The Scottish landscape is directly related to what the pubs feature on their menus. Scotland not only has the sea at its doorstep, from which comes unrivalled seafood, but is also full of rivers teeming with all sorts of fish like salmon, eel and trout. And because Scotland has above-average rainfall, it has very fertile land as well as lush, green grass hills for livestock to graze on. Hunter-gatherers already fished in the rivers and hunted wild game in prehistoric times. The Celts initiated farming and cultivated oats and barley, which they used to brew primitive beers. Until they learned more sophisticated brewing techniques from their northern neighbours – the Vikings – as well as salting and smoking fish and meat to make them keep longer. Stews and broths are also ancient staple dishes in Scotland. Good stuff, especially when you remember that the Scots sometimes have to deal with harsh weather: filling, hearty comfort food with a glass of whiskey is what you want after you sit your weary bones down in a pub to dry out and relax after a hearty hike in the Highlands.

T he Scottish food culture is generally not viewed as being refined. But this is unjust. Recent years have seen a boom in quality restaurants, food festivals and farmers’ markets with local products that often enjoy worldwide fame: Angus steak from Aberdeen, black pudding from Stornoway and the famous Orkney cheddar. Scottish salmon is the only non French product to receive the famous Label Rouge certification, and a third of all langoustines come from Scotland. At the award-winning pub Applecross Inn in the picturesque coastal town of Applecross, you can feast on local oysters, hand-dived scallops, crab and the famous langoustines, served with warm garlic butter. The west coast near Loch Fyne features a similar little treasure: the Inver restaurant, where you can enjoy super-fresh razor clams, locally sourced wild game and Arbroath smokie, smoked haddock from the Angus region.

And then there is the other Scottish culinary pride: haggis, both famous and infamous. Recipes for this traditional dish go all the way back to the 15th century. Haggis is made from sheep organ meat mixed with onions, kidney fat and oat flour, which is then packed into a sheep's stomach. It may not sound very appetizing, but you can imagine that this, together with the traditional side dishes neeps and tatties (swede puree and potatoes) covered with whisky sauce, is quite welcome on a stormy day. A cup of warm Cullen skink, a smoky fish soup with finnan haddie (cold-smoked haddock), leek and potatoes will also a give you a boost.

And for dessert? The Scottish answer to the trifle is cranachan: a layered dessert made from raspberries, soft Scottish cheese (crowdie), heather honey and whisky, originally devised to celebrate the raspberry harvest. And for another culinary adventure, at the more upscale Scottish snack bars you can order a deep-fried Mars bar. And yes, it’s precisely what you think it is.

When you think of Scotland, you think of whiskey. Throughout the entire country you will find distilleries that produce whiskey with their own unique flavour depending on the region. For example, there is a smoky version stemming from the islands, and a more fruity distillate that hails from the northern region of Speyside. The temperate sea climate of a northern island such as Islay also yields exceptional Scottish gin. Using exclusively botanical ingredients, flowers and herbs found on the island gives rise to a unique gin, such as that made by The Botanist Distillery. The renowned Scottish chef Dean Banks (restaurant Haar in St. Andrews and Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh) developed his own line of gin under the name Lunun Gin, wherein he combines Scottish traditions with his love for the Asian kitchen. He uses ingredients like kaffir lime, kelp (seaweed) and Sichuan pepper.

Of course, things can also be simpler: with a good old beer. Scotland has exceptional beer breweries, such as the famous Innis & Gunn and Drygate breweries. And you must also choose the right beer for the right moment in Scotland: lager for your fish and chips, a stout by Williams Bros Brewing Company for after dinner or a glass of ale to accompany the perfect Scottish Sunday roast at Stravaigin in Glasgow. Cheers!