the traveling cupcake: scotland

Showing posts with label scotland. Show all posts

Sunday, August 07, 2011

How to have the perfect day...

Just thought I would warn you in advance, this is a long one! But it's full of fun stories and cool pictures, so hopefully you like it. Thanks for stopping by!

Hey kids, it's me again!

We are like BFFs this week aren't we? This is what happens when I am left to my own devises for a week...lots of blogging. I don't mind so much, do you?

As you know (from here and here) we spent last weekend in Scotland. We were fortunate enough to have a bee-ay-you-tiful Saturday and it turned out to be, well, perfect! If you ever find your self in Scotland and the weather happens to be sunny and warm, here is how you too can have the perfect day.

After breakfast, start your day with a nice brisk walk. Take 3 crazy dogs (and one sweet as pie older one) for a walk to burn some energy (them) and wake up (you). Make sure you have someplace really high to walk to, so you can take in the amazing views once you get to the top.

crazy dog!

Next step - get on a boat.

Sorry, I had to. Yes, I realize this is so two years ago but seriously - it's freakin' awesome.

Ok, now that I we got that out of our systems...I'll continue.

We took a little motorboat around the peninsula, checking out different islands and locks. Our mission was to go fishing and catching something delicious for lunch. Mission accepted.

pretty red sails...not our boat, don't worry

James got the boys all kitted up with fishing poles and flies, us girls took copious amounts of pictures to document the situation. After about fifteen minutes without any bites, James was getting a bit antsy. Now, I am not going pretend that I am well versed in the school of fishing (ha - see what I did there?) but from my understanding and past experience (my memory from twenty years ago is sharp as a tack thankyouverymuch) fishing can take a while. You could sit out there on your little boat all day long without even so much as a little nibble.

Well, apparently that is not the case in these parts.

James took over and within 45 seconds of him having his hands on the fishing pole he had caught 4 fish. The waters here are so full of fish that you can usually catch something within a couple of minutes of casting your line. Now that is a kind of fishing that I could get used to!

On our way to the fishing spot we crossed through the Sound of Jura. Jura is probably most well known for being the island where George Orwell wrote 1984 (a personal favorite of mine!) The particular location of the Sound of Jura is really special as it is where the sound and the loch meet the sea. After catching our lunch we headed over to the Gulf of Corryvreckan, on the north side of the Sound of Jura. It is a narrow straight between the islands of Jura and Scarba and has the third largest whirlpool in the world.

When the tide floods in from the sea it can speed up to 8 knots or more (about 10 mph). Combined with the narrowness of the straight and unusual topography of the sea floor (including a huge hole and a massive pyramid) you have a unique combination on your hands. The pyramid on the sea floor is some 40 meters tall (40 meters?! Thats about 131 feet incase you are not well versed in the metric system). Put all of these things together and you get whirlpools, standing waves that can reach 30 feet (!!!) when the weather is bad, and other oddities on the surface of the sea.

whirlpool in the Sound of Jura

whirlpool in the gulf of corryvreckan

standing wave

standing wave again

Luckily when we were there is was beautiful as can be, so we weren't really in any danger. The trippiest part about this whole thing was that our boat was literally turning in circles, without us touching the wheel at all. We would speed up and go over the standing wave and then back off and get sucked right back in to it. All the while you could see the water on either side of the straight was perfectly calm. It was incredible, I have never seen something so peculiar and fascinating at the same time. I was speechless.

Actually, I think I was screaming the whole time - with joy. Screaming with joy. Yeah, that's it.

The next step to having a perfect day is to anchor your boat and have a beach BBQ. Bring the fish that you just caught, some fresh beef burgers from the farm down the road and some good friends.

While lunch is being cooked, take a walk along to beach and go cave hunting.

Don't be discouraged if you can't find any. Enjoy the sun and sand and the views as much as possible, and leave the caves for another day.

After a long and leisurely lunch (and possible a little nap in the sun) it's time to go. Time to get back to the mainland and get ready for dinner (and yes its perfectly fine to be thinking about dinner even though you just finished your lunch).

As you sail back towards home (or as you ride in your little motorboat), keep your eyes peeled...you never know what you might see in the water...

Don't worry - there were no sitings of the famed Loch Ness Monster, Nessie, BUT!

BUT!

!!

We did see a WHALE! A whale I said! And it was so close to us!

Please excuse the blurriness of the next photo, but it shows how close and how BIG this Minke whale was (males can reach between 7 and 10 meters - thats between 23 to 32 FEET!!)

Don't be deterred by the small size of that fin - check this picture out for the size relationship between an average size Binke whale and a human. They have a tiny fin and a huge body!

We stalked this whale for a good 30 minutes. We followed him right along and saw him pop up to get some air about seven or eight times, each time he got a little closer. There was a lot more screaming on the boat, again, all for joy of course.

When all of this excitement dies down and you safely get back home, its time to continue this perfect day by taking a walk to the village pub.

Nothing beats a cold glass of local brew at the end of a fun day...

Oh, except maybe a huge plate of fresh langoustines for dinner.

And at the end of this amazing day you will be tired. You will be intoxicated with sun, sand and warm memories (and maybe a little bit because of the beer).

And you will be thankful for this perfect, perfect day.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Dawn (and Sallys) Flourless Chocolate Cake

The first night that we spent in Scotland we were welcomed most graciously by our friend James' parents, Ali and Sally. They welcomed us with open arms even though we were strangers and were so full of warmth we instantly felt at home. I have to preface this story by saying that all of the food that we were fed that weekend was top class. We had the most amazing seafood and steaks, fruits, vegetables and herbs that I have had in a long time. Sally and Ali strongly believe in cooking fresh, seasonal, local food as much possible. And by local I mean the farmers and markets within a few mile radius. With the closest big town with a supermarket a good half hour or so away, you better believe they get as much as they can from their small village.

That being said, this chocolate cake was hands down my favorite dish from that weekend. And I don't say that lightly, there were a lot of contenders.

The recipe for the cake was given to Sally by Dawn, a local woman from their small town, Ardfern, who is well known as being a wonderful cook.

Sally served the cake with some fresh strawberries, raspberries and fresh cream. It would go amazing with a scoop of good quality vanilla bean ice cream. But really, you don't need all that jazz. Just a cup of coffee (or tea if that's your thing) or and extra large mug of ice cold milk will do just fine. This cake is dense and fudgy, with a great big crumb that you can easily squash on the underside of your fork and savour after the last bite is gone. Think part undercooked brownie part molten lava cake (once it's cooled). It's a flourless cake, and the richness of the eggs and chocolate really shine through. If there is ever a time to splurge and get the good chocolate (think Ghirardelli or Valrhona - basically the best quality chocolate that you can get your hands on) this is the time.

But wait!

There's a surprise hidden in this cake...cookies! Shortbread cookies to be exact. The shortbread is a genius match with this cake as it adds a delicious crunch. It doesn't steal the show away from the chocolate, rather it compliments it with its buttery taste and crumbly texture. And if you want/need to make this a gluten free cake, simply omit the shortbread (or replace it with a gluten free alternative). It's a win-win for everybody!

Dawn (and Sallys) Chocolate Cake

5 eggs
10 oz sugar
12 oz 70% dark chocolate (use the good stuff, the chocolate plays the staring role in this cake!)
8 oz butter
4 oz crushed shortbread biscuits

- In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until doubled in volume (use the whisk attachment on your electric mixture if you don't have arms of steel).

- In a heat proof bowl melt the dark chocolate and butter together over a pan of simmering hot water (Alternatively, heat in a microwave on short 30 second bursts until melted, stir after each 30 seconds to combine)

- Pour the melted butter and chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk together. Fold in the crushed shortbread.

- Pour into a lined 8" or 9" tin lined with parchment paper (circle is my preference, but if you only have square that will work too!)

- Bake in a hot oven at 180*C for 30-40 minutes, until the top starts to crack. Cool in the pan.

This cake keeps very well, but I doubt it'll be given the chance!

ps - If you omit the shortbread this cake is gluten and nut free - bonus!

pps - you will need to hide this cake from yourself...give it away to friends so a) they will love you more and b) you don't eat the whole cake in one sitting.

You're welcome.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Glasgow, Scotland

Last week we took a long weekend trip up to Scotland. This was another Brian planned trip, so as usual, I didn't know any of the details. All I knew was that we were flying to Glasgow where we would spend the day, and then our friends would meet us in the afternoon and we would drive a couple of hours to our final destination. More on that bit of the trip to come, but first I wanted to share with you the time we spent in Glasgow.

I have to admit, I had absolutely no expectations for Glasgow. It's not that I thought ill of the small city, I just didn't know anything about it. I can happily say that I was pleasantly surprised by this charming city on the river. There are numerous ways to spend your time - shopping, museums, exhibits, churches...the list goes on and on.

We arrived very unprepared. I hadn't done any research or read any books before landing. We grabbed a map from the rent-a-car desk and made our way in to the center of town. After a quick caffeine boost we decided that we would wander over to the Necropolis. Actually, we thought we were headed someplace else, but when we finally rolled up to the Glasgow Cathedral and wandered over the bridge, I realized that we were not in Kansas anymore.

Err. Right, you know what I mean.

The Necropolis is one of the oldest burial grounds in the UK, and one of the most significant in all of Europe. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year, who come to visit the 50,000 tombs and wander the hilly grounds. The cemetery opened in 1833 as a non-denominational burial ground and contains the tombs and graves of some of the most important Glaswegian (yeah I had to look that up) members of society during the Victorian era.

The path from the bridge meanders and wanders over the hills up to the highest point which over looks the Glasgow Cathedral. There are some amazing tombs, gravestones and sculptures and you could spend hours researching and learning about the people who rest here.

After a quick peek inside the Cathedral we were feeling the effects of waking up at 4am and our tummys were rumbling. A quick twitter Q&A with Traveller magazine and we were on our way to one of Glasgow's favorite restaurants - Cafe Gandolfi.

Cafe Gandolfi has been around for decades and continues to be one of the most recommended, well known restaurants in Glasgow. And for good reason! The traditional Scottish dishes, laid back vibe and friendly staff make it hard not to like this place. Even though we steered clear of traditional Scottish dishes for lunch (haggis and black pudding are not really our thing...shocking, right?) we both devoured our meals. A pint of local, Scottish brew and a kick-butt lemon tart later and we were feelin' the love for this charming local favorite. Not to mention that the tables and chairs were some of the coolest I've seen in a long while. Made of thick, heavy wood and polished to give it a healthy, worn look (which might have occurred naturally after 30+ years on the scene!) we couldn't stop staring at them and commenting on how rad they were.

Before we knew it our day in Glasgow was over. We had to head back to the airport to pick up our friends. Then we were heading Northwest into the Scottish Highlands!

Like what you see?