FROM FOODGRAPHY ON TV. THE SCOTCH AND SCOTCH-IRISH INVENTED BOURBON IN THE US. ERGO, THEN THE MINT JULIP AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY!!
The
Melting Pot: A look at the evolution of food in southwestern Pa. Part 2-2 Great Britain – Scottish and Scotch
Irish
23 % of western Pennsylvania’s population is made up of Irish,
Scotch-Irish and Scottish.
Today I would like to talk about the two immigrant
groups from the Scotland/Ireland area:
(1) Scots/Scotsman/Scottish/Scottish (which refers to anyone whose
heritage lies within the borders of Scotland which throughout history are a
combination of Angles, Saxons, Norse, French, English, Britons, Gaelic, Celts
etc.) and
(2) Scotch-Irish/Scots-Irish/ Scot-Irish/Ulster Scots (which refers to the Ulster Scots, an ethnic group in Ulster,
Ireland, who trace their roots to settlers from Scotland and northern
England) The term “Scotch-Irish” was coined in the United States when they
immigrated in the 18th century). The number of
Americans of Scottish descent today is estimated to be 20 to 25 million (up to 8.3% of the total US
population), and Scotch-Irish, 27 to 30 million (up to 10% of the total US population).
The (Highland) Scottish (Johnny Cash and Andrew Carnegie were Scottish) have been stereotyped as being thrifty, cautious, and “careful
of detail”. They were Catholic/Episcopalian, members of clans, spoke Gaelic,
wore kilts, played bagpipes and still claim the Loch Ness monster!! Scottish
festivals are big and the Ligonier Highland Games in September draw
5000-10,000 attendees. Scotch Bottom (Hazelwood and Greenfield) in Pittsburgh
was settled by the Scottish.
SCOTTISH FOODS:
Cock-a-leekie soup (leeks, chicken stock and barley), Scotch broth (barley, lamb,
mutton or beef, carrots, turnips, split peas, lentils, cabbage and leeks), and Finnan Haddie which is cold smoked haddock. Black, red and white pudding (sausages), boiled Mutton
or Lamb, Haggis (soup made with sheep parts), beef, venison and grouse. Rumbledethumps (a vegetable
dish) is made with potatoes, cabbage and onion. Crowdie (cream cheese) and Dunlop (soft cheddar) are
popular cheeses.
The Scots also
enjoy rich vegetable soups, seafood in many forms, beef, oatcakes (a tasty
biscuit), and short-bread (a rich, cookie-like confection), Burnt cream (crème brulee),
Cranachan
(whipped cream, whiskey, heather honey and fresh raspberries with toasted
oatmeal), ales, drambuie, ginger wine and Scotch whiskey.
The Scotch-Irish (John Wayne and Thomas Mellon were
Scotch-Irish) before 1900 over 1,200,000 immigrated
from Ulster and a large number settled in industrial areas such as Pennsylvania
(specifically western Pennsylvania). They spoke Celtic,
were Presbyterian, landowners, skilled workers, hard-working, and patriotic.
They were responsible for breaking away from Virginia to form West Virginia. The
language of the early Scots-Irish settlers had the greatest influence on
the speech of southwestern/western Pennsylvania and also contributed to
“Pittsburghese.” The Scotch-Irish
dialect region spans from western Pennsylvania to Erie (north), west to Youngstown, south to Clarksburg and east
to Harrisburg.
SCOTCH-IRISH FOODS (a mixture of Scotch and Irish
Foods): Corned Beef and Cabbage, Fish
and Chips (hand cut fries) with Malt Vinegar, Green Peas (sometimes called
mushy peas), Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes, Turnips and Carrots pan cooked with
butter), Irish Soda Bread and Scottish Fruit Scones. Also they use Irish
cheeses and butter. Guinness Lamb Stew, steak and potato pie, smoked
Mackerel, Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes), Scots Irish Stew, Scotch-Irish Potato
Salad, Oatmeal Brulee, Barley wine, Irish Treacle Pudding, Barmbrack (currant
cake), Goody (dessert with bread, milk, sugar and spices), whisky, Irish
coffee, Mead, Irish breakfast tea and
lemonade.
LINKS BELOW THE PHOTOS
SCOTTISH and SCOTCH-IRISH PHOTOS, FOOD PHOTOS AND RECIPE LINKS
Food Links
