The Scots Kitchen. F. Marian McNeill - by Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food, Scotland Food & Drink

Published by Birlinn

It was somewhat bittersweet when a copy of the refreshed edition of The Scots Kitchen landed on my doorstep. Edited and introduced by the late Catherine Brown, an eminent Scottish author and food historian who died last year, who has done so much to maintain and celebrate the life and work of McNeill. I’ve long thought that both McNeill and Brown should be household names, such is their contribution to researching and cataloguing Scotland’s rich food heritage. We owe them both a great debt.

Perhaps this beautiful new edition, which has the stamp of approval by The Hebridean Baker, might be a way of helping do just that.

Catherine Brown

It was around the time, more than 20 years ago, that I discovered her work through Slow Food (a global movement that works to preserve food traditions and products), I recall being immediately struck by so many dishes and ingredients that were native to Scotland but were either entirely unfamiliar or forgotten. And oh, my goodness, the Scots language, poetry, customs and traditions that fill the pages. They may require concentration at times, but to know that these are part of our heritage and identity is nothing short of revelatory. 

Marian NcNeill, born in Orkney

Florence Marian McNeill (affectionately known as Floss) was a woman ahead of her time – educated in the Arts at Glasgow University, she was very independent and socially aware,  fiercely concerned with the emancipation of women. She travelled to teach around the world and was one of the first women to take an equal place with men in politics and education.

Born in Orkney in 1885, one of eight children,  the values and way of life of her crofting upbringing shaped everything that was to come. Raised eating from the land, in a frugal fashion, but with deep knowledge of and respect for the territory, the family grew oats for the porridge pot and girdle and vegetables for the kail-pot, kept cows and goats for milk, cheese and butter and hens for eggs, and a boat for fishing. Her father, a doctor and Free Church Minister, often took to singing, fiddle-playing and storytelling in the evening, always accompanied, in Highland hospitality fashion, with eating and drinking. She developed her father’s interest in the preservation of Scottish culture and heritage too, and had a good palate and eye for authenticity.

It is against this backdrop that led her to the publication of The Scots Kitchen in 1929. There had been nothing quite like it. This was more than a collection of recipes; it was a masterpiece in documenting Scotland’s remarkable food traditions and culture. The scene is set in the opening paragraph of the Preface – a call to action to value the preservation of heritage:

“… standardization is, in fact, the antithesis of culture, which consists in those subtle differences, those nuances, which give colour and character to every aspect of national life. It is right and desirable that in the arts and sciences, in products and manufacturers, the nations should borrow freely from one another and thus share in the general progress of the human race; but it is no less right and desirable that each should cherish its distinctive traditions and customs, as evidence not of antiquarian zeal, but of a healthy national sentiment”

It would be hard not to feel such sentiment in the ensuing pages, packed as they are with history, dishes and anecdotes.  Recipes are catalogued into everything from brose and kail to fish, meat and vegetables to bannocks, scones and teabread. There is much that will be recognisable, such as Scotch Broth, Dunlop Cheese, Potted Herring and Black Pudding, but lots that is unfamiliar, such as Limpet Stovies, Edinburgh Fog, Kingdom of Fife Pie and Greengage Frushie. It’s completely fascinating to read.

The stories and customs are sure to bring a smile to the face, too. I love the description of the Highland breakfast, pre-war:

“The guests are awakened by the skirling of the pipes… breakfast is set in the hall, where a fire of peat and logs is burning. Through the open window comes the scent of pine and heather. The air is like wine. A long day on the hill lies ahead. Bill of fare [includes] porridge and cream; grilled trout; finnan haddie with poached egg; Ayrshire bacon and mushrooms; cold venison pastry; potted grouse; girdle scones; heather honey; oatcakes… [and more!}

This is book to treasure. To refer to again and again. To be proud of. Food heritage isn’t about sentiment or looking back. It’s about identity, history and culture. For home cooks and chefs alike to be inspired by. We owe a great deal to this pioneering woman and to Catherine Brown. A Scots Kitchen should be enjoyed and appreciated in homes, schools and restaurants, for many generations to come.

Copies are available online at Birlinn www.birlinn.co.uk