In 18th century Scotland, the soil and the sea provided everything, and only highland, lowland or island dictated differences to the typical family’s menu. With food sourced from nearby fields and rivers, or brought in by horse and cart, Scots ate local hearty food but without much sartorial flair; more clootie dumpling that haute cuisine. Despite this, there’s an old Gaelic saying, “S mairg a ni tarcuis air biadh”, which means “he who has a contempt for food is a fool”. In other words, tuck in and enjoy your grub! And where better to start a foodie tour of Scotland than the Bard’s own stomping grounds of Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire. Verdant countryside makes famous for its veg, but there’s more to the south west of Scotland than tatties. Much of the region’s popular produce hasn’t changed much since Burns’ day … tender Belted Galloway beef, scallops, mussels and cockles from the Solway Firth, salmon from the Cree, Nith or Bladnoch are hearty choices. Why not add Carrick, Barlocco Blue, Smoked Rainton Tomme or Crannog to your cheese board. Fresh soft fruits like raspberries and strawberries are a delight in the late spring and early summer. The Globe Inn in Dumfries was the pub Robert Burns called ‘his favourite howff’. Fraser Cameron, head chef at the Michelin listed 1610 restaurant has embraced the Bard’s gusto for food with his own modern twist, making local food provenance a priority. “Our menu has been designed to showcase the finest seasonal produce, highlighting the flavours of the South of Scotland. “We’ve nurtured our relationships with local suppliers, ensuring that every ingredient arrives at our door at its absolute peak. Our aim is to let the inherent quality and character of these ingredients shine through in every single dish. “We are also beginning to see the start of the work on our own kitchen garden pay off with a regular supply of fresh herbs, flowers and vegetables. There is an undeniable magic in the journey an ingredient takes when it’s just a few short steps from our own kitchen garden to the pan. This isn’t just about freshness; it’s about vitality. When a herb is picked moments before it’s used, it contributes a vibrancy and aromatic intensity that you simply cannot replicate. “Our garden is our truest pantry, a living library of flavours that ensures every dish we craft is infused with life and immediacy. To truly understand the soul of a place, you must first taste its harvest. We don’t see our menu as a simple list of dishes, but as a culinary storybook of the South of Scotland. “Each ingredient, sourced from a trusted local supplier, is a character with its own distinct voice, carrying the authentic accent of our fields, rivers, and coastlines. Our mission is to present these local tastes honestly, allowing the land itself to tell its delicious tale.” Up into Ayrshire and nature’s larder offers up a mix of land and sea, with fresh caught fish, Ayrshire bacon, new potatoes and locally grown veg real delicacies. Head up the coast, and don’t forget to add a Nardini’s ice cream from the seafront at Largs to your Scottish tick list. · You’d be well advised to add a Burns compendium to your hand luggage, as any man who rates the haggis ‘great chieftain o’ the pudding race’ knows his grub. We’d also recommend John Buchan’s The 39 Steps (much of the action happens in the local rural D and G landscape) for a sense of historic holiday escapism. He also has a penchant for a dram when in desperate straits. Head on up past Loch Lomond and the delights of Argyll and the Isles’ larder is yours to plunder. From Loch Fyne oysters to the ultimate in fast food takeaways – fresh mussels cooked to order in white wine on the harbour at Oban – this region is a gastronome’s delight. Venison from deer roaming wild on the hills, cheeses and trout all add to the mix. Head any of the islands or ports and the catch of the day is often found on menu in the local restaurants, freshly prepared within hours of the trawler landing or the creel being emptied. There are plenty of distilleries (and breweries) to enjoy in the region, Fyne Ales near Inveraray does a good range of craft beers and lagers, and Isle of Bute gin is well worth a try. · The much-missed Denzil Meyrick created an engaging detective series set around a fictionalised Campbeltown. Start with the aptly named Whisky From Small Glasses, and raise a toast to the former cop-turned-distillery-manager-turned author who sadly left us this year. Not many tourists choose Scotland for the weather, but head up to Dornoch or Nairn on the Moray coast and you are likely to get some of the best weather around (and often far enough north to avoid the worst of the midges, too!) Of course, the region is synonymous with Instagram loving van-lifers and road-trippers now, but there’s plenty to explore off that well beaten track. If you pass through Speyside on route you’ll take advantage of a region that’s home to roughly half of Scotland distilleries, many with fruity overtones as befits ‘berry’ country. Must tries for foodies in the region are Cullen Skink, which tastes way better than it sounds, and is a delicious creamy smoked fish soup. And every cuppa is made even better if it is accompanied by locally made buttery shortbread. Baxters soups and jams are a Deeside brand well worth embracing on your trip … in fact, their hampers are legendary, so organise a treat to greet you when you get back home, too. Arbroath smokies are also available by post, if that delicacy tempts your tastebuds so much you need to take some home. Take one of the many ferries to the islands and you’ll discover one of Scotland’s most fabulous whisky tales, made famous in the movie Whisky Galore. There’s a bottle of the nectar on display in a museum in Lewis, while a pub on South Uist is named after the shipwreck itself, the SS Politician. Of course, Compton Mackenzie’s Whisky Galore is a must, but we’d also recommend Clare Russell’s I Love Food, or Coinneach MacLeod’s The Hebridean Baker. East Neuk of Fife shellfish is mouthwatering, and readily available in the many tiny harbour towns and villages as you travel down the east coast back towards Edinburgh, before completing your circuit of Scotland in the border towns. From the humble oat, introduced to Scotland by the Romans back in 600AD, and famously produced in Cupar by Scotts, you can magic up simple treats which have been powering people for generations like porridge or flapjacks. Or combine your love of whisky and oats in a delicious cranachan. Scotland’s capital is home to every food and drink you could ever want, but gourmets will love the likes of Kitchin, Martin Wishart or the Witchery. Early advance booking is recommended. Our epicurean tour takes a sweet toothed turn as it heads back towards the border with England through Selkirk – don’t forget to try the tea bread known as the bannock, via Gala for a Soor Ploom and its near neighbour the Hawick Ball, as beloved by rugby commentator Bill McLaren. If you’ve got a duty driver, head by The Borders Distillery or Glenkinchie (or ask for a driver’s dram to go if you are behind the wheel). Two very distinct tastes, produced in such a small area. Don’t miss a chance to pop into The Great Tapestry of Scotland Museum in Galashiels, which as well as featuring many of Scotland’s historic moments and battles, features the bard himself. For Scottish travellers looking to explore their own country, Burns might well have had a road trip in mind when he wished for the gift ‘see oursels as ithers see us’. Let his famous Selkirk Grace sign off as the gastronome’s prayer. Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be Thankit! Ready to treat yourself at 1610 at The Globe Inn? Click here for more details.