The Tartan Army march on
- Second Mentions Team
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
After their historic opening win against Haiti, Scotland will be dreaming of another famous night as they take on Morocco in group C of the men’s World Cup. Steve Clarke’s side will be hoping to keep the saltires swaying and bagpipes blaring as they take on the north African nation.
To mark the occasion, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite Caledonian classics over the years.
No. 1 Haggis --> “the not immediately appealing but downright delicious Scottish delicacy”
Not for the faint-hearted, haggis is a dish often referred to as “the Scottish staple” when it comes to the second mention. As you will know by now, we prefer a little more creativity (though we definitely do appreciate the alliteration), with our favourites including “the offal-rich orb” and “the ovoid, offal-stuffed dinner”, though admittedly that leaves us a little confused as to whether it should be round or elliptical.
You may also have read in the news this week that Massachusetts became the first US state to ‘legalise’ “the sheep’s organ pudding”. It has been illegal to serve haggis in the US since the 1970s, due to safety concerns over eating livestock lungs.
According to Euro News, Maura Healy - the governor of Massachusetts, signed an executive order to make “the not immediately appealing but downright delicious Scottish delicacy” ‘legal’, though not officially as individual states do not have the power to override food safety standards at a federal level.
No. 2 - Irn-Bru --> “the ginger nectar”
A regular feature on Second Mentions due to its vibrant hue.
Other examples we’ve spotted include “the bright orange fizzy drink” and “the fizzy favourite”, (though we have to say it’s not a big favourite in our household).
No. 3 - Square sausage --> “the right-angled gut-buster”
The traditional breakfast staple, or perhaps “the Caledonian quadrilateral” or “the four-sided foodstuff” is slightly more to our tastes. Elsewhere it is known as “the tummy-filling lip-smacker”.
This certainly makes them sounds more tasty than their counterparts south of the border, which might be referred to as “the emulsified high-fat offal tubes” or indeed black pudding, which becomes “the cylinder of blood and suet”.
No. 4 - Deep-fried Mars bar --> “the fat-laden delicacy”
Other second mentions for Scotland’s unofficial national dish include “the quirky concoction” and “the chippy snack”.
We do wonder whether the term ‘snack’ is appropriate, given it probably has enough calories to last a week, but we’re willing to overlook that due to its deliciousness.
No. 5 - Whisky --> “the iconic Scottish spirit”
The name ‘whisky’ derives from the Scottish Gaelic meaning ‘water of life”, and we’d happily use that as a superb second mention.
Alternatives include “the malted barley, water and yeast-based drink”. Let's raise a glass!
Spotted a good second mention?
Send it to us via the form on our website
The best reader submissions may feature in a future roundup.
And if you'd like hundreds more examples collected in one place, The Little Book of Second Mentions is available now from all good booksellers — or, as one particularly inventive journalist might put it, "reputable distributors of bound word collections."
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