I love this time of year: the vibrant cocktail of Hebridean weather, woolly socks and snuggly snoods, candles and a glowing stove on dark afternoons, the gutsy flavours of Northern European peasant food, the indulgent aromas of spices and intense sweetness of dried fruit. I particularly enjoy Advent, I like the concept of looking forwards, […]
Advent
Year of Natural Scotland Advent Calendar
1st December 2013 the first Sunday in Advent and the start of my Advent Calendar. I began 2013 with a post on the Year of Natural Scotland and have continued this theme throughout the year. So as our celebration of the flora and fauna of Scotland grows to a close I am going to use […]
From Kringle Wreath to Bread Pudding
More adventures in the croft Advent kitchenWill the Master Baker come to the rescue? After a course of counselling and esteem building I was ready to open the Advent kitchen again and continue my exploration of Scandinavian Christmas baking. This time I vowed to follow the recipe precisely, and accurately measure and weigh all the ingredients. However, I decided to […]
The Revenge of the Gingerbread Men
The aroma in the Advent croft kitchen is delicious and augurs Christmas treats. There are enough spices to fill a potentate’s bazaar, jars of dried fruit and dark sugars, bundles of cinnamon sticks and piles of gleaming Satsumas and lemons. The Christmas cake is slumbering in a miasma of brandy in the cupboard with the […]