FOOD WAS not a priority in Gary Maclean’s household when he was a child, growing up in Glasgow.
Until, that is, an “occasion” came along.
“It was always a bit bizarre, having egg and chips most of the year, then all of a sudden watching my mum have to whip up a massive five-course dinner on Christmas Day,” he says, smiling.
“Food wasn’t important until we hit one of those days – New Year, Christmas, Burn’s Night…
“New Year was always about pies, and dad would go for the cream cakes, to City Bakeries.”
He adds: “I’ve always been fascinated by how many Scottish celebrations there are, practically one a month, and how most of them involve food.”
The result of this fascination is Gary Maclean’s Scottish Celebrations, a beautiful recipe book by Scotland’s National Chef and City of Glasgow College's executive chef, which would make the perfect Christmas gift for the foodie in your life.
“In Scotland, we have this amazing tradition of food and hospitality – even something like Halloween was celebrated here thousands of years ago,” he adds.
“I wanted to capture some of that tradition and heritage in the book, but make it fun and help people to create these recipes. It’s not supposed to be a history lesson.”
Gary has two rules at Christmas, he says.
“One, I don’t leave the house and two, I always prepare,” he says. “As a little kid, I just wanted my mum to spend time with us on Christmas Day, not to have to be in the kitchen making five courses all day.
“So, I prepare as much in advance. I’ll make something like turkey wellington, which is a bit easier. I’m lucky that in 35 years of being a chef, I’ve only ever had to work one Christmas, which is great. It’s a time for family.”
The book includes a foreword by Succession actor Brian Cox, who recalls growing up in Dundee in a “less than well off family” but still remembering meals that were real celebrations.
“There should be cause for celebration in everyone’s lives, rich or poor,” he writes. “Clootie dumplings, Forfar bridies, haggis, mince and tatties were meals for all.
“Maybe vegetables and fruit if you had your own garden patch….raspberries and brambles picked in the wild. Historically even oysters and lobster were considered food for the poor. Everyone in Scotland could enjoy celebratory meals no matter what their economic situation. And it is this universality that Gary brings to Scottish Celebrations.”
Gary reveals, surprisingly: “I have met Brian a few times - we were going to do a pilot TV show in the States.
“It was about telling the story of Scots who have done well in America, but then Covid hit and it didn’t happen. Maybe one day.”
Gary Maclean’s Scottish Celebrations (Black and White Publishing) is just one of this year’s fantastic books by Glasgow authors, or with a connection to the city, which would make excellent last-minute gifts.
Here is our best of the rest Glasgow books of 2023.
SQUEAKY CLEAN by Callum McSorley (Pushkin Press)
Praise has rained down on this darkly comic debut novel from fans as diverse as comedian Kevin Bridges and author Chris Brookmyre, to the judges of the McIlvanney Prize, who awarded it Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2023.
Burnside writer Callum's story of a car wash worker and a cop called Ally McCoist, who get caught up in Glasgow’s grim underworld, is funny, thrilling and poignant.
TANKS ON THE STREETS? THE BATTLE OF GEORGE SQUARE, GLASGOW 1919 by Gordon Barclay and Louise Heren (Pen & Sword).
In January 1919, tanks were despatched to Glasgow after what became known as The Battle of George Square. Using thousands of pages of court papers, memoirs and news reports, this book is the first attempt to tell the story of what happened in day-by-day detail.
BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN AND WHAT YOU DON’T by Josie Long (Canongate)
Glasgow-based comedian and regular TV panel show guest Josie has written a fantastic collection of stories about sex, love, motherhood, friendship and family life in all its messy glory.
KEEP MOVING AND NO QUESTIONS by James Kelman (PM Press).
The mighty Glasgow author has been championed by American publisher PM Press who have released this collection of 21 short stories, including five brand new ones and many significantly revised by the author.
THE HOOLET THIT COULDNAE FLY by Emma Grae (Luath Press)
Awardwinning Glasgow author Emma Grae’s first children’s book in Scots is a braw tale of friendship and loss, about a little girl called Iona and her dearest friend Brodie the owl.
Emma describes the book as “about much more than just the way it’s written, it’s about animals, and showing weans it’s okay to be different.”
WHY MUMMY DRINKS AT CHRISTMAS by Gill Sims (HarperCollins)
Gill’s global bestselling Why Mummy books bring a tear to the eye of mothers everywhere, and this one is a classic. Mummy has a Festive Vision but her dreams of a perfect Christmas are about to be derailed by her chaotic family…
HUNGRY BEAT: THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENT POP UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT (1977-1984) by Douglas MacIntyre and Grant McPhee (White Rabbit)
Music fans will love this celebration of maverick Scottish independent music labels, Postcard in Glasgow and Fast Product in Edinburgh. Largely built on interviews for McPhee's Big Gold Dream film with, among others, members of The Human League, Scars, The Mekons, Fire Engines, Josef K, Aztec Camera, The Go-Betweens and The Bluebells, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the two labels that changed the landscape of British music.
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