Category Archives: Scotland

Living in Scotland, issues and people and places.

The Scots

Posted on August 23, 2008 | 2 Comments

You won’t believe this, but I made it and have witnesses.

A half-side of salmon, skinned and boned. I covered it with scallop mousse and then zucchini half-rounds to look like fish scales. Cousin Steve manned the deep fryer pot and came up with fried parsley for garnish.

Oh, man, it’s so great to be out of French cooking-land! Ironically I got a catering job out of that cooking school dinner/brunch that paid a good portion of my tuition!

My Aunt Joan, godmother, loved the results and efforts, God rest her soul. I will remember it fondly for her. I thank the rest of the family for putting up with my pretenses. No, Kevin, that’s not prehensile. That’s my brother and I have to do this stuff so he’ll read my blog.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Editorial, Recipe Ideas, Scotland

Tagged

More than Mussels and Salmon

Posted on August 12, 2008 | 2 Comments

The Fisherman’s Sweater

The scratchiness reminds me
of a sweater I once had
A cardigan of Arran wool
from my mother’s hands

She knitted it with love
every popcorn stitch
the fisherman’s ropes
filled every inch

It was another thing
that set me apart
not something a kid wants
right from the start

I wore it for warmth
it served its purpose
then on to my sister
then to service

Her daughters
so for twenty-five years
I’ve asked for new
fisherman’s gear

And Mom has said rightly
That the first one was itchy
I was a kid and
as such I richly

Deserved nothing
there’s a new cardigan
but no-one to hug, save
the knitter in Oban

DAC
May 4, 2007

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Scotland

Beijing Bans Saltire

Posted on August 5, 2008 | 1 Comment

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7541642.stm

It appears that powers that be that rule the Olympics, in an effort to ban Tibet from displaying its flag, have also prohibited other countries from the same.

I refer to Scotland, which is not my home (was for three months) and banning of the saltire, the flag of St. Andrew. Hey, this storm/non-storm so far got me up and I started reading so may as well make trouble.

Have you seen Braveheart? Rob Roy? The Scots have set themselves on a course for independence, have their own parliament and are on their way. Allowing a winning athlete to hold up his/her Scottish flag is an act of independence. It should be cherished, not banned.

Haggis, Scotch eggs (?), streaky bacon, and tons of pudding later, we need American Scots to rally ’round the flag with Glaswegians, those from Edinburgh and Aberdeen…

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Editorial, Scotland

Tagged

Scottish/Italian Photo Tour

Posted on July 16, 2008 | 1 Comment

I overreached. From left to right first is Glasgow Cathedral founded by St. Mungo in the 6th century. Next is Doune Castle (known to Monty Python fans as Castle Anthrax and others). Next is Rosslyn Chapel, followed by on the bottom row, the William Wallace Memorial in Stirling (see the castle), Melrose Abbey in the Borders and Santa Maria dei Fiore, the tallest building in Florence.

We went there for 24 hours on a cheapie fare. What can I say? We’re now globetrotters. Don’t get me started on Greece and its food and gorgeous waters. D

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Editorial, Scotland

The One O’Clock Gun

Posted on July 16, 2008 | Leave a comment

Every day in Edinburgh (pronounced Edin-burra) except Sundays and holidays the one o’clock gun goes off at Edinburgh Castle. It allowed city residents and ships in the harbor to synchronize their watches, so to speak.

It also allowed a little dog at Greyfriars Church on Candlemaker’s row to stroll from his master’s grave to the local pub where he got a free lunch. Parents and grandparents, get the book and movie “Greyfriars Bobby” for the little ones.

So why is it a one o’clock gun? Because the Scots are notoriously frugal and a 12 o’clock gun would have used up 12 cannonballs each day. Thus the one o’clock gun.

The restaurants and museums in Edinburgh were incredible. I’ll do a photo essay for you one of these days.

Take care and write in and let me know what you’re interested in.

I miss living in Scotland. I always told local residents that I’d never seen grass that green. They invariably said, it’s grass, it’s green. Big deal. D

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Editorial, Scotland

Cranachan

Posted on June 9, 2008 | 1 Comment

This recipe comes from The Open Arms Hotel in Lothian, Scotland

Cranachan is very Scottish, served traditionally at Halloween when charms with special significance were folded into the mixture. You might find a ring for marriage, a button for bachelorhood, a thimble for spinsterhood, coins for wealth, and horseshoes for luck. Unfortunately my Cranachan at the Open Arms contained none of these, but the flavor combination of lightly toasted oatmeal, cream, sugar, and whisky was Scottish!

• 1-1/4 cups (4-6 oz) pinhead oatmeal *
• 5 cups cream, beaten until thick
• honey
• whisky
• Strawberries or any fresh fruit in season
• Petticoat tails or shortbread biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C (350 deg. F)
2. Put the oatmeal in a baking dish and bake until lightly brown.
3. Mix the oatmeal and cream together, flavour with honey and whisky according to your taste.
4. Serve in individual glass dishes topped with strawberries (or other seasonal fruit) and garnished with a petticoat tail or shortbread.

* Pinhead oats are groats that have been chopped into small pieces. They’re chewier than rolled oats, and grain aficionados often prefer them for certain recipes.

Contributed by Carolyn Sherry

Thank you for sharing! Carolyn is a member of the Scottish Council and has urged her fellow members to share ancient family recipes with you.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Recipes, Scotland

Saving the Scottish Wildcat

Posted on June 8, 2008 | Leave a comment

Like the Scots, this cat cannot be domesticated and will fight to the death to remain free. I just received this post from the local Highland group that I joined when we returned from living in Scotland last year.

http://wildcats.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_endangered_scottish_wild_cat contains interesting information about this endangered animal. It came to me courtesy of scottishcouncil@yahoogroups.com which is a publication of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scottishcouncil/

My interest in this subject comes from years of volunteering at monthly clinics of San Diego’s Feral Cat Coalition, which also has a very interesting website with complete instructions for spay/neuter clinics for feral cat colony maintenance at the Feral Cat Coalition.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Scotland

Scotland

Posted on June 5, 2008 | Leave a comment

My husband and I were fortunate enough to be sent to Scotland for work for three months just last year. While no-one in the UK seems to be able to make a decent burger, there are other assets at hand.

We lived in a flat just off George Square in Glasgow and my US girlfriend and I toured twice a week and then we went on weekend jaunts as well.

Interestingly, the Scots make great Italian pizzas. Our favorite place was on Italian Square off George Square – Piazza Italia. Don’t go to the bar on the corner, but head in to the no-traffic street and look to your right and Rocco will be looking for you. He has great pizzas and mussels. Careful, Rocco is formerly a carabinieri in Florence. He’s also a sweetheart who treated us very well during the months we lived next door.

The Mussel Inn is a treat, mussels by weight, with your choice of sauce. Incredible. Just go and slurp mussels and eat French bread.

Pizza in the hole, is a downstairs eatery/brewery along the main streets, Republic Bier Halle. Check it out online http://www.qype.co.uk/place/136718-Republic-Bier-Halle-Glasgow.

During our time there this may be the best photo I took, inside Glasgow Cathedral, St. Mungo’s place. Do yourself a favor and visit Scotland. There is so much history in the castles (Stirling, Edinburgh) and churches (Melrose, Rosslyn) and museums that you’ll never want for something to do. You don’t need to golf to be amazed at the color of the grass and, in the spring, the rapeseed fields you’ll see on the train.

Make sure to visit castles Craigmillar, Doune (of Monty Python fame) and Linlithgow, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Enjoy!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Scotland