Men in Kilts: Food & Drink

 

"Scotland."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Or should I say slainte?  

 

Either way, welcome to what is bound to be a real Scottish extravaganza in terms of both learning anything and everything about Scotland - the beautiful country many of us have fallen in love with through watching Outlander - and just trying to follow along with two men on a roadtrip.

 

That's right, lads and lassies, the full title of this show includes a subtitle which I didn't include in the opening sequence, as it would just be too long.

 

But I mean, our two hosts need virtually no presentation. Both of them have made lasting impressions on the previously-mentioned time-travelling show, and now both of them have decided they needed to spend MORE time together, showing us just how giggle-inducing that can be.

 

And I'm telling you - the giggles are real.

 

So is this show though. Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham, follows the break in the text just here. Enjoy!

Just in case there are people out there who don't necessarily know what this show is all about, or who the hosts are: Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish first came together during the filming of season one of Outlander, a time-travelling show in which both of them portray members of the MacKenzie clan in Scotland. Now, they're teaming up to show us MORE behind the beautiful country that's the stunning backdrop to the show we know and love.

And in the process, they're trying to make sure their camper van takes good care of them along the way, somehow manage to stick a Star Trek reference into fishing, and frolick around in drying barley.

I'm telling you, this is worth the watch.

The roadtrip begins in Edinburgh - or more accurately, we first actually see the pair in the van they'll be driving about a lot, and I'm not 100% sure whether having Sam at the wheel is the best idea for poor Graham. He does admit he prefers being the passenger so he can moan and complain, but at the same time, Sam usually drives a Harley.

Graham ... we salute you.

ANYWAY.

In Edinburgh, they take a visit to The Kitchin, run my Tom Kitchin, who previously worked in Michelin star restaurants, but who now champions Scotland's local larder, specifically seafood.

I don't know about you, but even I got teary-eyed when Graham started sniffling over the scallops he was eating.

Thus fortified, the boys then go on to sniff about HOW this fresh seafood catch actually ends up in local restaurants, learning from none other than a captain Kirk (I'm not making this up) that he tries to be sustainable when fishing, throwing back what he deems too small, and that about 90 to 95% of the catch is actually exported to foreign countries.

But the best bits usually go to local chefs, because, naturally.

Tony Singh steps in to help out with some beach-cooked beauties, including but not limited to cracking open some lobsters with the boys studiously avoiding this violent bit of preparation, and seaweed butter. I've never had seaweed before, but I'll be honest, it looked delicious.

And as the true Scotsmen they are, Sam and Graham wrap up this first leg of the journey on the island of Islay, which produces a heap of what could probably be called the Scottish national drink - whiskey.

Even if you're not a drinker, you've heard of the Islay Malt, or at least Lagavulin.

Because they need to earn some of their hard pay (and hopefully they only lied about knowing how to ride horses on auditions), the two then proceed to cut peat out in the bog, which is used to burn in furnaces and the smoke then helps dry the malted barley, giving it the unique flavour that you can't really get anywhere else BUT on Islay.

So with a wee dram in their hands - and their version of the Bat signal in the air to call upon Tony Singh so he can cook them some dinner - the boys say goodbye and goodnight.

Until next week, when we'll see them compete in traditional Scottish sports.

In the words of us Sassenachs: Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!

xx

*poster image not mine, screencaps belong to me