The last one:

Scotland would not be the same without the person these next few lines will talk about. He is relatively well-known thanks to a blockbuster film by Mel Gibson, but, unfortunately, as with all that comes from Hollywood, that movie does not paint an accurate picture. It is a great piece, but only an interpretation of this symbolic man’s life. The true story would take hundreds of pages to tell, and as I don’t have that kind of space, I present you a shortened one. I could have written this on my own, I actually did, but it did not come close to the one you’ll read if you scroll down. Sir WilliamWallace inspired the centuries and the people coming after him like no one else, in not just Scottish, but probably all of history. He is still revered all around the world, his legacy will never be forgotten, and anyone who ever comes into contact with the concept of liberty, freedom, and self-sacrifice sooner or later hears about him. He shaped the essence of a whole country, and its people. Scotland and Scottish people would not be the same without him. The last entry couldn’t have been about anybody or anything else.

Sir William Wallace:

"Wallace had behind him the spirit of a race as stern and as resolute as any bred among men. He added military gifts of a high order. Out of an unorganized mass of valiant fighting men he forged, in spite of cruel poverty and primitive administration, a stubborn, indomitable army, ready to fight at any odds and mock defeat."

Sir Winston Churchill*

Scotland's National Hero, William Wallace, was born c. 1270, the second of three sons of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie, Renfrewshire. In 1297, William Wallace led an uprising against the English which spread throughout south and central Scotland. Teaming with Sir Andrew de Moray and his men, the Scottish forces soundly defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Following this victory, Wallace was knighted and became Guardian of the Realm.
A year after Stirling, William Wallace was defeated at Falkirk and spent the next several years on the run, both in Scotland and on the continent, before being captured and cruelly executed as a traitor to England on August 23, 1305.

A two-year campaign, one resounding victory, one final defeat, followed by obscurity and death.
It seems a pretty slim career for a man who has been remembered and honoured for 700 years. Why is William Wallace Scotland's National Hero?

Great men and women make history happen through their passion, whether for good or ill. A power-mad, charismatic leader can gain himself an empire, only to have it turn to dust upon his death, because the hearts of the people have been left untouched. William Wallace was a great man whose passion for national freedom kindled the spark of independence, sheltered within the breast of every Scot, into an unquenchable flame that burns to this day. His impact on the people of his time, and of all time, was immediate and permanent.

In 1320, the Scots nobles sent a letter to Pope John XXII seeking a change of heart on the Bruce's excommunication. Called the "Declaration of Arbroath" it states in part:

For as long as one hundred of us shall remain alive we shall never in any wise consent to submit to the rule of the English, for it is not for glory we fight, for riches, or for honours, but for freedom alone, which no good man loses but with his life.**

Freedom - of heart, soul and mind - was the gift of William Wallace to the Scottish people - a gift to which they have clung ever after.

*Churchill, Sir Winston, The Birth of Britain, Vol. 1 of A History of the English-Speaking Peoples(Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc., 1956).
**Mackie, J.D., A History of Scotland.

http://www.heartoscotland.com/Categories/WilliamWallace.htm

Drinks for everyone!

I hope you got through the dishes all right, because now you can read about three beverages to wash them down! This is long again, but not as long as the previous one. And, naturally, WHISKY is the main attraction.

Two traditional Scottish drinks:

Atholl Brose: (Athol Brose or Athole Brose)

1. mixture of oatmeal brose, honey, and whisky.
2. Cream is an optional addition
3. Legend: the Duke of Atholl during a Highland rebellion, overcame his enemies, by filling their well with this intoxicating mixture

Scotch Ale:
1. strong ale believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 19th century
2. Strong Scotch Ale is also known as Wee Heavy (wee=little)
3. these beers tend toward sweetness and a full body
4. The distinctive flavour smoked malts when used in beers is reminiscent of whisky (Whiskey Ale)
5. popular worldwide, esp. In America, France and Belgium (breweries
6. A scotch in Brussels would mean one of these strong Scottish beers, traditionally served in a thistle-shaped glass

And now: WHISKY!

A brief history:
o The Gaelic "usquebaugh", Water of Life, phonetically became "usky" and then "whisky" in English
o Scotch Whisky, Scotch or Whisky, opposed to whiskey!!! (’Scotch’: protected term by Scotland)
o 1494: the earliest documented record of distilling in Scotland, distilling was already a well-established practice.
o Legend: St Patrick(from Spain and France) introduced distilling to Ireland in the fifth century AD and that the secrets traveled with the Dalriadic Scots when they arrived in Kintyre around AD500.
o originally applied to perfume, then to wine, and finally adapted to fermented mashes of cereals in countries where grapes were not plentiful
o aqua vitae, monasteries, medicinal purposes
o James IV fond of 'ardent spirits' – mass manufacturing started in his era
o the spirit produced in those days was probably potent, and occasionally even harmful (primitive equipment, lack of scientific expertise)
o dissolution of the monasteries, improvement in quality, monks had no choice but to put their distilling skills to use, knowlwdge spread
o attention of the Scottish parliament, which introduced the first taxes on malt and the end product, end of 17th cent.
o 1707: The Act of Union with England, distillers driven underground
o battle between the excisemen and the illicit distillers, Smuggling for some 150 years, Ministers of the Kirk, storage space under the pulpit, whisky transported by coffins, Clandestine stills in heather-clad hills, signaling systems, 1820s: 14,000 illicit stills were being confiscated every year, yet half the whisky consumed in Scotland was being swallowed painlessly and with pleasure, without contributing a penny in duty.
o Duke of Gordon proposed the House of Lords to produce whisky legally (profit!)
o 1823 the Excise Act was passed, smuggling seized almost completely
o present day distilleries stand on sites used by smugglers of old
o Scotch Whisky industry (malt whisky up to here)
o 1831: Grain Whisky, less intense, extended the appeal of Scotch Whisky
o By the 1880s: phylloxera beetle had devastated the vineyards of France, and within a few years, wine and brandy had virtually disappeared, Scots were quick to take advantage, by the time the French industry recovered, Whisky had replaced brandy as the preferred spirit of choice.
o Today: leading spirit in more than 200 countries


To be called Scotch whisky the spirit must conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 (UK), which clarified the Scotch Whisky Act of 1988, and mandates that the spirit:

Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,

Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume so that it retains the flavour of the raw materials used in its production,

Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years,

Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colouring,

May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume.

Time to hit the pubs! Cheers!

Again, something different.

I decided to familiarize my ’followers’ with Scotland a bit more, and did some research on this magnificient country’s cuisine, since food is universal. We all like to know what we can eat when abroad, don’t we? I hope you’ll get hungry by the time you scroll down to the end!

P.S.: This is not going to be the same format as the rest of the blog entries. For my own, and, of course, for the sake of anyone who decides to read this I did it like a handout. If you wish to find out more about any of the dishes, Google them. Oh, and it’s long!

First some general info:

Natural larder: game, dairy, fish, fruit and vegetables
Reliance on simplicity, lack of spices from abroad
Dishes vary: some healthy (Scottish broth), but many common dishes are rich in fat ( contributing to a high rate of obesity and coronary heart disease)

History:
First millenium: seafood (still dominant)on the coasts, than the introduction of oats
Medieval times: meat expensive, emphasis on dairy produce (evident even today). Average meal: herbs, roots, bread and cheese when available
Before potato: oat and barley
All parts of animals were used, when available
Mobile nature of Scots required food that would not spoil quickly, carrying a small bag of oatmeal that could be transformed into a basic porridge or outcakes was common. (Haggis)
The French influence:
(Auld Alliance) and Mary Queen of Scots: French staff: revolutionising cookery, responsible for unique terminology
until the downfall of Jacobitism and the defeat at Culloden: Scotland came into the cultural sphere of England.

· 20th and 21st centuries:
o World Wars and large scale indusrtial agriculture limited the diversity of food
o Imports (British Empire) led to the introduction of processed food
o Recently: resurgence of traditional restaurants, gastro- pubs
o Immigration effects: Italians reintroduced the standard of fresh produce, and the later comers introduced spice. (Middle East, Pakistan, India)

Dishes:

Scotch Broth:
1. filling soup, now obtainable world wide
2. ingredients: barley, cut of beef or lamb, vegetables (carrots, turnips, sweeds, cabbage and leeks) dried or split peas and lantils often added
3. cooked for 4 or 5 hours, nowadays served canned, but best when fresh

Scotch Pie: (Shell Pie or Mince Pie)
1. a small, double-crust pie filled with minced mutton (or other meat)
2. The traditional filling of mutton is often highly spiced with pepper and other ingredients and is found within a crust of thin, stiff pastry.
3. individual recipies kept secret!
4. baked in a round, straight-sided tin, about 8 cm in diameter and 4 cm high, top crust is placed about 1 cm lower than the rim to make a space for adding accompaniments such as mashed potatoes, baked beans, brown sauce or gravy
5. Scotch Pie Club holds the World Scotch Pie Championship annually, butchers and bakers, World Scotch Pie Champion

Scotch Egg:
1. cold, hard-boiled egg removed from its shell, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried
2. eaten cold, typically with salad and pickles
3. not a Scottish dishJ

Porridge (Porage):
1. traditional breakfast of Scotland (where it is also spelled porage) it is made with salt.
2. is a simple dish made by boiling oats (normally crushed oats, occasionally oatmeal) or another cereal in water, milk, or both.
3. In Scotland, the art of porridge-making is competitive
4. World Porridge Making Championships (Golden Spurtle) held annually in Carrbridge, Inverness-shire. the winner receives a gold-coloured trophy of a spurtle, which is a utensil used for stirring porridge

Stovies:
1. traditional dish
2. ingredients vary widely between regions, and even families
3. usually: consists of tatties (potatoes) and onions and some form of cold meat (especially sausages or leftover roast; mincemeat or corned beef in the east)
4. stove: old Scotttish for an oven ("Yer dinner's oan the stove".)

Haggis:
1. traditional dish
2. many recipies, common ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.
3. modern commercial haggis outside Scotland is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. There are also meat-free recipes for vegetarians.
4. often asserted: served with "neeps and tatties" and a "dram" (ie. a glass of Scotch whisky)
5. be more accurate to describe this as the traditional main course of a Burns supper, since on other occasions haggis may be eaten with other accompaniments.Whisky sauce (made from thickened stock and Scotch whisky) has recently been developed as an elegant addition.
6. Larousse Gastronomique (2001): "Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour."

OK, I know this is a lot of stuff, but it is also an interesting cuisine, and these are just a few of the many traditional dishes. Next: drinks. Up in a few hours, I hope.

This is going to be something diffrent…

Scotland has many famous, beautiful, and impressive sights. This country probably owns one of the, if not the most amazing scenery in the world. Mountains, valleys, lochs (lakes); all playing part in the nation’s troubled, turmoiled history. And, of course, the castles. Some of Europe’s grandest castles are situated in the impressive landscape of Alba.

Stirling Castle is a dominant, commanding beacon of history looking over such places as the battlefields of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn, where two of the country’s most significant figures beat the English in 1297 and 1314; Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, respectively. These two battles were the turning points in the Scot’s fight for independence.

The Castle also gave home to almost every monarch up to 1603, The Union of Crowns. James VI was baptised here, so was his son, Prince Henry, and it was home to Mary Queen of Scots. James IV made many renovations and changes to make it into a Renaissnace castle, fit for the standards of his age.

Stirling dates back to at least 1110, when it is first recorded in history, and since then it has been a symbol of freedom for Scottish hearts.

Today the Castle is open for tourists each day of the week, but the royal Palace is closed at the moment due to renovations which aim to restore it to its 16th century grandeur.

To learn more about the place visit http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/, or, better yet, pack up and leave for Stirling Castle, the iconic building of all that is Scottish, today.

Free Education?

The Scottish Government is eager to help the nation’s student body, or so it would seem. It is true that they are now planning to spend 30 million pounds from next year’s budget on education, but, no matter how benevolent the idea looks, it is not recieving a warm welcome.

The money is to be given to collages, to help those who plan to continue their studies on higher levels, but university students are completely left out of the deal. They would still need to take out loans to pay for their education. Not fair; even collage students agree. Yet, the current system is not fair for them. Solution?

Although some claim this will make education more accessible, those who oppose the proposal say that it is not a solution. Every student could use that money. Picking a relatively small percentage of them is not going to solve any problems.

As in many countries, the greatest roadblock on the way to a degree in Scotland is money. The majority simply does not have enough of it to pay for higher education, a sad fact considering the plethora of highly renowned intellectuals Scots have given the world.

The idea is great. The execution, not so much. It could be better. Support every phase of education. But what if there is not enough to do that? This could be the case here. Then, what shall they do? It is possible that this money would not be enough to help education in general. Is giving to one, and, inadvartently, unintentionally, just for the moment forgetting about the others better? This is for everybody to decide on their own.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Plea-to-give-24000-students.5187867.jp

Deerly Beloved

I’ve already blogged this yesterday, but thanks to the mysteries of cyberspace, that piece of fine literature is now nowhere to be found, especially not on this blog, where it should be, and where it existed for about 5 minutes. It’s about deer.

Scottish deer are mysteriously appearing in Ireland. Non-native species that could cause a lot
of damage. How? Environmentalists say they are captured, sedated, then smuggled cross-borders in the backs of vans and trucks. Who? Irish hunters, who are bored to death by shooting Irish deer.
No finacial incentive is suspected behind the smuggling of live deer, it’s just that hunters need something new to shoot at. Irish deer must be boring. They need new victims, that feed, live, run, and hide in different places. There are a few problems with this. Deer that would otherwise live happily in Scotland might get dragged to Ireland and end up being killed, either by hunters or officials, as there is a policy that all non-native species have to be killed, on sight. If they are not killed, they may outcompete indigenous species in the evolutionary war for food, or simply cause overgrazing, living side-by-side with native deer. Then, there is disease. Animals are usually quarantined after being transferred from one country to another to prevent infection. Irish shoot organizers, who are possibly behind all this, demonstrated yet again how good people are in meddling with nature. At least Scottish border officiers are now on the watch for anybody smuggling deer.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/Who-killed-Bambi--Irish.5119977.jp

The second...

Crimestoppers

An anonymous hotline has helped police in Scotland make more than forty arrests concerning drugs-possession, dealing- from altogether 151 apprehensions using the hotline information. There was also a considerable amount of illegal substances removed from the streets due to the arrests. The hotline is completely anonymous, even police don't get names from them, which is clearly the main reason for its success. Consider the possibility that one drug dealer wants to eliminate competition in the neighborhood. All they have to do is dial the hotline, and if they provide enough detail or evidence that the police think it could lead to an arrest, then they have successfully achieved their goal. One down, lots of others to go, still, when fighting crime little victories count a lot. Naturally, most calls come from people worried about their community, and police forces admit that they get a lot of useful intelligence from the hotline, even though some overzealous cop wannabes can't be avoided. They encourage people to use the hotline to report events that are suspicious, or provide detail on individulas wanted by the authorities. It's a nice thing to see that something simple is working and has actual results. Stolen goods were another field where the hotline proved to be a major help. Still, drugs are the main objective, and so far the hotline has helped a great deal. Maybe it's time people realize they can help keep their communities clean by advocating police work, not hindering it. Just don't get too carried away.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/40-drug-dealers-charged-in.5120556.jp