Posted by Maris on 9th Oct 2023
8 of the strangest Scottish food names
Most people have heard of haggis, neeps, and tatties, as well as Arbroath Smokies and shortbread, but how many have heard of Crappit Heid, Festy cock, or Clapshot?
With that in mind, we combed the region for eight of the strangest Scottish food names:
Clootie dumpling
Clootie dumpling is a delicious fruit dish made with suet. Ground ginger, cinnamon, and other spices are included, as are raisins, sultanas, and other dried fruits.
The recipe varies by area, but the pudding is typically served with whisky and clotted cream. The term clootie relates to the cloth used to prepare the dessert. Every year, the Clootie Dumpling World Championship is held in Avonbridge, and the current champion is 87-year-old Ruth Brown.
Crappit heid
Crappit heid, also known as fish haggis in some circles, is the hollowed-out head of a 20lb cod that has been washed and de-scaled before being stuffed with fistfuls of oats, suet, onions, and white pepper. The head is then stitched shut and boiled in seawater to add flavor.
The dish can be traced back to 18th-century coastal settlements in Aberdeenshire, where poor fishermen's families survived after being compelled to sell more expensive fillets of fish when money was tight. Crappit heid, served with potatoes or other seasonal root vegetables, was a popular midday or evening meal in these fishing towns.
Cranachan
For those who haven't had the pleasure of tasting it, this delectable dessert is a must-try. Cranachan is a traditional Burns night dessert made with whipped cream (or crowdie if you want to be truly authentic), honey, fresh raspberries, and toasted oatmeal soaked overnight in a little whisky. More whisky is poured to the finished result, which is then served in dessert glasses.
Howtowdie
As a result of French influence on Scottish food, A "howtowdie" is a young hen, and the term is presumably derived from the Old French word "hétoudeau," which means pullet or capon. Traditionally, the chicken is packed with skirlie (oats), roasted, and then served with drappit (dropped or poached) eggs and spinach.
Clapshot
Clapshot, a traditional addition to Haggis, is made by combining mashed swede turnips and potatoes with chives and butter, then seasoning to taste. Clapshot, which originated in Orkney, is a hearty side dish to any traditional meat dish.
Festy Cock
No, this is not an obnoxious individual at a music festival, despite what you may find if you search for this on the internet. It is a Scottish pancake substitute prepared with fine-ground oats mixed with a tiny amount of water, rolled, flattened, and commonly folded into a rough bird shape. These pancakes were then baked in a kiln and consumed to commemorate Shrove Tuesday.
Rumbledethumps
Rumbledethumps (try saying that with a mouthful of crappit heid) originated in the Scottish Borders and is closely related to the similarly strangely called Bubble and Squeak, which is popular in England. The ingredients are mashed up and placed in a pot before cooking, with a layer of cheese added before heating.
Tipsy Laird
Tipsy Laird, as the name implies, is not a drunken aristocrat or a particularly difficult yoga maneuver, but rather a delectable, traditional dessert that generally concludes a rollicking Burns supper. It's basically a Scottish trifle with Scottish raspberries and whisky instead of sherry.