The haggis will be in the shops, and lots of restaurants will be holding special Burns’ Night dinners .
I thought it timely to look at some fabulous Scottish products to inspire you.
Fine Cheeses
I’ve written about Highland Fine Cheeses before, and if you haven’t yet tried them, now is the perfect time. The Full Scottish Cheese Box can provide the perfect end to a Burns Supper.
Containing six products, the box features soft cheeses including award-winning Minger (250g), an orange annatto soft washed rind cheese similar to a Reblochon, and Morangie Brie (250g), a Highlands take on the classic brie . There’s also Fat Cow (250g), ‘a distant cousin to Gruyere and Emmental’, Strathdon Blue (145g) Black Crowdie (110g) and Skinny Crowdie (140g), the most traditional of Scottish cheeses.
The Full Scottish Cheese Box is £31.50 and can be purchased from hf-cheeses.com, with delivery available across the UK.
The Bees Knees!
The Scottish Bee Company has a range of seriously delicious products, including Hot Honey, rapidly becoming the ‘must-have’ accompaniment for everything from fried chicken and pizza toppings, through to guest appearances on discerning cheese boards and a growing array of honey-infused margaritas.
There are two award-winning products in the range: Kimchi Hot honey (from rescued kimchi brine) and a feisty Scotch Bonnet Hot Honey, a spirited union between Scottish honey & Scotch Bonnet Peppers.
Have a look at the website here as there are so many other really fabulous products including, of course, honey, plus lovely vinegars and dressings.
Bloody Good Bloody Mary Juice Mix
If you like a peaty whisky, and also love a good Bloody or Virgin Mary, look no further… Tongue in Peat is the most fabulous spiced tomato juice.
Fresh tomatoes are cold infused for 16 hours over peat that’s grown on the Scottish island of Islay. The island’s environment imparts notes of tangy saltiness from the Atlantic Sea surrounding it.
Founder Hannah Brown should be so proud of herself: 18 months after launching, she has won 3 Great Taste awards, been listed in some of the most sought after venues in the UK, UAE and USA and it’s been called the “UK’s Best Bloody Mary Mixer” by The Times, Forbes, BBC Good Food and Guardian.
Hannah, who spent 12 years working in the whisky industry, always wondered why no one else used peat in their process except the whisky distillers. Peat is found underground in rural areas and when cold smoked, it gives the most unique aromas, making whatever it is smoking taste richer, deeper and more complex.
Available in Chilli Smoked and Original variants from www.tongueinpeat.com
Seriously Good Cooking Sauces
Hannah has also launched Peat’d, the world’s only peat smoked tomato cooking sauces, and they are just as delicious as the tomato juice! Gluten and dairy free, there are four different sauces available: Original; Garlic; Chilli and Truffle.
I’d suggest treating yourself to a gift pack to try the range – the ‘One of Everything’ is £24 (delivery is free) and you can choose your favourites from that. www.peatd.com (and also soon to be available from Amazon)
The Ardmore Single Malt
Of course you can’t write about Burns’ Night and Scottish produce without a nod to whisky…and still with the peat theme, if you’re a peat fan, I’d suggest trying the smoky, lightly peated The Ardmore Single Malt.
The Ardmore is shaped by its deep rooted connection to the land, people and wildlife of its Scottish Highland home. The Ardmore celebrates the distillery’s unique location on the fringes of the Highlands, offering a lightly peated liquid that is sweet and uplifting.
The gentle flavour fully captures the essence of this spirit’s stunning Highland home.
The Ardmore will appeal to experienced peated malt whisky drinkers and newcomers, alike. £32 a bottle from Tesco.
Hankering after a Hamper? Help’s at Hand
And if you’re feeling ultra generous, or maybe wanting to treat yourself if you’re pining for Scotland, you could always send a friend or family member one of these wonderful Scots themed hampers from Hampers.com.
There are a number of different ones available, ranging from £60 to £120. The latter priced one is the star of the show, with a bottle of Glenturret’s award-winning Triple Wood single malt Scotch whisky, a sweet and spicy, yet soft whisky, which has been matured in three different casks, creating a whisky with a gorgeous golden colour and subtle character. The whisky is perfect for enjoying in the whisky glasses included. They also include a tour for two at the Glenturret distillery, Scotland’s oldest working distillery, where they will get to discover the traditional art of making the whisky, learn about the history and even get to taste some whisky from their core range.
Packed into a cream gift box, it makes the perfect gift for anyone with a late January birthday, anniversary (or any other occasion).
A Burns’ Night Event
And finally, if you fancy preparing a special Burns’ Night dinner, have a look at a special event from Waitrose Cookery School next Friday, in association with Glenfiddich.
For £75 you will begin your evening with a Glenfiddich cocktail and a smoked salmon tattie scone. Savour an elevated Burns Night Supper featuring haggis, neeps, tatties served with a rich whisky gravy prepared under the guidance of the chefs. The evening will be complemented by a guided tasting of the indulgent Glenfiddich 14 – and – 15 Year Old whiskies.
Of course, if, like many of us, you’re watching the cash, your local supermarket or butcher will have haggis that you can cook for yourself at home. As well as serving it in the traditional way with mashed tatties and ‘neeps’, you could try experimenting with the haggis – it makes a great stuffing for a chicken breast and there are all manner of other recipes online such as these ones here from The Scottish Butcher, including sausage rolls, samosas and even pizza!
