Well people, it is finally here. My dream, my joy, my very first book, Scotland: Celebrations & Soul Food. This is my around the calendar, around the country tour of Scotland’s unique celebrations, complete with history, photographs and of course recipes to give you the full flavour of each event. For those of you who […]
Feb 15, 2015 | 0 comments | View Post
To continue on the theme of “My Fabulously Talented Neighbours”, I am pleased to introduce you to the lovely Vicky Gangel of The Glass Angel jewelry and home accessories. A busy mum and local artisan, Vicky creates a wide variety of glass objects from fusing her work in a kiln from home. Although she had […]
Sep 30, 2011 | 3 comments | View Post
Suffice to say that my heart has run the gamut of Olympic level emotion this past week. I had the incredible honour of attending my niece Allie and her new husband Calvin’s wedding in Vermont. I love all weddings but this one, in particular, was extra fun as almost half of our immense family was […]
The part of the Finland that we visited was in Kaaresuvanto, which is in a narrow northern arm of the country that borders both Sweden and the coast of Norway. In fact the ‘town’ spans a river into Sweden where it name changes to Karesuando (famed for knives apparently). Any way you slice it, it’s […]
Well people, it is finally here. My dream, my joy, my very first book, Scotland: Celebrations & Soul Food. This is my around the calendar, around the country tour of Scotland’s unique celebrations, complete with history, photographs and of course recipes to give you the full flavour of each event. For those of you who […]
Feb 15, 2015 | 0 comments | View Post
Apologies to all for the lateness of this post, but there have been big doings here in Jeantopia of which explanations will follow soon. Additionally, a very important bit of information in viewing these images is that I have very wonky ankles. May seem random information I know, but it does have relevance I promise. […]
Synchronicity is an amazing thing. Like most people, these past few months have had their fair share of ups and downs, but one of the most unexpected positive developments has been that we have been learning Norwegian. Competitively. Against each other…like you do. LOCKDOWN It all started when we noticed my daughter was losing interest […]
Sep 04, 2020 | 2 comments | View Post
The part of the Finland that we visited was in Kaaresuvanto, which is in a narrow northern arm of the country that borders both Sweden and the coast of Norway. In fact the ‘town’ spans a river into Sweden where it name changes to Karesuando (famed for knives apparently). Any way you slice it, it’s […]
Synchronicity is an amazing thing. Like most people, these past few months have had their fair share of ups and downs, but one of the most unexpected positive developments has been that we have been learning Norwegian. Competitively. Against each other…like you do. LOCKDOWN It all started when we noticed my daughter was losing interest […]
Sep 04, 2020 | 2 comments | View Post
Today, my heart is so heavy I am tempted to hide away and let the horror of this past week’s events wash over me. But as I lay in bed scrolling through the recent headlines, I have my young son snuggled up next to me and I know that isn’t an option. Not for me, not […]
Oct 28, 2018 | 0 comments | View Post
For anyone out there still clinging to the false notion that you need to be in an urban hub to enjoy great food, culture or year round activity, I am so pleased to introduce you to the ever-expanding Muddy Boots Farm Shop. Although the Samson family has been farming right here in the wee village of Balmalcolm outside Cupar […]
Jul 09, 2011 | 2 comments | View Post
One of the most delicious surprises in the national resources of Scotland is the lovely langoustine. The nephrops norvegicus is member of the lobster family but are only 8-10 centimeters (or 3 to 6 inches) in length and are also known as Norway lobster, scampi and sometimes even Dublin Bay prawns, which is very confusing as prawns usually mean teeny briny shrimp. Anyhoo, they are […]
Jul 04, 2011 | 2 comments | View Post
As summer approaches and the school year draws to a close ( yes, we are still in school), many towns and villages prepare for their summer festivals or Gala Days. The activities, dates and traditions vary regionally throughout Scotland, but almost everywhere has a local summer party that can last a day or up to a […]
Jun 30, 2011 | 9 comments | View Post
Who would have thought that such a neat little piece of kit that cost just £35 ($50) could so totally transform what is possible and practical to photograph! Who’d a thunk? I have really been struggling to get an even passable photographic representation of some of the recipes I have been cooking up as of late. […]
Jun 29, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post
Continuing my Farm Shop Survey I thought I would mosey along to the highly recommended Pillars of Hercules, set in Falkland, Cupar. The Pillars of Hercules started as an organic farm in 1983 by Bruce Bennett, and the site has grown to just over 6 hectares (about 12 football pitches/fields) to include a cafe, camping sites and of […]
In the effort to coax my three-year old along to aid in my eclectic “To Do” for this blog, I try to entice him that we are ‘going on an adventure’. While for me it often is just that, for him it is often long car journeys interspersed with visits to sites where good behaviour is paramount. He […]
Whether you pronounce it Carr-niggy (like the Yanks) or Carn-egg-ghee (with equal accent on all three syllables as it is locally) most people know at least a little bit about Andrew Carnegie, Dunfermline’s “Most Famous Son”. What may not be as well-known is how connected he stayed to his local roots and how his generosity still contributes […]
At any given time there is usually a pretty impressive list things of which I am desirous. The vast majority of which is food, kitchen and entertaining related must have’s, that exist on a scale of mild craving to white-hot, keep-you-up-at-night blind yearning. As with most people with small kids and ever rising food and power […]
Jun 15, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post
Many of my friends live quite some distance due to the fact that we all met in Edinburgh and then dispersed to our husband’s various home turfs after the kids arrived. This means that to see each other, we often split the travel (as gas is currently an eye-watering $10/gallon) and agree to meet somewhere central, which is usually a Farm […]
Jun 15, 2011 | 2 comments | View Post
OK, I realise that you can not have a blog in any way related to Scotland without addressing the weather. Scenes from My Daily Commute in Big Sky Country Here is the deal, in truth – it is not that bad. Scots seem to take their less than stellar weather very personally and I think that it […]
A Brief Introduction to My Dreams Come True My Ladybug is an amazing combination of Snow White looks and Wednesday Addams world perspective. She chose to dress up as Boudicca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica for World Book Day at school. She also runs a booming Rock Shop from our home most days after school – even in near hurricane […]
When we left Edinburgh city centre for our current location, I was veeeeerrrryyy pregnant with my second child and we were simply looking for more space at a reasonable price. What we have found since our move is that Dunfermline ROCKS!!! For instance, look who is buried practically in my backyard – Robert the Bruce, King of […]
While we are very happy right where we are with good friends, good schools and the Mother-ship of all Tesco on our doorstep, we find ourselves winding down one five-year plan and cooking up another one. Skye Homes Kit House The basic idea is to move a bit more into the country, not too far just enough to be able […]
May 15, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post
If you are looking for a great read, a bit of inspiration and a fresh take on you and your feet – than this is the book for you! Whilst this has nothing to do with Scotland per se, it is my favourite read of the past year. Whether you are an avid runner, a […]
As springtime finally comes to Scotland in the form of the flowering of the Hawthorn (or May) flowers, those in the know start getting ready for an all night party known as Beltane. One of the ancient Celtic fire festivals, Beltane is a time of clearing out the cobwebs, asking for blessings of the growing […]
May 15, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post
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