Scottish Cookery Books

The traditional diet of the Highlanders at the turn of the twentieth century – dishes based upon oatmeal and oily fish such as herring and mackerel – ranked as one of the healthiest in the world, though it wouldn't have been seen like that at the time!

In the present day, however, things are a little different. Our diet in Scotland is often called 'unhealthy' with an ingrained tendency towards deep-fried food, not enough fruit or vegetables and an abundance of sweet treats like cakes, biscuits, and confectionery. The American comedian Greg Proops points out that we Scots use only two spices: salt and pepper... with the emphasis on the salt.

Whilst we can't lay claim to having one of the best culinary traditions in the world, we can justifiably highlight the merits of our natural larder. It's often said that we have among the best raw ingredients in the world: our beef, game, fish and shellfish are sought-after, as are our soft fruits and preserves.

So, apart from the ingredients, what are our strengths? Scottish cooks were well known for their baking skills: shortbread, scones, pancakes (known as drop scones south of the border), and other accoutrements of a Scottish high tea. We have a notoriously sweet tooth that we indulge with tablet, Edinburgh rock, boiled sweets of all kinds, macaroons…the list goes on.

With the kind of wet, chilly weather we're accustomed to in winter we've also built a reputation for cold weather cookery with recipes for pies, pastries, and smoked fish dishes. Potatoes ('tatties') are usually found as an accompaniment or are the staple ingredient of dishes such as stovies or rumbledethumps (a dish from the Borders similar to bubble and squeak or colcannon).

Good, general, introductory books to the country's cooking styles include:

We also have our celebrity chefs:

  • Tom Kitchin, owner of The Kitchin in Edinburgh, who has written From Nature to Plate
  • Gordon Ramsay, who has authored many cookery books
  • Nick Nairn ( New Scottish Cookery )
  • Shirley Spear of Three Chimneys fame

And we have some top-class food and cookery writers in the form of

Regional/city restaurant books include:

Books aimed at teaching children to cook include

Featured Books

  • Cover scan of Dear Francesca
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    £7.64
    Dear Francesca: An Italian Journey Of Recipes Recounted With Love - Mary Contini - Paperback
    This cookbook is addressed to the author's daughter and provides not only a cookbook but an account of the family's history. It describes her grandparents' emigration to Scotland and the traditions the family has kept alive in their adopted country.
  • Cover scan of Gourmet Glasgow

    £16.14
    Gourmet Glasgow: Second Helpings - Paperback
    Accompanied throughout by illustrations of the dishes, chefs and restaurants, this book is a visual feast which contains over 50 recipes from some of Glasgow's best restaurants.
  • Cover scan of Scots Cooking

    £14.44
    Scots Cooking: The Best Traditional And Contemporary Scottish Recipes - Sue Lawrence - Paperback
    Sue Lawrence has collected together over 120 of the best regional recipes, using only the freshest ingredients such as fish, beef, lamb or venison. The text is interspersed with fascinating stories about the origins of the dishes.
  • Cover scan of The Scots Kitchen
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    £17.00
    The Scots Kitchen: Its Traditions And Lore With Old-Time Recipes - F. Marian McNeill - Hardback
    F. Marian McNeill was a journalist and writer with a deep love and knowledge of Scots language, lore and traditions. This text represents her account of eating and drinking in Scotland through the ages, including a selection of traditional recipes.
  • Cover scan of Shopped
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    £11.04
    Shopped: The Shocking Power Of British Supermarkets - Joanna Blythman - Paperback
    In the 1970s, supermarkets in Britain accounted for 10% of the grocery spend. Today that figure is now 80%, influencing our whole way of life. This book looks at the impact of supermarket domination, from farmers who have to sell produce at less than its value to the teenage part-timers who stack the shelves.
  • Cover scan of Sue Lawrence's Scottish Kitchen

    £14.44
    Sue Lawrence's Scottish Kitchen - Sue Lawrence - Paperback
    Sue Lawrence offers over 100 recipes to celebrate the down-to-earth ingredients, straightforward cooking and warmth of all things Scottish. In ten themed chapters - from 'A bonfire on the beach' to 'A lochside picnic', she introduces Scottish food and landscapes to cooks well beyond its shores.
  • Cover scan of Teach The Bairns To Cook
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    £5.95
    Teach The Bairns To Cook: Soup, Vegetables, Fish, Meat, Poultry And Game, Oatmeal, Puddings And Desserts, Snacks And Savouries - Liz Ashworth - Paperback
    This is the first children's cookbook devoted to traditional Scots recipes. Simple, intermediate and advanced recipes are included, each with a historical note about its origins, and hints for adaptation
Last modified Friday 27 April 2012