I write from the grand auld toon of Edinburgh, a place richly steeped in culture, history and legend. It boasts superb vistas, charming streets and gardens, fascinating sights, and pubs brimming with character in which to enjoy a refreshment, all offered in a genial atmosphere of hospitality.
It’s also a great place to sample traditional Scottish dishes, such as stovies, Arbroath smokies (delicious!), cullen skink, charachan, and Scotland’s greatest contribution to the culinary arts, the, er, deep fried Mars Bar.
Now the very notion of a deep fried Mars Bar has always struck me as dubious, but when in Rome… Anyway, while out and about, I chanced upon a chip shop advertising this strange yet exotic delicacy, and curiosity drew me in to make a purchase. It turns out that they can be bought on their own or as a ‘supper’; that’s with chips, add salt, vinegar or sauce to taste. Cleanse the palate afterwards with a can of Irn Bru, ‘your other national drink’.
What’s it actually like then? Well, it resembles a crispy turd. It has the consistency of chewing gum left on the bedpost overnight, and each bite settles on the stomach like a golf ball. The matter of how it tastes is something I’d prefer not to go in to; let’s just term it ‘rich’ and leave it at that.
All in all, I’d say that the deep fried Mars Bar is an acquired taste. Given that most of mine ended up in the nearest bin, it’s a taste that I for one am unlikely to acquire any time soon.
Scots have long been admired for their powers of invention, but let’s face it, it takes a mad as a box of frogs type of genius to come up with the idea of taking a confection made of chocolate, toffee and nougat, dipping it in batter, and tossing it into a deep fat fryer.
‘Here’s tae us. Wha’s like us? Few, an’ they’re a’ deid’. Yes, a good few of them after consuming this wannabe shit sandwich, I’d imagine. Land of the high endeavour all right, just not where deep fried Mars Bars are concerned, you barmy cunts.
Nominated by Ron Knee