milk or tea and porridge (boiled oats) was the common daily breakfast, while leftover vegetables (often, cabbage) and potatoes not eaten the night before were often served re-fried becoming 'bubble-and-squeak'; in Ireland the dish is known as colcannon. Traditionally, breakfast would be served with a small amount of fruit, such as a slice of orange, believed to prevent the onset of scurvy. Also traditional, but now less popular breakfasts included fish in the form of kippers (smoked herring) with poached egg and toast, and kedgeree (a Scoto-Indian smoked haddock, egg and rice dish originating in Colonial India). Most British breakfasts are consumed with tea, coffee or fruit juice.
Shades of purple
The color thistle is associated with Scotland because the thistle is the national flower of Scotland and Scotland's highest state decoration is the Order of the Thistle.
Shopska salad
Though the salad's name comes from the region called Shopluk, in fact, it was invented in the 1960s as part of a tourist promotion. It is a product of early socialism in Bulgaria, the only survivor of five or six recipes. At the time, leading chefs from Balkantourist invented Dobrujan, Macedonian, Thracian and several other salads with similar names, which were associated with different ethnographical regions. It turns out that only the Shopska salad survived. It was approved as a national culinary symbol during the 1970s and 1980s. From Bulgaria the recipe spread to the kitchens of neighboring countries. Because the area of Shopluk is divided among Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia, chefs in Macedonia and Serbia began later to contest the Bulgarian origin of the salad. It is widespread also in Romania under the name "Bulgarian salad". In 2014 Shopska salad turned out to be Bulgaria's most recognisable dish in Europe. It was the most popular recipe in a European Parliament initiative called "A Taste of Europe".
Culture of England
Roast beef is a food traditionally associated with the English; the link was made famous by Henry Fielding's patriotic ballad "The Roast Beef of Old England", and William Hogarth's painting of the same name. Indeed, since the 18th century the phrase "les rosbifs" has been a popular French nickname for the English. Lamb is eaten especially at Easter. An English commentator wrote: “We have, throughout our history as a nation, had a weakness for meat in pastry which, while it is not unique, is a sort of hallmark of our taste.” Pies appear in common English idioms such as "to eat humble pie", "as easy as pie", "pie in the sky" and "a slice of the pie". Suet is an ingredient in several traditional English dishes. Dumplings made with flour, suet and seasonings and pearl barley may be cooked with casseroles and stews. Potatoes are served roasted, boiled, baked, mashed, and as chips; popular varieties in England including King Edward, Jersey Royal, Charlotte and Maris Piper.
Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats
In the United Kingdom this confection is known as a chocolate teacake,
though it is entirely unlike the usual English teacake, a sweet roll with dried fruit which is served toasted and buttered. Teacakes are generally served in the afternoon alongside a traditional British 'cuppa'. There are several manufacturers of chocolate teacakes in the UK, though the best known is Tunnock's, a Scottish company founded in 1890. It was invented by Boyd Tunnock in 1956. He developed the idea of using Italian meringue. He made a biscuit base, hand piped the mallow onto the base and covered it in milk chocolate. The Tunnock's teacake is commonly regarded in the same food category as the British biscuit, eaten at break times with a cup of tea as shown in advertising for the product.
Popular throughout the UK, the Tunnock's Teacake enjoys iconic status in Scotland, evoking memories of childhood, or symbolising "home" for Scots around the world. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service gives Tunnock's Teacakes to blood donors in Scotland after giving blood. There is an online appreciation society for the Tunnock's Teacake and Dundee University also has an appreciation society for the Tunnocks Teacake. A giant fully edible replica of a Tunnocks Teacake was made by Michelle Kershaw and Nick Dodds at "Pimp That Snack". The opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow featured giant dancing Tunnocks Teacakes.
Serbian cuisine
The national dishes include pljeskavica (a ground beef/pork patty), ćevapi (grilled ground meat), and Karađorđeva šnicla (Karageorge's schnitzel). The national drink is the plum brandy šljivovica or homemade rakija .
Shortbread
Shortbread is generally associated with and originated in Scotland, but due to its popularity it is also made in the remainder of the United Kingdom, and similar biscuits are also made in Denmark, Ireland and Sweden. The Scottish version is the best-known, and Walkers Shortbread is Scotland's largest food exporter.
British African-Caribbean people
The earliest Caribbean immigrants to post-war Britain found differences in diet and availability of food an uncomfortable challenge. In later years, as the community developed and food imports became more accessible to all, grocers specialising in Caribbean produce opened in British high streets. Caribbean restaurants can now also be found in most areas of Britain where West Indian communities reside, serving traditional Caribbean dishes such as curried goat, fried dumplings, ackee and salt fish (the national dish of Jamaica), Pelau (the national dish of Trinidad and Tobago), (Cou-Cou and Flying Fish the national dish of Barbados), Pudding and Souse, as well as Fish Cakes from Barbados. The spices known as "jerk" and the traditional Sunday West Indian meal of rice and peas.
Scotland
Scottish music is a significant aspect of the nation's culture, with both traditional and modern influences. A famous traditional Scottish instrument is the Great Highland bagpipe, a wind instrument consisting of three drones and a melody pipe (called the chanter), which are fed continuously by a reservoir of air in a bag. Bagpipe bands, featuring bagpipes and various types of drums, and showcasing Scottish music styles while creating new ones, have spread throughout the world. The clàrsach (harp), fiddle and accordion are also traditional Scottish instruments, the latter two heavily featured in Scottish country dance bands. There are many successful Scottish bands and individual artists in varying styles including Annie Lennox, Amy Macdonald, Runrig, Belle and Sebastian, Boards of Canada, Camera Obscura, Cocteau Twins, Deacon Blue, Franz Ferdinand, Susan Boyle, Emeli Sandé, Texas, The View, The Fratellis, Twin Atlantic and Biffy Clyro. Other Scottish musicians include Shirley Manson, Paolo Nutini, Andy Stewart and Calvin Harris. Scotland hosts several music festivals including the Royal National Mòd and Celtic Connections.
Potato
"Bryndzové halušky" is the Slovakian national dish, made of a batter of flour and finely grated potatoes that is boiled to form dumplings. These are then mixed with regionally varying ingredients.
Estonian cuisine
The first course in traditional Estonian cuisine is based on cold dishes—a selection of pickles, meats and sausages served with potato salad () or , an Estonian signature dish almost identical to Swedish , based on beetroot, potatoes and herring. Small pastries called ( in the singular)—a relative of the —filled with meat, cabbage, carrots, rice and other fillings or mixtures are also popular, and are often served with bouillion. Herring is common among other fish as a part of the Estonian cold table. Smoked or marinated eel, crayfish dishes, and imported crabs and shrimps are considered delicacies. One of Estonia's national dishes is (Baltic dwarf herring), along with sprats. Flounder, perch and pike-perch are also popular.
Cuisine of the Southern United States
Fried chicken is among the region's best-known exports. It is believed that the Scots, and later Scottish immigrants to many southern states had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat, unlike their English counterparts who baked or boiled chicken. Pork is an integral part of the cuisine. Stuffed ham is served in Southern Maryland. A traditional holiday get-together featuring whole hog barbecue is known in Virginia and the Carolinas as a "pig pickin'". Green beans are often flavored with bacon and salt pork, turnip greens are stewed with pork and served with vinegar, ham biscuits (biscuits cut in half with slices of salt ham served between the halves) often accompany breakfast, and ham with red-eye gravy or country gravy is a common dinner dish.
Pease pudding
Peasemeal brose, also known as brosemeal, is a traditional breakfast dish in the north of Scotland. In Scotland it is made in the traditional way and usually eaten with butter, and either salt or honey.
In parts of the Midlands, it replaces mushy peas as a traditional accompaniment to fish and chips and is thought to be the original side order, only to be later replaced with mushy peas due to a lack of knowledge or availability of the dish.
Flæskesteg
Flæskesteg, ['flɛːskə.stɐ̯j] the Danish version of roast pork, is considered to be one of Denmark's principal national dishes. Always prepared with crackling, it is also a favourite for the Danish Christmas dinner served as the evening meal on 24 December or Christmas Eve.
List of Michelin starred restaurants in Scotland
The Kitchin serves French cuisine influenced by modern Britain. It selects only the highest quality ingredients from Scotland. The restaurants head chef Tom Kitchin, believes in the philosophy of 'From Nature to Plate'. All butchering and filleting is done in-house.
Culture of Costa Rica
One national dish is "gallo pinto" ("spotted rooster"), although the name has no relation to the ingredients. It is a combination of black beans and white rice, spiced with cilantro, onions, garlic, salt, and a local condiment called "Salsa Lizano". It is typically eaten at breakfast with eggs, and sometimes "natilla" (sour cream). Fried plantains and either corn tortillas or bread are also common. "Gallo pinto" is a common and typical dish in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Red pudding
Red pudding is a meat dish served mainly at chip shops in some areas of Scotland as an alternative to fish (see fish and chips). Red pudding is associated with the east of Scotland in general and particularly with Fife, though even in this area it has become less common in recent years. Broadly similar to the English saveloy, its main ingredients are beef, pork, pork rind or bacon, suet, rusk, wheat flour, spices, salt, beef fat and colouring.
Culture of the United Kingdom
The hot cross bun is a popular British sweet bun traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but are now eaten all year round. Treacle tart was created after the invention of Golden syrup by chemists working for Abram Lyle in 1885. With its logo and green-and-gold packaging having remained almost unchanged since then, Lyle's Golden Syrup was listed by "Guinness World Records" as having the world's oldest branding and packaging. Scottish cuisine includes Arbroath Smokie and Haggis; Northern Irish cuisine features the Ulster fry and the Pastie and Welsh cuisine is noted for Welsh rarebit (often using Worcestershire sauce) and Cawl. Brown sauce is a traditional British condiment, with its best known variety HP Sauce (named after and featuring an image of the Houses of Parliament on the label) a popular spread on chicken and Bacon sandwiches. Scotland's Angus cattle is the UK's most popular native beef breed. Cavendish bananas were cultivated by Sir Joseph Paxton in the greenhouses of Chatsworth House, Derbyshire in 1836. Named after William Cavendish, they account for the vast majority of bananas consumed in the western world.
Hot dog variations
The "Iceland Monitor" writes that "locals, expatriates and holiday-makers alike must all be familiar with Iceland’s national dish – hot-dogs with all the trimmings (‘pylsa með öllu’ in Icelandic). The hot-dog sausage is served in bread and liberally accompanied with fried onion, raw onion, mustard, ketchup and remoulade (a cold sauce made with mayonnaise and various condiments and herbs). This delicious snack is traditionally washed down with copious amounts of Coca-Cola."
Scotch (adjective)
Scotch is an adjective meaning "of Scotland". The modern usage in Scotland is Scottish or Scots, and the word "Scotch" is only applied to specific products, mostly food or drink, such as Scotch whisky, Scotch pie, Scotch broth, and Scotch eggs. "Scotch" applied to people is widely considered pejorative in Scotland, reflecting old Anglo-Scottish antagonisms, but it is still occasionally used in England and Ireland, though the usage is considered old-fashioned.
Saint Andrew's Day
In Scotland, and many countries with Scottish connections, Saint Andrew's Day is marked with a celebration of Scottish culture with traditional Scottish food, music and dance. In Scotland the day is also seen as the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals encompassing Saint Andrew's Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. There are week-long celebrations in the town of St Andrews and in some other Scottish cities.
Haggis
Clarissa Dickson Wright says that it "came to Scotland in a longship [i.e., from Scandinavia] even before Scotland was a single nation." She cites etymologist Walter William Skeat as further suggestion of possible Scandinavian origins: Skeat claimed that the "hag–" element of the word is derived from the Old Norse "haggw" or the Old Icelandic "hoggva" ("höggva" meaning 'to chop' in modern Icelandic), Modern Scots "hag", meaning 'to hew' or strike with a sharp weapon, relating to the chopped-up contents of the dish.
Greenlandic cuisine
The national dish of Greenland is suaasat, a traditional Greenlandic soup. It is often made from seal, or from whale, reindeer, or seabirds. The soup often includes onions and potatoes, and is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, or bay leaf. The soup is often thickened with rice, or by soaking barley in the water overnight so that the starches leach into the water.
Scottish cuisine
Before Sir Walter Raleigh's introduction of the potato to the British Isles, the Scots' main source of carbohydrate was bread made from oats or barley. Wheat was generally difficult to grow because of the damp climate. Food thrift was evident from the earliest times, with excavated middens displaying little evidence of anything but the toughest bones. All parts of an animal were used.
Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight
The Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight is a nationwide festival in Scotland, designed to celebrate all aspects of Scottish food and drink, including its variety, producers and history. The event takes place at the start of September and is organised by Scotland Food & Drink and VisitScotland.
Scottish Cup (ice hockey)
The Scottish Cup is the national ice hockey cup in Scotland. It has been held since 1997.
Flag of Scotland
Although the earliest use as a national symbol can be traced to the seal of the Guardians of Scotland in 1286, material evidence for the Saltire being used as a flag, as opposed to appearing on another object such as a seal, brooch or surcoat, dates from somewhat later. The huge heraldic standard of the "Great Michael" had the "Sanct Androis cors" on a blue background in the Hoist and by 1542 a white saltire set against a blue background was depicted as being the flag of Scotland. An even earlier example known as the ""Blue Blanket of the Trades of Edinburgh"", reputedly made by Queen Margaret, wife of James III (1451–1488), also shows a white saltire on a blue field. However, in this case the saltire is not the only emblem to be portrayed. This is the flag of the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh, and the focal point of the Riding of the Marches ceremony held in the city each year.
United Kingdom
Scotland
National Monument of Scotland
The National Monument of Scotland, on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, is Scotland's national memorial to the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. It was intended, according to the inscription, to be "A Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland".
Scots Wha Hae
"Scots Wha Hae" (English: "Scots, Who Have"; ) is a patriotic song of Scotland written using both words of the Scots language and English, which served for centuries as an unofficial national anthem of the country, but has lately been largely supplanted by "Scotland the Brave" and "Flower of Scotland".
Funšterc
Funšterc (egg omelette) is a Slovenian national dish also known as "knapovsko sonce" (coalminer's sun) or "knapovska torta" (coalminer's cake) or "šmorn". It is a traditional dish from the Central Sava Valley. In the past it was especially popular among coal miners and their families due to its basic ingredient - egg. Egg belonged to non-standard dishes because of low living standard of the population. The omelette must have been thick and round, but also tender and puffy. It was yellow like the sun, which the coal miners couldn't see while working underground. They took funšterc into coal pits and ate it at break, but only at special days.
Pljeskavica
Pljeskavica (, ), a grilled dish of spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb, is a national dish of Serbia, also popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. It is a main course served with onions, kajmak (milk cream), ajvar (relish), and urnebes (spicy cheese salad), either on plate with side dishes, or with "lepinja" (flatbread, as a type of hamburger). Recently, Pljeskavica has gained popularity elsewhere in Europe and is served in a few speciality fast food restaurants in Germany, Sweden, and Austria. Varieties include the "Leskovac Pljeskavica" ("Leskovačka pljeskavica") very spicy with onions, "Šar Pljeskavica" ("Šarska pljeskavica") stuffed with kačkavalj cheese, "Hajduk Pljeskavica" ("Hajdučka pljeskavica") of beef mixed with smoked pork meat, and "Vranje Pljeskavica" ("Vranjanska pljeskavica").
Food Standards Scotland
Food Standards Scotland () is a non-ministerial government department of the Scottish Government. It is responsible for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection in Scotland. Established by the Food (Scotland) Act 2015, Food Standards Scotland has taken over the responsibilities of the UK-wide organisation, the Food Standards Agency, in Scotland.
Pork in Ireland
Potatoes, bacon and cabbage remain today the 'national dish of Ireland' and, while no longer ubiquitous, forms the standard fare of many Irish dinner tables and foodservice outlets.
A traditional Irish breakfast consists of sausages, black and white pudding, bacon and fried eggs, with additional elements depending on local traditions and personal taste such as toast, fried potato bread, fried tomatoes, mushrooms and even liver.
A modern adaptation of this, widely available in Irish convenience stores, is the breakfast roll. Reflecting its popularity, and the enduring place of pork in the Irish diet, 'Breakfast roll man' was the name given by economic commentator David McWilliams to a significant segment of Irish workers who enjoyed affluence in the late Celtic Tiger years.
Slovenian cuisine
Soups are a relatively recent invention in Slovenian cuisine, but there are over 100. Earlier there were various kinds of porridge, stew and one-pot meals. The most common soups without meat were lean and plain. A typical dish is "aleluja", a soup made from turnip peels and a well-known dish during fasting. The most common meat soup is beef soup with noodles, which is often served on Sunday as part of a Sunday lunch (beef soup, fried potatoes, fried steak and lettuce). On feast days and holidays there is often a choice of beef noodle soup or creamy mushroom soup.
Pork is popular and common everywhere in Slovenia. Poultry is also often popular. There is a wide variety of meats in different parts of Slovenia. In White Carniola and the Slovenian Littoral mutton and goat are eaten. On St. Martin's Day people feast on roasted goose, duck, turkey, or chicken paired with red cabbage and mlinci. In Lower Carniola and Inner Carniola, they used to eat roasted dormouse and quail. Until the crayfish plague in the 1880s the noble crayfish was a source of income and often on the menu in Lower Carniola and Inner Carniola.
Stegt flæsk
"Stegt flæsk" is the national dish of Denmark and one of the country's most popular foodstuffs and has been described as "a dish of pork fat, and only pork fat, in parsley sauce. Mmmm." An "alternative guide to Denmark" from the British broadcaster BBC described "stegt flæsk med persillesovs" as fried slices of pork with fat served with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes.
F. Marian McNeill
In the years between the First and Second World Wars she became involved in the revival of Scottish literature and culture known as the Scottish Renaissance. She is best known as the author of "The Scots Kitchen", published in 1929. This encyclopaedic work covers the essentials and diversity of Scotland's culinary heritage, including many historical and literary references. Recipes include Forfar bridies, Cock-a-leekie soup and porridge.
Drob
In the world there are a few dishes similar to lamb drob, yet the best known is the Scottish haggis. One of the main differences between these foods is that haggis is boiled in the stomach of the sheep and doesn't contain a large amount of herbs like the Romanian one.
Culture of Jordan
The national dish in Jordan is mansaf, a dish that is associated with Bedouin traditions. Despite these rural roots, it is shared by Jordanians of many diverse backgrounds, not just Bedouins or those who can trace their ancestral lines back to Bedouins. The dish is composed of a bread called sherack, lamb meat, and yogurt (jameed). Recently, rice and nuts have been added to the dish, and some regions in Jordan add seasoning. It is served on a large, circular platter. The ingredients are combined to form several layers. The first layer is made of thin, unleavened bread, shredded and soaked in yogurt broth. Next is a layer of rice which covers the bread. Large chunks of lamb that have been simmered in the same type of yogurt broth are placed on top of the rice. The head of the lamb is placed in the center of the tray. Pine nuts, almonds, and parsley are sprinkled atop the meat and rice. The final step involves pouring a yogurt broth over the entire dish, which is then added periodically throughout the meal to keep the dish warm and moist. Traditionally, mansaf is eaten while sitting on the floor, using ones hands to eat from a large, circular communal tray. This tradition still persists, although in modern years, many people have taken to eating the dish with silverware. Most admit, however, that mansaf tastes better when eaten with the hand. The dish takes hours to prepare and thus is primarily served only on special occasions.
Wild haggis
Wild haggis (given the humorous taxonomic designation "Haggis scoticus") is a fictional creature of Scottish folklore, said to be native to the Scottish Highlands. It is comically claimed to be the source of haggis, a traditional Scottish dish that is in fact made from the innards of sheep (including heart, lungs, and liver).
Scottish cuisine
Scottish cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions, practices and cuisines associated with Scotland. It has distinctive attributes and recipes of its own, but shares much with wider British and European cuisine as a result of local and foreign influences, both ancient and modern. Traditional Scottish dishes exist alongside international foodstuffs brought about by migration.
Welsh cuisine
Celtic law made specific provision with regard to cabbages and leeks, stating that they should be enclosed by fences for protection against wandering cattle. The two green vegetables were the only ones mentioned specifically in the laws, though uncultivated plants were still likely to be used in their cooking. The leek went on to be so important to Welsh cuisine—found in many symbolic dishes including cawl and Glamorgan sausage—that it became the country's national vegetable.
National anthem of Scotland
At most international sporting events Scotland uses "Flower of Scotland" as its national anthem. These events include matches of the Scottish national football team and the Scottish rugby union team. The song has also been used as the victory anthem of Scotland at the Commonwealth Games since 2010, replacing "Scotland the Brave".
Scotland
National newspapers such as the "Daily Record", "The Herald", "The Scotsman" and "The National" are all produced in Scotland. Important regional dailies include the Evening News in Edinburgh, "The Courier" in Dundee in the east, and "The Press and Journal" serving Aberdeen and the north. Scotland is represented at the Celtic Media Festival, which showcases film and television from the Celtic countries. Scottish entrants have won many awards since the festival began in 1980.
Flower of Scotland
"Flower of Scotland" (, ) is a Scottish song, used frequently at special occasions and sporting events. Although there is no official national anthem of Scotland, "Flower of Scotland" is one of a number of songs which fulfil this role, along with the older "Scots Wha Hae", and "Scotland the Brave", among others. 
Roy Williamson of the folk group the Corries wrote both the lyrics and music for the song. The words refer to the victory of the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce, over England's Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
Culture of Scotland
The culture of Scotland refers to the patterns of human activity and symbolism associated with Scotland and the Scottish people. Some elements of Scottish culture, such as its separate national church, are protected in law, as agreed in the Treaty of Union and other instruments. The Scottish flag is blue with a white saltire, and represents the cross of Saint Andrew.
Scotland's Winter Festival
Winter has always been an important time in the Scottish calendar, encompassing many cultural events and historical traditions, such as Halloween and Beltane - including the three national days of St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. Scotland's Winter Festival works these events into a winter long festival across Scotland. In 2017 the festival encompassed 23 events across 17 local authority areas.
Sweden
6 June is the National Day of Sweden and has since 2005 been a public holiday. Furthermore, there are official flag day observances and a Namesdays in Sweden calendar. In August many Swedes have "kräftskivor" (crayfish dinner parties). Martin of Tours Eve is celebrated in Scania in November with "Mårten Gås" parties, where roast goose and "svartsoppa" ('black soup', made of goose stock, fruit, spices, spirits and goose blood) are served. The Sami, one of Sweden's indigenous minorities, have their holiday on 6 February and Scania celebrate their Scanian Flag day on the third Sunday in July.
Royal Banner of Scotland
The Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland, also known as the Royal Banner of Scotland, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland, and historically as the Royal Standard of Scotland, (, ) or Banner of the King of Scots, is the Royal Banner of Scotland, and historically, the Royal Standard of the Kingdom of Scotland. Used historically by the Scottish monarchs, the banner differs from Scotland's national flag, the Saltire, in that its correct use is restricted by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland to only a few Great Officers of State who officially represent the Monarchy in Scotland. It is also used in an official capacity at royal residences in Scotland when the Head of State is not present.
Scottish jewellery
The thistle brooch is a simpler version of the penannular brooch, with less surface decoration, which gained popularity around 1100. The thistle is the national flower of Scotland and acts as an emblem. Today, thistle brooches are often made of silver and contain a thistle motif, and are not necessarily a penannular brooch.
The Luckenbooth brooch is a style of brooch that originated on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. It is a kind of annular brooch that is heart shaped. It often comes in the form of two hearts woven together, with more ornate brooches also containing a crown pattern. The name Luckenbooth comes from the locked booths along the royal mile that had a similar pattern. This style first gained popularity in the 17th century, and had a revival in the 19th century in the form of pebble jewellery. They were traditionally given as a token of love or as an engagement present.
Pebble jewellery, featuring the stones agate or "Scotch Pebbles", Cairngorm, jasper, jaspagate, and sometimes bloodstone, freshwater pearls, gold, silver and granite, is a style of jewellery that has a long history associated with Scotland. Pebble jewellery refers to a style rather than a specific item, with many examples of pebble brooches and bracelets, though other items such as pendants have also been known to be decorated in this style.
Flower of Scotland
The song was composed and is sung in English, typically with Scots pronunciation of a few words (e.g. "Tae" as opposed to "To").
The song has been used as a National Anthem by the Scotland national rugby union team, ever since the winger, Billy Steele, encouraged his team-mates to sing it on the victorious Lions tour of South Africa in 1974. The song was adopted as the pre-game anthem during the deciding match of the 1990 Five Nations Championship between Scotland and England, which Scotland won 13–7 to win the Grand Slam. The Scottish Football Association adopted "Flower of Scotland" as its pre-game national anthem in 1997 although it was first used by them in 1993. Usually only the first and third verses are sung. At any home International Scotland rugby test match the first verse is accompanied by bagpipes followed by the third verse unaccompanied by any instrument.
Scotland
Although there is no official national anthem of Scotland, "Flower of Scotland" is played on special occasions and sporting events such as football and rugby matches involving the Scotland national teams and since 2010 is also played at the Commonwealth Games after it was voted the overwhelming favourite by participating Scottish athletes. Other songs that have been suggested as possible national anthems include "Scotland the Brave", "Caledonia", "Highland Cathedral", "Scots Wha Hae", "A Man's A Man for A' That" and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". St Andrew's Day, 30 November, is the national day, although Burns' Night tends to be more widely observed, particularly outside Scotland. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament passed the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007, designating the day an official bank holiday.
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party (SNP; , ) is a Scottish nationalist and social-democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence. It is the second-largest political party by membership in the United Kingdom, behind the Labour Party and ahead of the Conservative Party, is the third-largest by overall representation in the House of Commons, behind the Conservative Party and the Labour Party, and is the largest political party in Scotland, where it has the most seats in the Scottish Parliament and 35 out of the 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current Scottish National Party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has served as First Minister of Scotland since November 2014.
Cornish people
Cornish cuisine is a regional variety of British cuisine, strongly rooted in a tradition of using local produce, which is used to create relatively simple dishes. Most prominent in Cornish cuisine is the pasty (sometimes known as the Cornish pasty) made from diced beef, potato, onion and swede (commonly called 'turnip' by the Cornish), enclosed within a pastry crust and then baked. One idea of its origins suggests that it evolved as a portable lunch for Cornish miners, the crust serving as a disposable handle that could be held by a miner's hand without soiling the filling. Fish was an important element of the Cornish diet, but international commercial fishing was also well established by the 16th century, and tons of pilchards were exported from Cornwall to France, Italy and Spain every year. Stargazy pie is an occasional festive Cornish dish with the heads of fish standing on their tails, originally pilchards, piercing a pastry crust. The saffron bun, also known as the tea treat bun, is a sweet bread with its origins in Cornwall.
Scotch broth
Scotch broth is a filling soup, originating in Scotland but now obtainable worldwide. The principal ingredients are usually barley, stewing or braising cuts of lamb, mutton or beef, root vegetables (such as carrots, swedes, or sometimes turnips), and dried pulses (most often split peas and red lentils). Cabbage and leeks are often added shortly before serving to preserve their texture, colour and flavours. The proportions and ingredients vary according to the recipe or availability. Scotch broth has been sold ready-prepared in cans for many years.
Matevž
Matevž (puréed beans with cracklings) is a Slovene national dish. The dish is typical of central Slovenia, especially of the Kočevsko region. It is made of beans and potatoes. Its origins come from the 19th century. Originally the lower social classes ate it as a main course. The dish is also known as "krompirjev mož" (potato man), "medved" (bear) or even as "belokranjski mož" (White Carniola man). The term "matevž" is a derivative from male name Matej or Matevž (Matthew). "Matej" or "Matevž" word origins to many other dialectical expressions: "to have matevža" means to have a hangover.
Apple strudel
Strudel is most often associated with the Austrian cuisine, but is also a traditional pastry in the whole area formerly belonging to the Austro-Hungarian empire. In these countries, apple strudel is the most widely known kind of strudel. Apple strudel is considered to be the national dish of Austria along with Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz.
Skirlie
Skirlie is a Scottish dish, made from oatmeal fried with fat, onions and seasonings. The "skirl" indicates the noise made by the frying ingredients. Similar to white pudding, which has similar ingredients but is boiled in a tripe skin, it is served as a side-dish with potatoes, or used as a stuffing for chicken or other fowl. It is also a common side dish to accompany mince and tatties or christmas dinner, especially in the northeast of Scotland. Suet, lard, beef dripping or butter are used. The addition of salt at the cooking stage is crucial, but a bit less than used to be added as salt is to be found in so many other foods.
Icelanders
Iceland has many traditional foods called Þorramatur. These foods include smoked and salted lamb, singed sheep heads, dried fish, smoked and pickled salmon, and cured shark. Andrew Zimmern, a chef who has traveled the world on his show "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern", responded to the question "What's the most disgusting thing you've ever eaten?" with the response "That would have to be the fermented shark fin I had in Iceland." Fermented shark fin is a form of Þorramatur.
Honours of Scotland
The Sceptre of Scotland was a gift made in Italy from Pope Alexander VI to James IV in either 1491 or 1494 and was remodelled and lengthened in 1536. It is made of silver gilt and topped by a finial of polished rock. The sceptre includes grotesques and Christian symbols: stylised dolphins – symbols of the Church – appear on the head of the rod, as do images of the Virgin Mary holding a baby Christ, of Saint James the Great, and of Saint Andrew holding a saltire.
British cuisine
Well-known traditional British dishes include full breakfast, fish and chips, the Christmas dinner, the Sunday roast, steak and kidney pie, shepherd's pie, and bangers and mash. People in Britain however eat a wide variety of foods based on the cuisines of Europe, India, and other parts of the world. British cuisine has many regional varieties within the broader categories of English, Scottish and Welsh cuisine and Northern Irish cuisine. Each has developed its own regional or local dishes, many of which are geographically indicated foods such as Cornish pasties, the Yorkshire pudding, Cumberland Sausage, Arbroath Smokie, and Welsh cakes.
Potato pancake
It is the national dish of Belarus and Slovakia. In Germany, potato pancakes are eaten either salty (as a side dish) or sweet with apple sauce, or blueberries, sugar and cinnamon; they are a very common menu item during outdoor markets and festivals in colder seasons (especially at Christmas markets). In Swiss cuisine, is a variation that never contains egg or flour. Potato pancake is a traditional favorite in the southern parts of Indiana during holiday festivities.
Potato cakes are common in the United Kingdom. In the North-East of England (particularly County Durham), there is a dish known as "tattie fish", because the pancake resembles a deep fried piece of fish. The pancake consists of flour, eggs, shredded potatoes and onions. Some people add tomato or cheese to the mix, depending on taste.
Schnitzel
In the Republic of Macedonia, the dish called шницла ("shnitzla") is a piece of pork seasoned with salt and black pepper, breaded and fried. Typically, it is served with mashed or fried potatoes with green salad garnish.
Eugene Wason
Wason attended a Burns Night dinner in honour of the Allied Nations at the Criterion Restaurant in London on 25 January 1918 as one of the guests of the London Robert Burns Club. Unfortunately however the guests had to do without the traditional dish of haggis. The haggis had been ordered but owing to the food restrictions in Scotland caused by the war, the necessary ingredients were not available. This was ironical in view of Wason’s previous role as Chairman of the Committee on Food Production in Scotland. The guests had to make do with what The Times newspaper report of the event described as ‘an Italian dish’ (otherwise unspecified) but which was properly piped in by the bagpipes.
Roast beef
Roast beef is a signature national dish of England and holds cultural meaning for the English dating back to the 1731 ballad "The Roast Beef of Old England". The dish is so synonymous with England and its cooking methods from the 18th century that the French nickname for the English is "les Rosbifs".
Haggis pakora
The dish appears to have been the creation of the Sikh community, which has retained its identity while embracing many aspects of Scottish culture.
Haggis pakoras have become popular appetizers in Indian restaurants in Scotland, where they appeal to the national predilection for deep-fried food.
In 2013 it was reported that a Greenock meat products company had launched prepared haggis pakoras.
The product had won the Best Innovative Product prize at the BPEX Foodservice Awards 2013.
Prepared haggis pakoras are available from supermarkets.
The Scottish celebrity chef Tony Singh served haggis pakora at a pop-up restaurant during the 2015 Edinburgh Festival.
Montserrat
Montserrat's national dish is goat water, a thick goat meat stew served with crusty bread rolls. Montserrat cuisine resembles the general British and Caribbean cuisines, as it is situated in the Caribbean zone and it is a British territory. The cuisine includes a wide range of light meats, like fish, seafood and chicken, which are mostly grilled or roasted. Being a fusion of numerous cultures, such as Spanish, French, African, Indian and Amerindian, the Caribbean cuisine is unique and complex. More sophisticated meals include the Montserrat jerk shrimp, with rum, cinnamon bananas and cranberry. In other more rural areas, people prefer to eat homemade food, like the traditional mahi mahi and local breads.
Marauding Scot
There is much speculation about its origin and its rather curious name. Many culinary scholars think the name of the dish is a reference to the frequent invasions of Scots into Northern England before the new Stuart era united the two nations. These attacks began during Roman times, resulting in the building of Hadrian's Wall, and continued throughout the Middle Ages until James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, became King of England. The name is a pun on the similarity of 'Scotch' to 'Scot', the idea being that the Scotch has 'invaded' the natural juices of the fruit.
Scotland national rugby union team
Scotland competes annually in the Six Nations Championship, which is played against five other European nations: France, England, Ireland, Italy and Wales. The Six Nations started out as the Home Nations Championship in 1883, with Scotland sharing the championship with England in 1886 before winning the title outright for the first time a year later. Scotland have won the title outright 15 times and shared the championship a further nine times. Scotland have won three Grand Slams (including the Triple Crown) in 1925, 1984 and 1990, in addition to a further seven Triple Crowns. They also contest the Calcutta Cup with England as part of the championship. Scotland were the winners of the last Five Nations in 1999, before Italy joined the competition to make it the Six Nations.
Culture of the United Kingdom
The bagpipes have long been a national symbol of Scotland, and the Great Highland Bagpipe is widely recognised. Scottish folk songs include "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond", "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?" while "Auld Lang Syne" is sung throughout the English-speaking world to celebrate the start of the New Year, especially at Hogmanay in Scotland. A depiction of a harp was carved out by the Picts (medieval Celts) on the Dupplin Cross, Scotland, circa 800 AD. The Child Ballads, a collection of "English and Scottish Popular Ballads", are ballads of the British Isles from the later medieval period until the 19th century. Both Northern English and Southern Scots shared in the identified tradition of Border ballads, such as the cross-border narrative in "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" from 1540. Many ballads were written and sold as single sheet broadsides. British folk groups, such as Fairport Convention, have drawn heavily from these ballads.
In the mid-16th century nursery rhymes begin to be recorded in English plays, and the most popular date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The first English collections, "Tommy Thumb's Song Book" and a sequel, "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book", were published before 1744. John Newbery's compilation of English rhymes, "Mother Goose's Melody, or, Sonnets for the Cradle" (London, c. 1765), is the first record we have of many classic rhymes, still in use today. The 19th-century historian James Orchard Halliwell was a notable collector of English nursery rhymes.
National symbols of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
The national dish of Ireland is the Irish stew; other national dishes include the full Irish breakfast/Ulster fry and bacon and cabbage.
Svartsoppa
Svartsoppa ("Black soup") is a soup consumed traditionally and mostly in the province of Skåne in Southern Sweden. The main ingredient is goose blood (or sometimes pig blood). It is often eaten before the goose dish at the "Mårtens gås" or "Mårten gås" dinner on the 10 November, the eve of Saint Martin (11 November), a surviving remnant of the Roman Catholic feast dedicated to Martin of Tours. Goose is traditionally eaten at this feast over large parts of Europe, with associations to the folklore surrounding Saint Martin.
Caribbean cuisine
Traditional dishes are so important to regional culture that, for example, the local version of Caribbean goat stew has been chosen as the official national dish of Montserrat and is also one of the signature dishes of St. Kitts and Nevis. Another popular dish in the Anglophone Caribbean is called "Cook-up", or pelau. Ackee and saltfish is another popular dish that is unique to Jamaica. Callaloo is a dish containing leafy vegetablesspinach and sometimes okra amongst others, widely distributed in the Caribbean, with a distinctively mixed African and indigenous character.
Bannock (food)
Selkirk bannock from Scotland is well-known and named after the town in the Scottish borders where it is traditionally made. It is a spongy, buttery variety, sometimes compared to a fruitcake, made from wheat flour and containing a very large quantity of raisins. The first known maker of this variety was a baker named Robbie Douglas, who opened his shop in Selkirk in 1859. When Queen Victoria visited Sir Walter Scott's granddaughter at Abbotsford she is reputed to have taken her tea with a slice of Selkirk bannock, thus ensuring that its reputation was enshrined forever. Today, Selkirk bannocks are popular throughout Great Britain, and can be found at most large supermarkets.
Haggis
Haggis is traditionally served as part of the Burns supper on or near January 25, the birthday of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns. Burns wrote the poem "", which starts "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!" In Burns's lifetime haggis was a common dish of the poor as it was nourishing yet very cheap, being made from leftover parts of sheep otherwise discarded.
Herring as food
In Scotland, herrings are traditionally filleted, coated in seasoned pin-head oatmeal, and fried in a pan with butter or oil. This dish is usually served with "crushed", buttered, and boiled potatoes.
Offal
Sweden has a version of the British black pudding called ""blodpudding"" (blood pudding). The Scottish haggis is called ""pölsa"" or ""lungmos"" (mashed lung). The Swedish ""pölsa"" is made of some offal like liver or heart, onions, rolled barley and spices and is served with boiled potatoes, fried eggs and sliced beetroot. ""Blodpudding"" is mostly served sliced and fried with lingonberry preserve, grated carrot or cabbage and fried bacon. Other popular offal dishes are ""levergryta"" (liver stew) ""leverpastej"" (liver pâté).
Scottish pork taboo
Pork or swine’s flesh, in any shape, was, till of late years, much abominated by the Scotch, nor is it yet a favourite food amongst them. King Jamie carried this prejudice to England, and is known to have abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco.
Scott's remark that Ben Jonson "recorded" the king's aversion to pork in his masque "The Gipsies Metamorphosed", when the king has his hand read, is based on these words:
Culture of the United Kingdom
British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. Historically, British cuisine meant "unfussy dishes made with quality local ingredients, matched with simple sauces to accentuate flavour, rather than disguise it". International recognition of British cuisine was historically limited to the full breakfast and the Christmas dinner. However, Celtic agriculture and animal breeding produced a wide variety of foodstuffs for indigenous Celts. Anglo-Saxon England developed meat and savoury herb stewing techniques before the practice became common in Europe. The Norman conquest introduced exotic spices into Great Britain in the Middle Ages. The British Empire facilitated a knowledge of India's food tradition of "strong, penetrating spices and herbs".
Each country within the United Kingdom has its own specialities. Traditional examples of English cuisine include the Sunday roast; featuring a roasted joint, usually roast beef (a signature English national dish dating back to the 1731 ballad "The Roast Beef of Old England"), lamb or chicken, served with assorted boiled vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. The full English breakfast consists of bacon, grilled tomatoes, fried bread, baked beans, fried mushrooms, sausages and eggs. Black pudding and hash browns are often also included. It is usually served with tea or coffee. The Ulster version – Ulster fry – includes soda farl and potato bread, with the BBC's Simon Majumdar calling it the UK's best full breakfast.
Jam sandwich (food)
Jam sandwiches are thought to have originated at around the 19th century in the United Kingdom. In Scotland, they are also known as pieces and jam, or jeely pieces. The jam sandwich was an affordable food which was a major part of the diets of the lower/working-class people of cities such as London and Glasgow. One plausible reason for this was that the ingredients that the jam sandwiches were made from cost little to manufacture and due to taxes being lifted on sugar in 1880, it became widely available as a cheap foodstuff. Today, jam sandwiches are mainly consumed by children. Shops do not often sell individual jam sandwiches.The popular Scottish folk song The Jeely Piece Song which appeared in the 1960s humorously describes the effect of new social housing policies on the eating habits of Scottish youngsters. The lyrics were written by Adam McNaughton. It was performed by Matt McGinn and many others.
Obara
Obara (stew) is a Slovene national dish. It is a stew served as an independent meal, which is cooked from various kinds of meat and internal organs. It used to be served at various ceremonies, and it is a part of the traditional Slovenian cuisine. Specially good are obaras served together with ajdovi žganci. Today obaras contain more vegetables.
Culture of Scotland
Halloween, on the night of October 31, is a traditional and much celebrated holiday in Scotland. The name "Halloween" was first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of "All-Hallows-Eve", and according to some historians it has its roots in the Gaelic festival of Samhain, when the Gaels believed the border between this world and the otherworld became thin, and the dead would revisit the mortal world. In 1780, Dumfries poet John Mayne noted Halloween pranks: ""What fearfu' pranks ensue!"", as well as the supernatural associations of that night, ""Bogies"" (ghosts). The bard of Scotland Robert Burns' 1785 poem "Halloween" is recited by Scots at Halloween, and Burns was influenced by Mayne's composition. In Scotland, traditional Halloween customs include: Guising — children in costume going from door to door demanding food or coins — which became established practice by the late 19th century, turnips hollowed out and carved with faces to make lanterns, and parties with games such as apple bobbing. Further contemporary imagery of Halloween is derived from Gothic and horror literature (notably Shelley's "Frankenstein" and Stoker's "Dracula"), and classic horror films (such as Hammer Horrors). Mass transatlantic Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century popularized Halloween in North America.
Kale
In Scotland, kale provided such a base for a traditional diet that the word in some is synonymous with food. To be "off one's kail" is to feel too ill to eat.
Powsowdie
Powsowdie is a Scottish sheep's-head broth or soup. Traditional preparation of the soup includes sheep's trotters as an ingredient. Dried peas and barley can also be used as additional ingredients. Powsowdie has been described as a speciality dish in Edinburgh, Scotland. Powsowdie is less popular and less known in contemporary times; it was more prominent during times when "all parts of an animal were used in cooking and nothing was wasted". The National Library of Scotland included powsowdie in a 2015 food history exhibition named "Lifting the lid", which was an exhibit of historic Scottish recipe books that included example dishes.
Culture of Estonia
Historically, the cuisine of Estonia has been simple peasant food, which today is influenced by many countries, thus including many typical international foods. The most typical foods in Estonia are black bread, herring & sour cream, pork, potatoes and milk-related products. Estonians themselves have considered blood sausage ("verivorst") and sauerkraut ("hapukapsas") as the "typical Estonian foods", but these are mostly eaten during Christmas.
Scottish cuisine
The availability of certain foodstuffs in Scotland, in common with the other parts of the United Kingdom, suffered during the 20th century. Rationing during the two World Wars, as well as large-scale industrial agriculture, limited the diversity of food available to the public. Imports from the British Empire and beyond did, however, introduce new foods to the Scottish public.
Scottish cuisine
Scotland, with its temperate climate and abundance of indigenous game species, has provided a cornucopia of food for its inhabitants for millennia. The wealth of seafood available on and off the coasts provided the earliest settlers with their sustenance. Agriculture was introduced, with primitive oats quickly becoming the staple.
Sierra Leonean cuisine
Stews are a fundamental part of Sierra Leone's cuisine, with cassava leaves having been called the country's national dish. Stew is often served simultaneously with jollof rice, white rice or snacks such as plantain, akara, yam or cassava. Groundnut Stew, for example consists of chicken and vegetables that are flavoured with ground nuts, such as cashews and peanuts. This is often served to families as a large meal.
Order of the Thistle
The Order's primary emblem is the thistle, the national flower of Scotland. The motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit" (Latin for "No one provokes me with impunity"). The same motto appears on the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland and some pound coins, and is also the motto of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Scots Guards, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The patron saint of the Order is St Andrew.
Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
Gillian Glover visited the restaurant in 2004 for "The Scotsman", calling the lobster dish with lime and herb butter "so compelling public demand will ensure the poor chap is still smoking lobster shells in his eighties". She agreed with her dining partner that the meal was the best she had eaten in Scotland. Richard Bath, of the newspaper "Scotland on Sunday", was apprehensive of the complexity of the dishes when he visited the restaurant in 2008. However, he was pleased at the "unfussiness" of the menu, praising the veal loin served with veal shin and sweetbreads. He said that the "delicate flavours of the loin meshing with the richer, darker tones of the juicy shin, and rounded off with the tender, velvety sweetbreads to produce an exquisitely balanced dish." He gave the meal a rating of nine out of ten.
Scotland the Brave
"Scotland the Brave" () is a Scottish patriotic song. It was one of several songs considered an unofficial national anthem of Scotland (others being "Flower of Scotland" and "Scots Wha Hae").
Belokranjska povitica
Belokranjska povitica (English: "Bela krajina rolled cake") is a Slovenian national dish. It was supposedly brought to the Bela Krajina region by Uskoks, who were Croatian Habsburg soldiers that inhabited the areas of the eastern Adriatic area. The name itself, "povitica", explains the preparation procedure. The term "povitica" is a derivate from verb "poviti" (English: "to roll").
Andrew the Apostle
The feast of Andrew is observed on 30 November in both the Eastern and Western churches, and is the national day of Scotland. In the traditional liturgical books of the Catholic Church, the feast of Saint Andrew is the first feast day in the Proper of Saints.
Escargot
Escargots, , (French for snails) are a delicacy consisting of cooked edible land snails. They are often served as an hors d'oeuvre and consumed by the French people, as well as people from Portugal, Sardinia, and Spain. They are also a typical of the cuisines of Catalonia, Crete, and Greece, as well as such North African countries as Algeria and Morocco. The word "escargot" is also sometimes applied to living examples of those species which are commonly eaten in this way. In British English, the menu item is usually referred to simply as snails.
Lights (offal)
Lights are the lungs of game or livestock as used in cooking and butchery. Although technically offal, lights are rarely used in English-speaking culinary traditions, with the exception of the Scottish national dish haggis.
Breakfast cereal
Scotland is famous for its consumption of oats. In Northern Ireland, the company White's has been milling oats in Tandragee since 1841. England has incorporated porridge in their culture for centuries. Many of the different types of porridge were made specially for the royal family including a type of porridge called "pea porridge". This specific dish was made for King Richard II.
Republic of Macedonia
Famous for its rich Šopska salad, an appetiser and side dish which accompanies almost every meal, Macedonian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of its dairy products, wines, and local alcoholic beverages, such as rakija. Tavče Gravče and mastika are considered the national dish and drink of the Republic of Macedonia, respectively.