Quick greetings from Central Scotland where I have just spent the day in Perth. A pleasant town with a significant art gallery, a well-stocked local museum that houses the coronation stone (last used in 2023), a very Victorian cathedral, even an old house said to have been that of Walter Scott’s Fair Maid of Perth. She was fictitious but the Royal Scottish Geographical Society who now occupy the building are very real and very friendly and even showed me their rather cosy library with fire in the grate where polar explorer Ernest Shackleton once used to preside over meetings.
I’m off to Inverness this evening, capital of the Highlands.
I did come here via London but having to deal with an insurance matter deleted my opportunity for a Sue day out shopping there. This is really annoying as that was one of the original reasons for planning this trip but I am getting quite a lot of financial compensation so that should enable me to book another trip soon. But there will be girly time in the Highlands over the weekend. It’s never possible to be sure what the weather will be like here in September so I have everything from a light skirt to a heavy coat ...and two suitcases to carry it all in!
From my last trip to Scotland, spring 2024
It’s been a trip full of interesting food, too. Last night’s dinner of local Scottish dishes was one to remember: warm, home-made Scotch egg, beautifully tender venison with black pudding dumplings, and the most amazing chocolate mousse with honeycomb crunch, lemon balm and steeped amarena cherries. To finish, a foaming parma violet cocktail that was super delicious.
More when I have a quiet time to write. Have a nice weekend.
Sue xx
Hello Scotland. This is England calling 🙂
ReplyDeleteI hope you're enjoying your tour. I've had some fab holidays up in that part of the world.
While the rain might annoy, it does keep the midges away!
Thanks, Lynn. Yesterday's trip to the North Coast was a great success and I will, of course, write about that soon. Likely to explore the Inverness area today. Little rain so far yet no midges either. Just as well I wore a long skirt to contend with the wind, though!
DeleteSue xx
That's some menu. Black pudding dumplings sound interesting and probably venison is the one dish they wouldn't immediately overpower. The mousse sounds lovely though I'm not sure about the parma violet cocktail.
ReplyDeleteThat's an idyllic looking photo from your 2024 Scotland trip. Not sure what weather you'll see this weekend. The weather forecast for parts of Scotland last night looked somewhat...changeable, but I hope you have a good time.
Thanks, Susie. I think the cook in that restaurant definitely knew what he was doing. It was a grand meal. Pricey, though, but arguably worth it.
DeleteWeather yesterday on the North Coast was super: mainly sunny, dry and clear. Wind inevitable, though. Today looks a bit grey but we'll see. Write-up soon.
Sue xx
Sue, I'm going to restrict my comments to black pudding. Since visiting Pamela in Ireland I have become a BP aficionado and there is always some here. I often cook and crumble it up with garlic and cream to accompany venison, or sometimes I skip the deer and use mushrooms. A diversion ... before visiting the Highlands via Melrose a few years ago, I had been to Perth only once before. We were staying somewhere out in the woods, a shack with an outside elsan loo. It rained all week, so we stocked up with books in Perth and I spent the time with Françoise Sagan and Bonjour Tristesse ... Ah, bon! Nikki xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cooking tip, Nikki. I'm rather partial to BP, although I realise it's not good for you, especially if you are on a drive to lose weight!
DeleteI have no complaints about the weather in Scotland these last few trips I've made, and Perth was nice, and the little guest house very welcoming and agreeable. I'd go back.
Sue xx