Mince and tatties

Mince and tatties is a popular Scottish dish, consisting of minced beef and mashed potato. It sometimes contains other vegetables or thickening agents. It has had a longtime association with school dinners, while other chefs have attempted to modernise the dish.

Mince and tatties

Preparation

There is no set recipe or form of cooking and large variations can occur from cook to cook. Essentially the dish consists of varying amounts of minced beef, onions, carrots or other root vegetables, seasoning and stock.[1] Some cooks add thickening agents such as flour, oatmeal or cornflour.[1][2]

History

Despite concerns that British people are no longer eating traditional dishes,[3] mince and tatties remains popular in Scotland. A survey by the Scottish Daily Express in 2009 found that it was the most popular Scottish dish, with a third of respondents saying that they eat mince and tatties once a week. This placed it above other dishes such as smoked salmon, haggis, Scotch pies and Scotch broth.[4] An annual competition is held in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, to determine the best mince and tatties.[5][6]

Mince and tatties is well known for being used historically in school canteens,[7] where the quality of the ingredients and the ability to feed a large number of children made it popular.[8] In recent years, there have been attempts by some to modernise the dish, which resulted in it appearing on Time Out magazine's list of the top 100 dishes available in London in 2012. The version from the Dean Street Townhouse restaurant placed on the best of British section of the list.[9]

See also

References
  1. Henderson, Fergus (17 August 2014). "St John at 20: five classic Fergus Henderson recipes". The Observer. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  2. O'Donnell, Jacqueline (8 February 2013). "Simply Special: classic mince and tatties". The Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  3. Cowie, Eleanor (9 November 2004). "Days of mince and tatties are disappearing as Britons plump for more exotic dishes". The Herald.
  4. Duffy, Judith (8 September 2009). "Mince and tatties is top dish". Scottish Express. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  5. "Friends lift culinary crown after entering mince and tatties contest for 'a giggle'". The Scotsman. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  6. "Mince & Tattie Championship". Round & About Mull & Iona. March 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  7. Shields, Tom (28 December 2003). "School Dinner Maladies". The Sunday Herald.
  8. "Just batty for mince and tatties". Evening Times. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  9. "The 100 best dishes in London 2012 - British". Time Out. Archived from the original on 16 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.

Further reading
  • Maw Broon (2007). Maw Broon's Cookbook. Waverley Books; (18 Oct 2007) ISBN 1-902407-45-8, p17
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