The story
Cullen skink takes its name from Cullen, a small fishing village on the Moray Firth coast of northeast Scotland. In Scots, 'skink' meant a shin of beef and then a soup made from it, but the local version, so the story goes, was made by fishing families with the haddock they had in plenty, smoked and simmered with potato, onion and milk. The village grew into a busy herring port in the late 1800s, and its thick, creamy soup gradually spread across Scotland and beyond. Today it is often called one of Scotland's signature dishes, and Cullen hosts a Cullen Skink World Championship.
Also known as smoked haddock soup, cullen skink soup.
On the Meridish menu
Cullen skink was the soup course on menu No. 30 on October 30, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Thick, creamy soup of smoked haddock, potato and onion. Born in a small herring-fishing village on a northern firth, where 'skink' first meant a soup of beef shin.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
