British

Lindsay McDougal of Corona, California, writes: "When my husband and I first moved to Southern California from a small town between Edinburgh and Glasgow, we were amazed by the variety of foods available. It's almost unfair to compare the two places, since there are so many different ethnic cuisines here. We've come to love Mexican and Italian cooking, but we still find ourselves yearning for the traditional Scottish recipes we grew up with, like Scotch eggs and meat and potato pies. They're hearty dishes and so easy to make. " A variation of the popular Scottish snack Forfar bridies, these meat-filled turnovers are similar to Cornish pasties. They make a great lunch, but also can be cut into wedges and served as an appetizer.

Lindsay McDougal of Corona, California, writes: "When my husband and I first moved to Southern California from a small town between Edinburgh and Glasgow, we were amazed by the variety of foods available. It's almost unfair to compare the two places, since there are so many different ethnic cuisines here. We've come to love Mexican and Italian cooking, but we still find ourselves yearning for the traditional Scottish recipes we grew up with, like Scotch eggs and meat and potato pies. They're hearty dishes and so easy to make." Hard-boiled eggs are coated in sausage and breadcrumbs, then deep-fried. They're classic fare at pubs and often are served with mustard or ketchup.

Scottish pancakes are small and typically served not at breakfast but at teatime.

Shortbread is the ultimate sugar cookie, crisp yet tender, and bursting with buttery flavor. It's a good cookie to make when the cookie monster in you growls but you don't have any eggs in the house. Gluten-free rice flour (cornstarch can be substituted) is used with regular flour to give it a delicate crumb.

Baking drop scones was always a spectator sport in my house. As soon as the smell started wafting out of the kitchen, my mum would find herself accompanied by her two daughters, perched on kitchen stools and close enough to receive a light dusting of flour. She'd pour the batter into the piping-hot frying pan, and we'd watch, transfixed, as the bubbles rose and she flipped them over till they were golden brown. They'd then be tossed into a bowl lined with a dish towel, and another towel was thrown over to keep them warm. While Mum was distracted with her griddle work, my sister and I would stealthily sneak our hands between the towels and snatch the first drop scones. Buttering them (an essential part of the process) was more difficult to do under the radar. I've often thought of the drop scone ritual over the years, but it's only now that I've asked for the recipe. Perhaps I'd filed drop scones in the childhood drawer in my brain. Now I think it's only fair to try it out myself and create more memories for my own children.

Anne Macrae is a Scottish neighbor in Provence who shares my love of simple, big tastes. She served this luscious gratin one spring evening and explained that she devised the recipe when she and her husband, John, lived in an isolated part of northern Provence, in the Drôme. There were no fresh-produce markets nearby, but thanks to neighboring farmers she always had plenty of fresh goat's milk cheese—known as tomme. Her larder was always filled with the meaty black olives from nearby Nyons, and wild herbs were as near as the back door. In summer months Anne prepares the sizzling, fragrant first course with fresh tomatoes, and in the winter months she uses canned tomatoes. That evening she served the gratin in the individual gratin dishes, but I suggested it might be easier to make one huge gratin and pass it around. "I used to do that," she countered, "but people got greedy and never left enough for the other guests!" So controlled portions it is! This dish lends itself to endless variations: Think of it simply as a pizza without the crust. Add julienned bits of proscuitto, a bit of cooked sausage, sautéed mushrooms, or marinated artichokes. It's also a convenient dish when you're alone and want something warm and quick. I always add fresh hyssop, for the Provençal herb's pungent, mintlike flavor blends well with the tomato-cheese-olive trinity.

Seasonal pears are poached and then layered with a caramel whipped cream and pound cake to turn England's comforting trifle into a lovely fall dessert.

Dundee has been synonymous with marmalade for hundreds of years. The story goes that around 1700, an enterprising Dundee housewife crafted marmalade as we know it from a boatload of bitter Seville oranges purchased by her husband from a Spanish ship stranded in the harbor. In this recipe, marmalade is gently heated with orange juice and whisky until it liquefies, then the sauce is poured over the cake.

In the United States, mincemeat pies tend to be the size of regular pies, but this recipe yields the more diminutive British-style tartlets. If desired, top them with a dab of hard sauce, made by mixing softened butter with powdered sugar and a little brandy.

Offer butter cookies alongside this pretty pink dessert.

This classic cookie combines two of my favorite sweets: buttery-tender Scottish shortbread and satiny lilting English lemon curd. The problem has always been getting a firm enough topping and avoiding a soggy shortbread base. The special technique discovered for this recipe virtually guarantees success. The clean, refreshing flavor of lemon makes these the perfect sweets to follow a rich Christmas goose.

"The highlight of our trip to Scotland was a stay at Knockinaam Lodge in Portpatrick, on the southwest coast," writes Walter Deegan of Fairfax, Virginia. "My wife still talks about the caramel ice cream served for dessert one evening."

Here's a nice way to serve up fresh summer fruit to family and friends.

Stephen Bull is one of the wunderkinder of new British cooking. At his latest venture, Fulham Road in London, his Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, serves this dish along with his rendition of beef bavarois.

Soufflés are a British favorite. This recipe combines pieces of toffee in a creamy soufflé, with chocolate sauce on the side.