I Like horks up an old Guardian article that humorously attempts to defend Scottish cuisine, which is widely regarded by people outside of Scotland to be virtually inedible.

Personally, I don't think it needs defending. I actually like haggis, and I've had any number of excellent meals on my many visits to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sterling, and Inverness. In fact, one of the finest dining experiences of my entire life was eating freshly-caught salmon at a small restaurant in Ullapool, a tiny fishing village way up at the very northern tip of the country (the story of how we got to Ullapool by driving along treacherous single-track roads through the highlands while dodging sheep is a story for another post).

To be sure, I've had awful food in Scotland, but surprisingly enough, it was always at ethnic restaurants that attempted to cater to the local palate. I'll never forget the Chinese place next to the Inverness train station that served chip gravy over rice. It's also worth noting that quite a few of the more gruesome Gaelic gnoshes, like deep-fried Mars Bars, come from fish and chips shops. Hell-o, it's a freakin' fish and chips shop! They're supposed to serve deep-fried crap, it's expected.

The moral of the story, I guess, is that you can find good eats anywhere if you're willing to put aside your foodie prejudices and just try things. It's equally true that you can find inedible crap pretty much everywhere.

And remember, in Scotland, if it tastes terrible, you can always rinse your mouth out with a couple of fingers of delicious, peaty single-malt Scotch.