Lauren Gemmell

Food, Fitness, and Technology

Tag: scotland

Books set in or about Orkney

Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

I recently read a book about Orkney called Orkney Twilight (then its follow ups The Salt March and The Dark Isle). I loved the books, but what I loved even more is the location, the remoteness, the history, and the life.

Purely because of these books I am now planning a trip to Orkney (hopefully later this summer) with both Matt and Whisky; it’ll be a first time in Orkney for all of us.

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Scotch Pancake

The traditional pancakes for Pancake Day, I guess, are usually the huge American style pancakes or the thin French crepe. The humble Scotch pancake (or drop scone) is often over looked, but is super simple, quick and just as tasty as its counterparts.

Scotch Pancakes with Jam

Unfortunately they are just as quick to eat!

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Raspberry and Whisky Trifle

There is an inherent difference between men and women, or at least between Matt and I. I want fuss and time and effort, Matt wants anything for the easy life – the less stress version.

This is most obvious by looking at what I made each of us for a birthday cake. I wanted a stunning three layer brightly coloured cake, lots of time, lots of effort, lots of stress and essentially (in this case) disappointment.

Raspberry and Whisky Trifle

Matt however wanted… nothing, he wouldn’t be drawn on what he wanted at all as his birthday cake this year. For a while I thought about making a lemon torte, but I have tried umpteen different recipes and none of them worked, none of them were really even tasty. In the end I gave in to what he wanted which was the least stress option.

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Neeps and Tatties for Burns Night

Today is Burns Day (the 25th of January) and all over the world people will be going to Burn’s Suppers, eating traditional Scots food and toasting Scotland’s National Poet.

Burn’s Suppers are famous for The Haggis. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have eaten Haggis – it may be traditional Scottish food, but I have fairly successfully have managed to avoid it for the past 25 years. To me it just doesn’t sound very appealing.

However there are other parts of the traditional Burn’s supper I want to partake of (and no not just the Whisky).

Neeps and Tatties (Mashed Turnip and Potatoes)

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St Andrew's Day

The 30th of November is St Andrew’s day, which is the National Day of Scotland. I had lots of grand plans of what I could post, different Scottish inspired cakes, main courses, at one point I was even planning a whole menu. Alas I ran out of time, so instead I have picked some of my favourite pictures of Scotland from the past year to show to you.

Earlier this year I went up on my first trip to the north of Scotland, where we spent 5 days in and around Banffshire. The weather was beautiful and some of the bluest skies I had ever seen.

Our footprints in the sand
Walking along the beach, taking photos of our footprints in the sand.

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