Vegan in Scotland!

OK, well, I wasn't in Scotland, but I was close! In Boulder, CO, there is a fabulous Scottish pub (yes, I said Scottish - not Irish!), called The Scotch Corner Pub (1800 Broadway), owned by the most delightful Scottish family, and the matriarch of the family, Maggie Pitkethly, is vegan - an outspoken, compassionate, ethical vegan!

You won't be surprised to learn, then, that vegan Bangers and Mash (Vegan Sausage and Mashed Potatoes) are on the menu (see photo!), but you may be surprised that ALL of the mashed potatoes are vegan - no matter if they're part of a "vegan meal" or not! And they were fantastic (Earth Balance is a gift, is it not?)

The Cottage Pie, a dish similar to the English Shepherd's Pie is also vegan (oil for the pie crust - of course!), the crispy fries came with a delicious dipping sauce, and something called Scotch Broth was delicious and much different than what the name implies to Americans. Broth in the United States is essentially thin, vegetable-infused water. In Scotland, however, it is a thick stew, and this one - vegan by nature, not by design - is dominated by hearty lentils and healthful vegetables. We liked it so much that Maggie is contributing it to my new cookbook!

To boot, the vegetarian dishes are cooked in a separate kitchen, and though the chairs in the lounge look leather, they're not. Maggie wouldn't hear of it. Though she wishes the entire restaurant were vegan, she's still working on her husband, but she did say that the vegetarian dishes are very popular - and not just with vegetarians (though there are a lot of them in this fair town).

Though I'm not a drinker, my hubby and good friend tried their fair share of Scottish ales, including the Belhaven, a "smooth, slightly sweet amber," which was their favorite.

We look forward to returning to the pub and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Boulder. The only thing we regret is that the live music was canceled (unexpectedly) the nights we were there, but we spent hours talking to Maggie, to the other staffers, and enjoying the really friendly, tartan-clad atmosphere.