News events this week have underlined just how tightly food is bound up with ideas of national identity.

We could bang on about the controversial decision of the biscuit manufacturers Tunnock’s.

Earlier this week, the brand, which many thought of as quintessentially Scottish, decided to describe their best known product as ‘The Great British Teacake’.

They also removed the lion rampant, a symbol of Scottish royalty, from some of their packaging.

As might have been anticipated, this caused a stooshie. Or generated a lot of useful PR.

This blogger thinks it’s all a bit of a storm in a teacake.

Sausage outrage

We were much more tickled with the story about the Kyrgyzstan authorities who are alleged to have expelled a Scottish mine worker for insulting the national dish of horse sausage.

As his co-workers tucked in to their New Year chuchuk, the ex-pat worker posted a Facebook post comparing the national delicacy to a horse penis.

Apparently, a  local court was swift to react to this assault on the Kyrgyzstan dignity and it has been reported that the Scot has been deported.

As is often the case with stories like these, further strands quickly emerge. Some news sources reported that the UK national was deported because he didn’t have the necessary work permits rather than because of his inflammatory sausage comments.

Culinary friction

Perhaps the Kyrgyzs were being a little over sensitive. Countries have always tried to ridicule their neighbours on culinary grounds and most take it in good humour.

The Brits and French have long swapped insults about frogs and les rosbifs while the Germans, in the past, were called krauts by some on account of their fondness for sauerkraut.

Apart from two world wars, we all managed to laugh it off and get along just fine.

Tricks of the Restaurant Trade

Finally, your writer was gobsmacked by some of the shocking revelations in last night’s TV show Tricks of the Restaurant Trade.

Who knew that front of house staff will try to upsell or that good looking customers are given the window seats?

Next week, we look forward to hearing startling revelations about bears walking into the woods with a toilet roll in paw.

What we won’t deny is that January is often a time when budgets feel the squeeze.

5pm January Sale

Happily the 5pm January Sale means that you can still enjoy your favourite restaurants without breaking the bank.

The 5pm January Sale features dozens of restaurants offering two or three course, sometimes with a drink, for £12.

Tuck in.