To celebrate all things Scottish, our team has put together some facts that you may not have known about ice cream traditions in Scotland, take a look below…
A rich history
Of course we will all be well aware of the thriving ice cream industry in Scotland, as it has a very rich and long history.
In fact, its origins can be traced back to the late 19th century, when there was a significant influx of Italian emigrants seeking a new life in Britain. Many Italians chose to settle in Scotland, bringing with them their own culinary traditions, including the much-loved gelato.
A country-wide favourite flavour
Whilst flavour preference can be vastly different amongst individuals, but as a whole many argue that vanilla is the most popular flavour in Scotland. And whilst we would agree, ‘tablet ice cream’ certainly gives vanilla a good run for its money. Produced using tablet flavouring and with small chunks of beloved Scottish tablet in the mixture, this is a key flavour for any ice cream cabinet up North.
Want to know how to make Tablet? Traditionally this is made with condensed milk, butter and sugar.
‘Non-traditional’ topping names
Summertime in Scotland will, of course, mean summer flavours in our cabinets.
But whilst many of us may opt for a delicious Raspberry Ripple (a nationwide favourite), our Scottish friends may refer to this flavour as Monkey’s Blood!
An unlikely (yet delicious) pairing
Whilst we may not be accustomed to pairing our tasty sweet ice cream with a savoury meal, that is precisely what is often found in Scotland. If you hear people having ‘chips’ with their ice cream they are likely not talking about mint ice cream, instead this is often referring to Fish and Chips alongside ice cream, a tradition that was started by Italians more than 100 years ago, and has been carried on by all!
Do you have any other Scottish ice cream traditions to share? Let us know yours on LinkedIn or Instagram!
