About a month ago I found myself chatting with a man in a kilt. Other men present were wearing trousers so of course I asked how come. Long story short, I fell in with the Royal Scottish Dance Society which runs a program Thursday evenings at St. Bart’s.
Most of the time when I mention I’m learning Scottish country dancing someone says “Oh, the Highland Fling.” Nope. We dance reels, jigs and something called the Strathspey but these aren’t flings. Basic steps are easy; the geography isn’t but the whole thing is fun and a good workout for body and mind. I’ve got the step known as “set” figured out and Figure of Eight but often extend my left hand when it should be the right and so on. Fortunately, the people are lovely–kind, patient and they keep telling me that it takes a while to get the hang of it (an understatement.) There are quite a few British accents and some Scots, which is delightful. Here’s a link to a group dancing beautifully--wish I were this proficient!
Mid way through the evening, there’s a tea break. Literally. There’s also lemonade, shortbread and non-Scot items like Cheetos, sometimes pretzels. A water bottle is a good idea.
Most dancers, men and women, wear ghillies
. Thus far I’m wearing flats; ballet slippers would also work. Several men wear kilts and knee socks which look great and add a touch of authenticity. If you’re in the area and want to give it a try, check out www.rscdsnewyork.org You can also see what’s about to explode in New York in terms of Tartan Week: www.tartanweek.com
I’ve never been to a Burns (as in Robert) night when haggis (sheep heart, liver and lungs with onion, oatmeal, suet and spices mixed with salt, traditionally cooked in a sheep stomach but now often in an artificial casing) is always served. I can hear the gags resound so instead this is a recipe for shortbread that’s easy and pretty much no fail.
Scottish Shortbread
makes roughly 6 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
1/2 cup fine sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix to combine. Chill until dough is easy to handle, about 10 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes (can be fingers, the easiest, or petticoat tails. If you opt for tails, Google the specifics). Place on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
It’s a wee bit of dessert.