“The Queen is a chocoholic,”  proclaimed Chef Darren McGrady. “She loved this dessert!”  As chef to the royal family for decades, first for the Queen and then for Charles and Diana, he ought to know.  Tall with a twinkle in his eye and the robust stature earned over a career of cooking and tasting, you can tell he loves what he does.

Chef McGrady was creating dishes using the foods of Scotland at a trade event in New York to promote Scottish food bounty.  On the way in, we were afraid we might be made to eat Haggis, the traditional pudding of organ meats and oats that is definitely an acquired taste. Instead we were treated to a feast of cheese, salmon, oats, jams, Scotch whiskey, local gin and even seaweed. Each purveyor had a display, but Chef McGrady was able to weave most of the products into a memorable three-course tasting menu.

Salmon is closely identified with Scotland, either the wild caught fish of legendary rivers, or, more likely, the farmed salmon from the cold, clean, rushing waters of the sea lochs along the rugged coastline.  The cold water and strong current give Scottish salmon a distinctive firm texture and rich flavor.

Mara Seaweed

For the first course, McGrady cured fresh salmon with salt, sugar, herbs and Arbike gin, then presented it with trout mousse, crabmeat, and a sprinkle of seaweed right off the beach. Fiona Houston, SeaEO of Mara Seaweed has revived the ancient practice of harvesting Dulse, a nutritious, reddish frond, and Kombu kelp that both grow on rocks along the Scottish coast. Dried and ground to a powder, the seaweed is available as Kombu, Applewood smoked Dulse, Furikake (mixed with sesame), and Shony, a blend of three varieties. All pack a umami punch and add ocean flavors to almost any dish.  Look for them on Amazon.  Chefs and cooks around the world are excited about this new source for seasoning.

Between courses we had a chance to taste some full-bodied cheddar.  The substantial Scottish dairy industry makes a wide range of cheese from local milk including Old Edinburgh, Barwheys, and Mull of Kintyre. There’s even some made by Inverloch flavored with single malt Scotch.

Marsha tasted some Hamlyn’s oatmeal, another iconic Scottish food, and declared it the best she’d ever had. “Oh yes. Isn’t it good?” said the representative. “It’s made with honey and whiskey.”  What a way to start the day!

In the demonstration kitchen, Chef McGrady was prepping up to make a salmon main course. He had sautéed some leeks and bacon (a great beginning for almost any recipe), added some cooked barley and stock, melted in a generous knob of goat cheese, and stirred it all into a risotto-like consistency. A seared fillet of salmon was placed on top and sauced with a fish reduction – delicious and made to look easy by a very professional chef.

Between courses we felt ready to sample some of the beverages on offer.  Scotch from the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society, Arbike Gin from the Stirling family farm northeast of Dundee, and Mills and Hills Imperial Stout.

There were five scotches – all at high alcohol “Cask Strength”- each selected from a particular distillery and specific cask – each kith a distinctive and individual flavor.  As for the gin, Kelp, carline thistle, and blaeberry are some of the local botanicals that give the Kirsty’s Gin from Arbike a distinctively Scottish spirit – perfect for a G & T or refreshing in a cocktail mixed with Dundee orange marmalade and lemon juice. Imperial Stout from Mills and Hills brewery is the kind of rich, hearty, warming beer you’ll want to have after a tramp across the highlands.

Back to the kitchen for dessert: the favorite chocolate cake of Queen Elizabeth!  Actually, it wasn’t a cake at all.  Instead, it was a cookie crumb crust topped with chocolate flavored whipped cream all done up in a spring form pan to look like a cake. The Chef, as chefs do, took this fairly simple cake and gussied it up with liqueur poached orange slices, orange glaze, and caramel sauce -all to please the Queen.  I can see why he held his job for so long.

David Stirling of Arbike gin; Nicola Sturgon, First Minister of Scotland; and Chef Darren McGrady

Between the salmon and the chocolate, Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, spoke to the journalists, food buyers, distributors, and retailers who had gathered for the tasting.  She emphasized the importance to Scotland of exports, particularly food exports, both economically and for the spread of Scottish culture around the world. “Ten percent of Americans have Scottish heritage,” she told us, “but thirty percent claim a connection.” The event fell on Tartan day, an American celebration of the signing of the Scottish Declaration of Independence in 1320.  As one of the 10%, I’ve already made a note to celebrate next year!

Scotland has been on our bucket list for some time. Imposing castles, romantic moors, and legendary whiskeys, all exert a pull.  Now that all this wonderful food is added to the mix, Scotland has moved up on the list!

Rapt audience for the cooking demonstration