I talk about my Irish heritage all the time but let us be clear…my mother’s maiden name is MacPherson, therefore putting me squarely with the Scots as well. MacPherson was originally Mc but was changed because another guy in town had same name and apparently was a no good son of a gun, so it was changed. Mc/Mac simply means “son of a.” No, not “gun” or the other one, rather literally a “son of a Parson,” in our case (preacher/pastor/minister). So my mom’s family name on her dad’s side literally translates as “son of a parson.” Same goes for the other Mc and Mac’s out there. Have fun with that one!
Anyway, my great great grandfather’s name was Robert Angus McPherson and he came directly from Scotland. I had the great pleasure of visiting Scotland for a few days and simply loved it. There, as in Ireland, gave me a sense of home. Not trying to be dramatic here, it literally felt like these were people I knew. Was odd and cool and familiar all at once.
One of Scotland’s great contributions to the world besides whiskey, I think, is shortbread. Those little squares or rounds of buttery cookie that scream for a glass of milk or coffee. Super simple to make and at even more tasty, the following recipe is a weeknight dessert winner.
More on the family genealogy another time. For now, make this.
Scottish Shortbread
3/4 cup Butter, softened
2 cups (225 grams) cake flour
1/2 cup Sugar
Combine the flour, butter, and sugar in your mixer using a paddle and beat on lowest speed until dough comes together. Press the dough into an 8×8 inch cake pan. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes until lightly browned. Cut and serve warm.