Black Treacle—A by-product of the sugar molasses process, black treacle is very thick syrup with a moderately bitter taste. The closest US equivalent is blackstrap molasses.

 

Black Pudding—A type of blood sausage traditionally made with pork blood, fat, and a grain filler such as oats, it has a savory, nutty, slightly metallic flavor and is frequently served as part of a full Scottish breakfast.

 

Bannock—A thick disk-shaped flatbread traditionally made with oat or barley flour before wheat flour was widely available, it can be cooked over an open fire, baked, or fried. It’s also very popular in Canada, where it’s believed to have been introduced by Scottish fur traders in the 18th century.

Caster Sugar—Caster sugar, also spelled as “castor” and sometimes referred to as “superfine,” has a consistency between US granulated and confectioners’ sugars. Caster sugar is fine enough to pass through a “caster” shaker, hence the name.

 

Clootie Dumpling—Also called “duff,” it’s a steamed fruit pudding in which the dumpling mixture is wrapped in a piece of cloth and simmered in water for several hours until it’s firm and then unwrapped and left to dry until the exterior form a skin. In Scotland, “clootie” refers to a cloth or rag in general; “duff” refers to a dialect variation of “dough.”

 

Cranachan—A layered dessert of raspberries, whipped cream (not sweetened), toasted oats, honey, and Scottish whisky, the traditional way to serve cranachan is for each ingredient to be in its own dish so people can assemble their dessert to taste.

Double Cream—With a fat content of around 48%, British double cream has a very thick, rich texture. It’s made by using centrifugal force to separate butterfat from unhomogenized milk. American heavy whipping cream, which typically has a fat content of about 36%, is made simply by skimming off the layer of fat that collects on top of milk. Heavy whipping cream can be used instead of double cream for most sweet and baking applications; in savory or cooking uses like soups and sauces, it’s more likely to split than double cream.

 

Dram—A dram is a serving of Scottish whisky. “Dram” isn’t a set quantity or amount like “shot” or “jigger” is 1.5 ounces in the US, so the amount will vary depending on who is doing the pouring. You’re more than likely to get a smaller serving in Scotland than you will in the US, though.

Golden Syrup—Also known as light treacle, it’s another byproduct of sugar-refining. With a rich, buttery sweetness completely distinct from honey, molasses, or corn syrup, golden syrup has no true American equivalent.

 

Haggis—The national dish of Scotland, it’s a sausage-like mixture of sheep liver, heart, and lungs; suet; oats; onion; and spices encased in a sheep stomach lining and boiled to cook. Although it’s a rustic dish that is centuries-old, if not thousands, today, haggis is served more for special occasions and usually with some fanfare, often while bagpipes play.

 

Mixed Spice—This is a blend of ground allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace, and other warming spices. The best American substitute is pumpkin pie spice.

 

Neeps and Tatties—Mashed rutabagas or turnips (neeps) and mashed potatoes (tatties), it’s the classic side dish to haggis.

Oatcakes—These are savory flat cookie-like crackers made with oats, water, and fat that are rolled thin and baked or cooked in a skillet or griddle.

 

Parlies—Ginger and black treacle cookies, they’re historically popular in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, and also called parliament cakes because they’re purported to have been widely eaten by parliament members.

 

Porridge and Spurtle—“Porridge” is a universal term for any grain that’s cooked in liquid until thick. In Scotland, oatmeal is the porridge, and the spurtle is the traditional wooden dowel tool used to stir the oats to keep them lump-free.

Rumbledethumps—Cousins to English bubble and squeak and Irish colcannon, Scottish rumbledethumps is creamy mashed potatoes, sometimes with neeps (rutabagas or turnips) added, mixed with cabbage or kale and often baked with cheese on top. Similar to bubble and squeak, its name is said to come from the sounds the mixture makes as it’s being stirred together. And like colcannon, rumbledethumps is often made to use up leftover potatoes and greens.

 

Scotch Pie—Traditionally eaten cold, it’s a circular handheld double-crust pie comprised of a hot water crust encasing minced lamb, mutton, or beef and spices. It’s a popular snack throughout Scotland, particularly at football (soccer) matches, and there is even an annual World Championship Scotch Pie Awards competition.

 

Scran—This is a Scottish slang term for food in general.

 

Self-Raising Flour—There is a difference between British self-raising flour and American self-rising flour, and it’s not just their spelling. Self-raising flour contains only all-purpose flour and baking powder for leavening. American self-rising flour adds salt to the blend of all-purpose flour and baking powder and has a lower percentage of baking powder than self-raising. Though the two are considered basic equivalents, pay attention to the recipe’s salt content and adjust accordingly.

Stovies—A catch-all term for most any soup or stew with potatoes, the name comes from the Scots word “stove,” meaning to slow cook or stew. Stovies are often made to use up leftover bits of meat and veggies and are classic comfort food.

 

Suet—The hard fat around the kidneys and loins of cows and lamb, suet has a mild flavor and stays solid at room temperature, which helps it create a lighter, spongy texture in piecrusts and steamed puddings; it’s also used for deep-frying thanks to its high smoke point. Beef suet is the most common variety, and it’s usually sold shredded because most recipes call for it to be prepared that way.

 

Tablet—This is a crumbly, grainy fudge-like candy that’s spread into a big slab to cool before cutting or breaking (like a stone tablet and rocks), hence its name. Whereas American fudge is smooth and creamy, the cooked sugar mixture for tablet is stirred to encourage crystallization, which creates its signature texture.

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