Mostly Harmless Well, I've often seen a cat without a grin, but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing!

Sitting in an ancient, peat-smoked pub in Scotland, I blink and stare at the thing placed in front of me. I have been out and about all afternoon, trudging through the glacial valley of Glencoe as it was illuminated by a warm and golden evening sun. Being thrown right into a living, breathing fairytale, I feasted all day from the raw and natural beauty of the place when finally my stomach called for its share and it would better be something rustic.

So now the last light filters through the window, a few dust specks glitter in the air, gently swirled by a trail of steam, rising from a chubby-cheeked, piping hot sausage the size of a small dog that rests among a dollop of mashed potatoes and turnips. In the old days this was a poor man’s food, the sausages content is made mainly of what a sheep needs to eat grass, and go baah rather than fancy bits of meat. Nevertheless, with a handfull of oats, a dash of spices and a lot of ingenuity and cheery defiance it had been turned into a national dish, also known as a haggis.

There is an impatient growl from my belly, so I poke it with my knife whereon its skin opens with a soft sigh. Immediately I get hit by the intense and sweet smell of onions, black pepper and thyme and next thing I know, I am digging my spoon into it. It is surprisingly spicy with pleasant, earthy undertones and infused with a warm sensation of fresh herbs. There is an unpretentious directness and a lot of depth you wouldn’t suspect. Simple yet delicious, this is local food at its best. It grabs you by the taste buds and takes you right into the place it’s coming from. Bringing back images of craggy mountains, green, rolling hills, the soft murmur of a stream and the smell of crisp, mineral-tasting air, it nourishes both body and soul.

Inspired by this, the nation’s celebrated poet Robert Burns once put it into words: “Fair is your honest happy face, great chieftain of the pudding race.” I completely agree and certainly, my face is a happy one too.