As you well know by now, the future of the United Kingdom is pretty uncertain. Come next week, the Scottish of you out there may very well have voted 'Yes' to the referendum and chosen to become your own independent country.
READ MORE: Ask An Adult: What Will Happen If Scotland Votes For Independence
Right now, people are pretty scared, confused and uncertain – the decision is pitting government against government and family against family. But while the outcome is anything but a certainty, one thing is for sure: losing Scotland from the UK would be one hell of a massive loss.
If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland there's not much you can do this week except sit back and wait for the outcome. But in the meantime it's worth celebrating everything we love about our neighbours to the north. So grab a few friends, turn the depressing news off the telly and raise a toast to what it really means to be Scottish.
Here's your Scottish themed evening how-to:
The drink:** Rob Roy**
The Rob Roy's not technically a Scottish drink (we can instead thank bartenders in New York for it), but it's namesake Robert Roy MacGregor (or Raibeart Ruadh – Red Robert) is as entrenched in Scottish history as William Wallace himself. Rob became famous in the early 18th century for protecting local cattle farmers from raiders, and is remembered as a folk hero dubbed the Scottish Robin Hood. Learn how to make the drink celebrating his life here.
What to eat
Steer clear of any stereotypical ideas of what people from outside Scotland might have about the country's cuisine. While lines about deep-fried Mars Bars and Irn-Bru may be spoken in jest, it's worth being aware of the wide and varied foodstuffs the country's got to offer – from it's huge population of game (think grouse and venison) and the diverse offerings of fish to the bakery foods that are exponentially superior to your average desserts, despite the often simple ingredients used. In fact, it's a country that's as rich in it's cuisine as it is in it's patriotism.
One of our favourite Scottish dishes is Arbroath smokies – haddock that is salted and smoked to spectacular results. Try this recipe for Cullen Skin soup with a differencefrom James Martin. It's super-easy to make and it won't cost you the earth, either.
What to watch
While we're never going to turn down the chance to watch a film adaption of an Irvine Welsh novel, there's plenty more on offer from the Scottish cine-scape than just Trainspotting. First up is 1999's Ratcatcher – the mesmerising film that focuses on the life of a young boy in Glasgow in 1973 as his tenement faces a rubbish strike. It was directed by Lynne Ramsay who's since gone on to do We Need To Talk About Kevin. If it's slightly more upbeat stuff you're after, Ken Loach's 2012 comedy The Angels' Share is the heart-warming tale of a bunch of misfits from society who hatch a plan to steal some of the world's most expensive whiskey.
For more great cocktail recipes you can make at home, download the Mixed Cocktail app.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.