Kútmagar – Icelandic stuffed cod’s stomach
This is apparently an old Icelandic dish that uses cod offal to make a savoury pudding a la saumagen, haggis, or any other of the world’s variations on a stuffed stomach lining. … Continue reading
Scotland invented the bicycle (?)
Back in 2005 the British Broadcasting Corporation invited the listeners of its You and Yours programme to vote for their favourite invention. The winner by a country mile was the … Continue reading
The Soldier’s Wife by Jean Guthrie-Smith (1895-1949)
Jean Guthrie-Smith was 22 years old when she married the love of her life, Laurence Neal, on 1 May 1918. Her husband was wounded twice in the war, surviving a … Continue reading
‘The Apprehension of Sundrye Witches’ : The Prosecution of Witchcraft in Scotland, 1590-1727
Sixteenth and Seventeenth century Scotland, along with the rest of the British Isles and Continental Europe, saw a previously unparalleled increase in the number of people brought to trial and … Continue reading
The Antonine Wall
The Vallum Antonini or Antonine Wall runs for 39 miles west to east from Old Kilpatrick on the Firth of Clyde to Bo’ness on the Firth of Forth. Built between 142 … Continue reading
Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties
January 25 is Burns Night, a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet and lyricist Robert Burns (1759-1796). The celebration is marked by a Burns Supper, an evening … Continue reading
The Belfast Outdoor Relief Strike of 1932
Yes! We have no bananas, We have no bananas today. We’ve string beans, and onions, Cabbages and scallions And all kind of fruit, and say, We have an old fashioned … Continue reading
