Scottish Country Dance of the Day

Do you know difference between butterscotch, caramel, toffee, and dulce de leche? Caramel is made with white sugar, heavy cream, butter and vanilla; while butterscotch substitutes brown sugar for white. Toffee can be considered butterscotch cooked to the hard crack stage, and dulce de leche is a caramel-colored sauce made from slow cooking of white sugar and cow or goat's milk. Interestingly, the term "butterscotch" does not refer to the addition of whisky but to the original harder candy version which would be "scotched" or "scored" in a criss-cross pattern to make cutting into pieces easier. The butterscotch aromas and flavours named in whiskies derives from the compound diacetyl, a natural product of yeast fermentation. Of course, you can always improve your butterscotch recipe by adding a little whisky! 🥃 🧈 🍯

Fudge is a type of sugar candy (often chocolately) made by mixing sugar, butter and milk, heating it to the soft-ball stage, then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency. Tablet is fudge's Scottish cousin with a more brittle and grainy texture. American style fudge became popular in the United States as a shared recipe enjoyed by the ladies at Vassar College during the late 1880s. However, the slang term "fudge" (which as a noun means lies or nonsense) predates the candy and even appears in Sir Walter Scott's St. Ronan's Well (1823) as "'He lies,' answered Lord Etherington, 'so far as he pretends I know of such papers. I consider the whole story as froth - foam, fudge, or whatever is most unsubstantial.'"

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Although one of the most distinctive and recognized of holiday candies, ribbon candy has the dubious honour of being one of the most disliked of Christmas candies (perhaps for its unwieldy shape for eating and for its incongruously disappointing flavor). In fact, some people are surprised to learn that it is even edible! Regardless, whichever confectionery vision dances in your head - be it marzipan, maple sugar candy, chocolate Santas, candy canes, or even hard ribbon candy, there is much to delight the eye and plenty of selections for decorating gingerbread or candy houses! Although first made by confectioners by modeling the wavy form around the candy maker’s thumb, by the 1800s weaving and twisting mechanical crimpers were invented to shape the ribbons of ribbon candy that we recognize today. 🎄 🍭 🍬

Happy St. Nicholas' Day with a twisting and turning reel inspired by that most recognizable of holiday treats, the candy cane! If you successfully avoided the Krampus last night and left out your ghillies, you might have woken to find them filled with delightful treat from St. Nicholas himself! On St. Nicholas Eve, many children prepare their shoes with carrots and hay for St. Nick's horse or donkey, hoping to find small gifts in return—perhaps fruits, nuts, chocolates, candies, cookies, coins, poems, riddles, or even a candy cane! Legend has it that the iconic candy cane traces its shape back to a 17th-century German choirmaster, who bent the hard candy into the form of a shepherd’s staff to remind children of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. As the patron saint of children and shepherd to his people, St. Nicholas is often depicted with a crozier, a hook-shaped staff symbolizing his role as a spiritual guide. In addition to candy canes, the feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated with other traditional treats, like St. Nicholas cookies. These spiced holiday cookies, reminiscent of gingerbread, feature warm flavors such as cloves, anise, pepper, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice—though notably without molasses! ❤️ 🤍 ❤️ 🎅🏻 🍬🍬🍬

Aw. Go ahead and have a slice. You can dance it off with any Scottish Country Dance, especially a high caloric jig with pas de basques such as this dance! Making chocolate cakes (and eating them) are easier than ever since powdered chocolate was made available to cooks by 1828. Originally used mostly for beverages, by 1886, cooks began adding chocolate to the cake batter, to make the first chocolate cakes! Molasses manufacturer, The Duff Company of Pittsburgh, introduced Devil's Food chocolate cake mixes in the mid-1930s, which became massively popular post war-time and figured in many classic recipe books. Additionally, the availability of "cake mixes" from manufacturers such Pillsbury and Duncan Hines added to the popularity of cake baking. Do you remember these chocolate cake trends? 1960s "Tunnel of Fudge" Bundt cakes; 1980s Chocolate Decadence cakes; 1990s Chocolate Lava cakes; 2000s artisan Chocolate Cupcakes; and 2010s Flourless Chocolate cakes and tortes. Recents trends include innovative flavour combinations (chocolate and lavender, matcha or chili) but traditional cakes never fail to please. And although the recipe which inspired this dance is unknown, see the comments for a tasty equivalent! 🍫🍰

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Hippopotamuses definitely deserve a day of recognition! But then so do all dancers who dance on, devise on, or spectate on despite aches and pains just for the love of the dance! Devised for a dancer returning from a successful hip replacement, this jig salutes all dancers who return to music and dancing in any capacity after an injury or other hiatus, and thoughtfully doesn't require any pas de basques to allow the building up of strength. "Hip Hip, Chin Chin" and Cheers! ❤️ 🕺 💃 🦛 🦛 🦛

Double, double, truffle, truffle! If one chocolate truffle is delightful, two are simply irresistible! While it remains a mystery whether this smooth strathspey was inspired by the making or the indulgence of mint truffles (or perhaps both), the lively reels and promenades are sure to guide you straight to the refreshment table—where a delectable namesake treat may be waiting!

The classic chocolate truffle first emerged in France in the late 19th century, its name derived from its resemblance to the prized, dark, and craggy mushrooms found at the roots of oak and hazel trees. Traditionally crafted from velvety chocolate ganache, truffles are often infused with liqueurs, fruits, nuts, spices, or mint, then dusted with cocoa for the perfect bite-sized indulgence.

Today, truffles vary across regions, each boasting its own signature style. The refined French truffle remains a classic, while Swiss versions often feature creamy milk chocolate. Italian truffles showcase the rich flavor of hazelnut paste or crushed nuts, while Belgian truffles are revered for their silky ganache centers. Across the Atlantic, American truffles take on a playful twist, incorporating flavors like peanut butter, caramel, and fruit. No matter the variety, one thing is certain—truffles are a dance of flavors worth savoring! 🤎 💚 🤎 🍫 🌱

Goody Goody Gumdrops! Overwhelmed by Valentine candy everywhere? How about a little hair of the dog that bit you in the form of a sugary dance that will leave you feeling better than before! Gumdrop Day does not refer to those pink chewing gum recycling drop off points which emerged in London and elsewhere for conscientious gum chewers, but rather to the sugary chewy sweets known as Gumdrops, Jelly Babies, or Wine Gums, depending on which side of the pond you are indulging your sweet tooth!

In 1915 a candy manufacturer named Percy Truesdell started producing a chewy candy gumdrop with an enhanced texture, using a formula he developed at Ohio State University. With just the right amount of chewiness, the "gumdrop" became wildly popular, making its way into candy history in the classic children's board game, Candy Land, as "Gumdrop Mountain"! And although today's gumdrops tend to be all fruit-flavoured, originally, gumdrops were flavored with spices: orange (clove), yellow (allspice), red (cinnamon), green (spearmint), purple (anise), white (wintergreen or peppermint), and black (licorice)! And of course, vitamin gummies are now all the rage. This deliciously-named strathspey evokes the figures of swirls and mixing of the candy maker. How sweet! ❤️ 🍭 🧡 🍭 💛 🍭 💗

The recipe quoted might also well be what it takes to devise a new Scottish Country Dance! If you're fond of chocolate, February is the month to indulge in one of the many chocolatey dances available to those with a dancing sweet tooth! The first of February is also a special day in chocolate literature as it marks the day in which the five lucky golden ticket holders in Roald Dahl's well-loved children's story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, gathered to tour the mysterious Willy Wonka's chocolate factory! Although Wonka's chocolate factory is credited with marvelous and magical candies and chocolates, there have been new innovations in the real chocolate world too! Besides dark, milk, and white chocolates, the newest member of the chocolate clan is "ruby chocolate", a variety made from "ruby cocoa beans" and notable for its natural pink colour and sweet flavour (described as a combination of white chocolate and raspberries)! Perhaps If Willy Wonka had opened a factory in Scotland, he might have used his candy genius to compose tartan chocolates and used the setts as "chocolate mapping", the encoding of drips and decorations to identify flavours! Just think what flavours could be inspired by Royal Stewart:

Red: Strawberry or Raspberry for a classic fruity flavor.
Blue: Blueberry, offering a sweet yet slightly tart contrast.
Green: Green Apple, to add a crisp, tart element.
Yellow: Lemon or Honey, for a citrusy or sweet touch.
White: Vanilla or White Chocolate, to mellow and balance the flavors.

Wouldn't that be "Scrumdiddlyumptious"?! Indulge any chocolate cravings with this chocolately jig, which incorporates figures that suggest mixing the chocolate, folding in the flavours, and final swirls and angles for decorating! 🍫 🍭 🍬 🍫

What Americans call cotton candy is called “candyfloss” in the UK and India, “fairy floss” in Australia and Finland, “papa’s beard” (barbe à papa) in France, and “old ladies’ hair” in Greece!

How sweet! This sugary titled dance won an award for "best mixer dance" at the Dance Nova Scotia Challenge and is an easy way to break the ice at a holiday ceilidh! Maple syrup, a gift from the indigenous peoples of North America, has been cherished for centuries for its unique and distinctive flavour and aroma. Collected from the watery sugary sap of the sugar maples, maple syrup has a rich array of polyphenols and volatile organic compounds, including maple furanone, strawberry furanone, and maltol (known for its cotton candy aroma). The process of boiling the sap yields another delicious component, "quebecol," named for the Canadian province who is the biggest producer of maple syrup in the world (with Vermont in the United States as a close second)! Holiday baking is the perfect time to enjoy the year’s maple syrup and sugar harvest, especially in seasonal favorites like Sugar Maple Pie, a perfect bring-along item for any holiday food-themed dances. Recipe included with the dance description! Yum! 🥞 🍁 🥧 🍁 🧇

Don't fret, Julia, the days of obligatory fat-free desserts are blessedly over. Indulge in this luscious jig containing enough circles, wheels, and grand chains to froth up a virtual chocolate mousse for four couples. This most elegant of desserts was first described by Alexandre Viard, chef to Louis XVI and Napoleon, and later referred to as "mousse au chocolat" in the 1820 edition of his culinary encyclopedia, Le Cuisinier Royal. But the popularity of this tasty chocolate dessert really began to surge when the French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901), who was also known for his culinary skills, came up with a recipe he first named “mayonnaise au chocolat.” Hmmm ... At any rate, Peter Hastings' actual deliclious recipe included with the dance cribs for your delectation and post-dance swooning! 🍫 🍫 🍫

Fond of chocolate? Of the many chocolate and confectionery dances, this one is dedicated to particular gentlemen in a dance class who always bring back delicious chocolate from their travels to share with the dancers. This smooth as milk chocolate strathspey even has a recommended sweet music pairing "Un Baiser de Chocolate". Switzerland is particularly renowned for its chocolate, especially their milk chocolate. In 1875, Swiss confectioner Daniel Peter developed the first solid milk chocolate using condensed milk, invented by his neighbor Henri Nestlé in Vevey. A few years later, in 1879, Rodolphe Lindt perfected the conching machine—a special device that polishes, mixes, and agitates chocolate to improve its quality, texture, and flavor. This breakthrough allegedly happened by accident when Lindt left one of his mixing machines on overnight, resulting in a smooth, flavorful mixture. This innovation allowed chocolate to be used in confectionery rather than just as a gritty hot beverage flavoring, transforming its popularity and delighting chocolate lovers ever since! ❤️ 🍫 🍫 🍫 🇨🇭

The hexagonal comb of the honey bee has been admired and wondered about from ancient times. The geometry of a honeycomb minimizes the amount of used material and allows the storage of the maximum amount of honey. Honeycomb candy, also known as cinder coffee, is a popular, easy-to-make treat which mimics the airy texture of real honeycomb - sugar, honey, cornstarch, and baking soda!