Shortbread must be one of Scotland’s most famous and beloved foods. The ingredients couldn’t be more basic – flour, butter, sugar – but the taste that these simple components create when they come together is just irresistible. When we decided to sell shortbread at Dalriata, we looked far and wide to find the best, and we think this Reids of Caithness All Butter Shortbread might just be it.
Reids of Caithness is a family-run bakery based in Thurso, the northernmost town in all of Great Britain. It’s a remote area with terrible weather, and living there wouldn’t suit most people. But those who do live there wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Reids are proud of their community as well as their products, and you’ll taste it in every bite.
Founded in a tiny village in 1966, Reids of Caithness soon got a reputation in the area for their bread and cakes. Before long, they moved to Thurso, and have continued to grow and expand ever since. They now employ over 60 people, and their products are to be found all over Scotland, throughout the UK, and now right here in our Berlin store!
What makes Reids shortbread so good?
In a word: butter! That’s where most of the rich flavour comes from. Reids use only pure butter of the highest quality to make their shortbread. No cheaper oils, no margarine, no substitutes – that’s why they can call it “all butter shortbread”. Only flour and fine sugar are added – nothing else is necessary.
(Of course, if you do want a little more from your shortbread, we also offer chocolate chip and salted caramel varieties!)
Are these shortbread fingers?
Although fingers are probably the most common shape, Reids of Caithness make their shortbread in the form of round, flat biscuits. This slightly thinner format means they really melt in the mouth. It also makes them ideal for dunking them in your tea, if that’s your thing!
