A Scottish Food Journey: An Exclusive Guest Post from Coinneach MacLeod, Author of The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands

Fàilte I’m Coinneach, the Hebridean Baker – I would love to take you on a journey through the Highlands and Islands of Scotland through its flavours, traditional recipes and ingredients in my debut cookbook, The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands. 

Being brought up on the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland was idyllic and the days my mother and aunts baked were the most special. They never looked at recipes or cookbooks; it was instinctive, using the same methods that their mothers have used in generations past.  

I was sitting by the stove at my Aunt Bellag’s house one day, waiting for her famous Clootie Dumpling to be sliced and she told me she’d been baking this cake the same way for 80 years. And it was then I knew I wanted to share the stories, recipes, and traditions of the Hebrides with the world. At 93, she still bakes (and laughs) every day and taught me how to make this delicious recipe. She adds an extra ingredient, a tablespoon of marmalade – which I love. Its distinctive skin sets it apart from other fruit cakes. It’s delicious served warm with vanilla custard, but every islander cannot wait for the next morning when it is fried with bacon as part of a Hebridean breakfast! As we say in Gaelic, cho blasta – so tasty! 

I love a recipe with a story, and when I stumbled upon an old book with a recipe for a Scots Flummery, I was immediately intrigued. According to legend, Flora MacDonald was half way through a dish of Scots Flummery when she was arrested for her part in helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape following his defeat at Culloden. It’s a dessert filled with the flavours of oats, whisky, honey and cream. As a last supper before going to prison, this, I thought, was the perfect choice! 

I knew for the book I also needed to find the best shortbread recipe in Scotland. I tested recipes from every corner of the country and it was on the most northerly island of Scotland – Shetland,  that I found my favourite. The wonderfully named Brides Bonn was traditionally baked by the mother of the bride on the morning of the wedding and broken over the bride’s head as she entered the marital home after the wedding ceremony! It was intended to bless the marriage with prosperity and fertility. Guests would scramble to get a piece of the broken shortbread to put under their pillow, as it was supposed to give you sweet dreams. It has the beautifully buttery flavour you’d expect from Scottish shortbread, but it’s the addition of caraway seeds that gives it a unique and delicious flavour.  

My recipes have a simple set of ingredients, all of which are wholesome and hearty. The kind of desserts and cakes you’d want to serve when friends and family come over to visit or when you just want to cuddle up by yourself with a hot cup of tea and a slice of something tasty. In my book, I want to inspire you to bake, forage, learn Gaelic, have a dram or two of whisky and dream of visiting the Scottish islands! Let me know if I do!