Thinking about FOOD!!

I suppose the best place to start is breakfast, and I keep hearing all about the "traditional English breakfast" that tends to be served in the UK. Being an American, we have such a huge selection of items for breakfast, I can't imagine what would be considered the "traditional American breakfast".
So I am setting out to explore some of what can be expected when we go on vacation.
The Traditional English Breakfast consists of some of the usual items and some unusual items:

grilled rashers of bacon

fried eggs

grilled tomatoes

fried or grilled pork sausages

baked beans

Optional items include grilled mushrooms, black pudding, white pudding and fried bread. Tomato ketchup is very optional!
Baked beans for breakfast? Not so sure about that! What a HUGE meal for breakfast! I don't think I could stomach it....I think I'll stick with scones and coffee!

Moving on to some more of the foods we might encounter on our trip. Of course, when you say Scottish, you think Haggis! What the hell is that? According to Wikipedia - "Haggis is a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver and lungs); minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal's stomach and simmered for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a sausage casing rather than an actual stomach.".
 I think I'll pass on this one too....I HAVE actually tasted it at a Highland Games....and, well, unless there are a LOT of restrooms along the way, I just don't have the time for Haggis!

Most likely, my 'go to' lunch a few days will be fish and chips! Now THAT is something I can sink my teeth into. At many great pubs the fish is beer batter dipped and fried, served with traditional chips, better known here as french fries. Looks delicious!

Another well regarded staple is meat pies. Let's see, crusty with something yummy in it? I'm all for that. I will certainly take a stab (literally) at some meat pies on the trip. Sounds like some comfort food to me!

Another very common food in the UK is sausages or bangers, and they are served with nearly every meal! I am not a huge fan of them, so I don't think I will indulge too many times in bangers. But I DO love the name...and I adore the group Wicked Tinkers, who have an album titled "Bangers For Breakfast". I think I'll stick to the musical ones.

A huge favorite Scottish treat is Bannocks, or oatcakes. I learned to love these in my many visits to Nova Scotia (New Scotland, go figure!). They are so delicious and filling, very simple and natural. SOMETIMES, though, I do the American cheat and put Philadelphia Cream Cheese on them! YUM!

Another delicious staple is scones! As I mentioned before, these will most likely be my breakfast every morning with tea or coffee! They come in SO many varieties and flavors that I will be able to vary my morning meal! Some people think scones are too dry, but they make great dunkers and munchers! LOVE SCONES!

Scotland is also famous for it's beef. Since I don't eat much of it, I will just admire it! Oops, wrong photo!

One of the things I am looking forward to is the traditional Scottish black bun. Black Bun is a very rich fruit cake, made with raisins, currants, finely-chopped peel, chopped almonds and brown sugar with the addition of cinnamon and ginger. It takes its name from the very dark colour. Looks and sounds delicious!

One of the major staples in Irish food is the potato, and it is used in a huge variety of ways that many Americans may have never imagined. I think this graphic tells it all....

Really looking forward to trying all kinds of new things and enjoying meals and fun times! Can't wait for that Scottish black bun, though!
Hope you are enjoying the my preparations for the BIG BUCKET LIST trip! I know I am!