Scotland’s larder
Taste Scotland’s produce at its very best throughout the seasons. Wild trout and succulent lobster come straight from the surrounding waters and are at their best during the spring months, while fresh lamb has a distinctive flavour. All are served up in restaurants around the country with vegetable accompaniments such as carrots, beetroot, purple broccoli or watercress. You can also discover the delights of Scottish mint and sorrel, along with the strong-smelling wild garlic that grows on the forest floor.
Enjoy the long balmy days of midsummer, the ultimate fruiting season for berries. You can pick your own raspberries and strawberries on traditional berry farms throughout Scotland, particularly in rural Perthshire and Angus. Seafood is also wonderfully varied over the summer months: from crab and grey mullet in June, to July’s pike and pilchards and crayfish and skate in August.
As the seasons turn, take advantage of an abundance of fruit from the autumn harvest. Enjoy a variety of apples, as well as damsons, plums and pears, which are all wonderful fresh or as preserves. Autumn is all about game, which you can get in abundance in Scotland, from grouse, partridge, venison and wood pigeon to wild trout and salmon. Take advantage of the season and enjoy oysters and mussels which are at their very best in the colder autumn months.
A number of vegetables such as parsnips and celery also hit their prime during winter. Source a seasonal spread for Christmas to accompany your turkey or why not try a different bird such as grouse, wild duck or pheasant?
