Rosemary shortbread, redux for Robbie Burns Day



A Man's A Man for A' That
By Robbie Burns

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an' a' that;
The coward slave-we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Our toils obscure an' a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The Man's the gowd for a' that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an' a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man's a Man for a' that:
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, an' a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that;
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a cuif for a' that:
For a' that, an' a' that,
His ribband, star, an' a' that:
The man o' independent mind
He looks an' laughs at a' that.

A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an' a' that;
But an honest man's aboon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities an' a' that;
The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that.


Celebrate the Ploughman's Poet and rediscover your inner Scot every January 25 with this new twist on an Old Country classic.

Rosemary Honey Shortbread

1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
3/4 cups cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Spray a 9.5-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray.

In a food processor, briefly pulse the flour, sugar and rosemary. Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and add it to the dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture is sandy and uniform.

Use your fingers to press the dough evenly into the prepared tart pan. (There will be some loose crumbs around the edges, but most of the dough should be solid and compact.) Refrigerate until chilled through (at least 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chilled shortbread from the fridge and pierce the surface evenly with a fork all over. Bake until golden (about 40-45 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat the honey until warm but not boiling. Quickly spread the liquid honey over the cooked shortbread with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the salt and coarse sugar evenly on top. Return to the oven for 3 more minutes.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let the shortbread cool slightly (about 15 minutes). While still warm, remove the tart pan ring and cut the shortbread into wedges or diamonds using a sharp knife. Cool completely.

Store the cooled shortbread in a tin at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Source: Based on the recipe for "Honey Shortbread" in Fine Cooking, December 2008/January 2009, pp. 77.

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