Scottish domestic life
DOMESTIC LIFE
Simplicity and practicality, so much a part of the Scottish diet, are also
a part of the Scottish kitchen. Utensils are sturdy and useful rather than
ornamental, and many pieces of kitchenware (as well as recipes) have been
handed down from mother to daughter. There are few gadgets, fewer
luxury-type electrical appliances, and a more limited spice shelf than
typically found in North American kitchens. Refrigerators generally are
smaller because cold pantries are frequently found as an adjunct to the
Scottish kitchen, pantries being practical for food storage in a
moderately cool climate.
Greaseproof paper is still widely used for baking pans, iron griddles are
still favored for scones and bannocks, and carved thistle presses are
still used to shape the traditional Scottish shortbread. But other
traditional utensils are declining in general usage. These include the
spurtle, a stick with a thistle-shaped handle used for stirring
porridge; and the ashete, the traditional oval or rectangular
enameled baking dishes with high sides to support a pastry crust.
Surprisingly these age-old utensils are being snapped up by collectors and
treasured by novice gourmet cooks in other lands.