I'm Rory Stewart and I grew up wanting to be a hero and I'm still fascinated by the ideas of heroism.

In my new series, I'm taking in the long sweep of history from Achilles to Zelensky and asking, what is a hero?

Simply doing your job, being a decent human being.

A true hero is someone who just kind of shines by

their own light and that light is to be recognized by others. The long history of heroism with me,

Rory Stewart. Listen on BBC Sounds. It was Dr. Johnson who said that it didn't matter where

you dined

as long as you breakfasted in Scotland

and that's just what I'm about to do.

It's August 1981 and Derek Cooper

the founding presenter of this programme

is north of the border and he's hungry.

There's not one dish which is more peculiar to Scotland than porridge.

Not good.

Coal milk, hot, salty oatmeal, and follow a plate of airsh of bacon.

To my mind the best in the world.

Back then, Derek had gone in search of Scotland's larder,

along with the people and landscapes behind the food.

His own family roots lay in the Hebrides and the Isle of Sky.

And throughout his career as a food journalist, he returned to Scotland again and again,

to share stories of things he believed should be treasured.

If you were combining a list of the really outstanding ingredients of a good meal in Scotland,

...