Scots love Scotch Pies

Sharon is not a fan of one of Scotland's national dishes – the Scotch Pie. But, her wheelchair pusher is and the huge dose of calories the pies provide gives the energy for miles of travel.

Scotch pies are a traditional dish found in cafes and chip shops all over the country and traditionally are made with mutton, although some cooks today use beef mince. The lid is dropped a little below the side of the pies, to allow for the addition of gravy or bottled sauce. The meat is encased in hot water crust pastry and baked in the oven. Some connoisseurs apparently prefer them deep fried in the fat in a chip shop. When it is cold and damp, a warm pie is just the job.

The pastry is made with lard, dripping or butter, so masses of saturated fat are essential to the rich flavour. Spoilsports point out that Scotland has one of the world's highest rates of heart disease, which is largely attributed to diet. As Ralph C. Nesbitt has pointed out: “In Scotland we think sausages are a vegetable.”

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Otter Creek

A long time ago Wigtown was noted for its harbour. When sea transport was the only form of transport coastal sailing vessels called carried all sorts of goods, from agricultural products to the essentials of everyday living. In the 19th century the railways came along and the sailing boats were replaced by steam vessels. Then in the 20th century massive investment in roads saw the railways disappear, including Wigtown's line, and the harbour was almost abandoned. Efforts to revive it came to nothing and today the old harbour is primarily visited by bird watchers and people seeking a place for a quiet stroll.

The tidal range in Wigtown Bay is huge and said to be the second-biggest in Britain. When the tide is out mudflats are exposed which attract thousands of birds seeking food. However, there are other residents and if you look closely in the creeks then the footprints of otters can be seen.

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Beautiful bookshop garden

Wigtown is now in full bloom. This is Scotland's book town and Byre Books, down a passage way off the Main Street is well worth a visit, both for its fascinating collection of books and for its garden. The garden is a riot of growth and greenery and the old stones of the book shop are surrounded by all sorts of exuberant plants, happy in the sunshine.

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Cool as a cucumber

Sharon bought a little potted plant at the local gardening centre a month or so ago. It was a baby cucumber. The man said it would produce lovely little sweet cucumbers. With a price tag of only a pound and sitting looking all lonely on its own she bought it. “I felt sorry for it and I have never had a baby cucumber plant before,” she says.

The man said it should be kept inside, as it was rather delicate. After a good drink of water things started to happen. It stood up and two big leaves appeared. Then the stem started to grow fast. After about a week it looked so happy that it was put outside. This was a mistake as, within a couple of hours, the plant was making it very clear that it was not happy, with droopy leaves and a hangdog appearance. So it was quickly brought inside again and put back on its spot on the north-facing window ledge in the kitchen.

That was fine, and within another couple of hours everything was cheerful again. Since then, the stalk has shot up, more and more leaves have appeared, bamboo sticks were tied together to make a bit of a frame and long tendrils started to wind themselves along it for support. The knots and curls they make are fascinating. These tendrils can move inches in a few hours – which is racing along in plant time.

Now yellow flowers have appeared and behind each is a tiny little cucumber – about 15 of them so far. The plant likes lots of water, no doubt it is being used to fill the cucumbers. Sharon watches and waits and is looking forward to lots of dainty little cucumber sandwiches as summer really gets into its stride.

“I am so happy that my first cucumber is such a success,” says Sharon. “Perhaps my fingers are green after all. The little cucumbers will be ideal for our summer salads.”

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Sweet treats for the judges

The highlight of the summer in Wigtown is the Wigtown Show which takes place this year (2010) at Bladnoch Park on August 4. This has been a highlight of the calender for more than 200 years.

Competition is fierce in all the categories and the hard-working judges are rewarded with The Judges' Lunch. In 2000 expert local cooks were persuaded to share some of their favourite recipes in a little cookbook published to mark the millennium. Here are a couple of selections from “Sweet Success” of the “Judges' Lunch” section.

Orange cake (serves 8)

Six beaten eggs
9oz (250g) ground almonds
9oz (250g) caster sugar
One teaspoon of baking powder
Two large oranges, washed, covered with water and boiled for two hours.

Method. Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan oven), 375F, Gas 5. When oranges are cool, halve, remove any pips and chop roughly. Grease and flour an eight-ounce (20.5cm) spring form tin or place a paper cake liner in an eight ounce tin. Put all the ingredients, plus the oranges, into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool the tin. Turn onto serving plate. Serve sliced into wedges.

The author writes: “This cake makes a superb desert served with a ready made dessert sauce and whipped cream. It freezes well. One portion takes five minutes to thaw on defrost then about 12 seconds on full power should you want to eat it slightly warm.”

Rhubarb and spice and all things nice (serves 8)

Ingredients

12oz (350g) rhubarb, cleaned and sliced, fairly small
8oz (225g) plain flour
Half teaspoon of salt
One teaspoon of ground ginger and half a teaspoon of cinnamon
One teaspoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
4oz (100g) light brown sugar
3oz (75g) butter
3oz (75g) syrup and 3oz treacle
One piece of stem ginger, finely chopped
Two tablespoons of marmalade
Quarter of a pint (140ml) of milk
One egg
Icing sugar to dust.

Method. Pre-heat oven to 160C (fan oven 140C) 325F, gas 3. Butter a large, deep ovenproof dish. Put the sugar, butter, treacle and syrup into a pan and melt over low heat. Don't boil. Cool slightly and add stem ginger, marmalade, milk and egg. Sieve dry ingredients and add wet ingredients to give a thick batter. Put half the batter into the dish. Lay on the rhubarb, then cover with the remaining batter. Bake about one and a half hours. Dust with icing sugar. “Try to use small, fine rhubarb for this. Serve with lots of cream.”

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