Political potatoes

Spring is springing

With the snowdrops, narcissus and crocus flowers providing banks of white and of colour, the new gardening and growing season is soon soon to start and so it is also time to revive this blogspot, says Sharon.

“I'm looking forward to getting cracking, even though I've got about the smallest garden in the world I've got great plans,” says Sharon.

A visit to a garden centre at the weekend saw row after row of seed potatoes on offer. In a tiny garden there isn't a lot of room for a potato field but Sharon's sister, Deborah, has kindly given her a plastic/fabric bag which is specially designed to grow potatoes. The idea is that you put a bit of soil on the bottom, add half a dozen seed potatoes and when the shoots grow through, add more soil. Carry on like this until the top of the bag is reached.

Apparently, it's best to plant potatoes in this area in April, when the threat of frosts has receded. But the potatoes are on sale now at the start of March, so they will have to be put away for a month or so. This will let the little shoots develop.

A bewildering display of potato varieties was on offer at the garden centre. We chose two types, with political connections – Gladstone and Lord Rosebery. Gladstone was the distinguished Victorian Prime Minister and Lord Rosebery took over from him when he retired in 1894. However, Rosebery didn't seem to enjoy being PM very much and he resigned in June 1895.

Rosebery came from a distinguished Scottish background and went to Eton and Oxford. At Christ Church he bought a racehorse and was told that undergraduates were not allowed to do this. He was offered the choice of giving up the horse or his studies and so gave up the latter. He had thee ambitions, to become Prime Minister, marry an heiress and win the Derby. He achieved all three, marrying the greatest heiress in Britain, Hannah, the only child of Baron Meyer de Rothschild. He won the Derby three times. Rosebery owned 12 homes, including the magnificent Dalmeny estate, near Edinburgh, which he used for political house parties.

One source says that not much is known about the Rosebery Potato but it is believed to have been grown at Dalmeny. It is a heritage variety and is said to be well suited for boiling, mashing and roasting. The Gladstone Potato was “first listed” in 1930, although it was thought to be the most popular variety in Ireland. It is a “creamy-fleshed potato with a great floury texture.”

Fine fish and chips

With the uncertain weather of early autumn, and recent days of wind and rain, when the sun shines it's time to get out and about before winter really sets in.

Yesterday, Sharon visited Kirkudbright. Though most famous as an artists' town, with many famous artists having lived, and living, there, the little port is also a great place for good food. Down by the harbour you can find the Portabites fish and chip shop and there is a great menu of fish and seafood landed by the fishing boats that are tied up only a few feet away in the harbour.

The waters of the Solway Firth are a great place for scallops but, sadly, most of those harvested are immediately sent to the gourmets of Spain and France. But at Portabites they are an important part of the menu. On offer are King scallops in a lightly curried cream sauce and Queen scallops in white wine and cream. Also amongst the seafood choices are mussels simmered in tomato garlic and wine and a big seafood platter served with oatcakes.

Lovers of fish and chips will be delighted to find that there are haddock, cod, whiting, lemon, sole and plaice, to eat with the lovely fresh fried potato chips. A notice gives encouragement to those thinking of healthy eating. We learn that the average portion of fish and chips has fewer calories and at least half the fat of a cheese and tomato pizza; the average serving of chips contains more than double the amount of fibre found in an average serving of brown rice or a bowl of porridge; an average serving of fish and chips has only half the trans-fat found in a typical burger and fries; fish and chips has no added salt – other fast foods can contain up to three times the daily recommended allowance of 6g of salt.

The wheelchair pusher immediately ordered haddock and chips, with mushy peas. Sharon, went for the smoked haddock fish cakes, with new potatoes and salad. Both were delicious.

Next to the cafe is the shop which sells fresh seafood and fish. There were stuffed crabs, whole fish, mussels, oysters, kippers and a whole range of beautifully prepared fillets of fish. There are also tempting vegetables on sale and we picked up half a pound of fresh red chillies.

Definitely a place to return to. Portabites fish and chip shop, Harbour Square, Kirkudbright, DG6 4HY. Telephone 01 557 339 050. Robert and Margeret Maxwell, proprietors.

While in Kirkudbright, be sure to visit the wonderful Stewartry Museum in an old Victorian building in St Mary Street. Check opening hours by telephoning 01557 331 643. Admission is free. For more information on Kirkudbright see www.kirkudbright.co.uk.

Locals pronounce the name of their town as “Kirkcoobree.” Wonder why?

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Sometimes you have to stop

Not every beautiful day is a sunny day. This picture was taken on the west side of Wigtown Bay on a blustery day when the wind was strong and blowing up white horses on the sea. There were spatters of rain on the car windscreen and the leaves on the trees were being blown about by the gusts. We stopped the car and to enjoy the view, which was described to Sharon. Sometimes you just have to stop, life isn't just all rushing everywhere.

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Beautiful blackberries

Today many people think a blackberry is a hand-held communication device reliant on satellites and the Internet.

But the blackberry, or bramble, is a lovely fruit that grows wild at the sides of roads and anywhere else it can get a foothold. With lots of thorns it can be a bit of a pest, but at this time of the year it produces lovely fat juicy berries which sensible cooks are out picking – at the cost of a good few scratches. The berries start out red but then turn a deep purple-black.

We have been making blackberry jam. Here's the recipe:

1kg of ripe blackberries
750g sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Wash the blackberries and pick off any bits of stalk. Include a few red berries to help with setting. Put a layer of blackberries in a dish and scatter with some of the sugar, then another layer, and so on. The next day add the lemon juice and boil/simmer in a pan until the setting point is reached. Pour into clean jars, seal and store. (A good place for jars, lids and other bits of jam making kit is www.lakeland.co.uk).

Fresh blackberries are also delicious if added to apples in making pies and crumbles.

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Herb harvest time

Dead leaves were scattering along the road today and the first breaths of autumn are already here. The herbs are being harvested from the pot plants that Sharon has watched so carefully during the summer. They have added fresh tastes to so many dishes but now is the time to cut and dry for winter. Drying now are parsley, chives, oregano, coriander, mint, rosemary, marjoram and others. No basil as this simply refused to grow on Sharon's patio – what a fussy plant.

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Wallflowers

The amazing ability of beautiful plants to find a foothold anywhere is astonishing. Within the cracks of an old stone wall this lovely yellow plant finds all it needs to flourish.

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China Chilo for high summer

Although the early August weather remains grey and dull, it is still summer and there are lots of local lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers and other tasty things in the markets. Here is a summer recipe for “China Chilo” which comes from an 1847 cookbook.

“Mince a pound of an undressed loin of leg of mutton, with or without a portion of its fat, mix with it two or three young lettuces, shred small, a pint of young peas, a teaspoon-ful of salt, half as much pepper, four tablespoonfuls of water, from two to three ounces of good butter, and a few green onions minced.

“Keep the whole well stirred with a fork, over a clear and gentle fire until it is quite hot, then place it closely covered by the side of the stove, or on a high trevet, that it may stew as softly as possible for a couple of hours.

“One or two half-grown cucumbers, cut small by scoring the ends deeply as they are sliced, or a quarter-pint of minced mushrooms, may be added with good effect; or a dessert spoon-ful of of currie-powder and a large chopped onion. A dish of boiled rice should be sent to the table with it.”

Sharon suggests that this is a dish that draws its inspiration from Asia. In 1847, trade with China was exploding after the founding of Hong Kong seven years earlier. Readers will be familiar today with “stir fry dishes.” Plenty of vegetables are included, as is the case with Chinese stir fry, and the mention of “currie” powder further supports the theory that the recipe was brought back by some old China Hand. However, it is localised and modified to suit British tastes. The dish is cooked slowly rather than quickly stir fried. Southern Chinese people find the smell of lamb and mutton absolutely revolting and have a special word to describe the pong “sui.”

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