I have recieved a gift package from Scottish Highlands ! In fact, I think this package was mailed about the same time that my package (of alpaca mitts and home-made shortbread) was mailed to Kelly , the winner of my little give-away the other week. Our two packages crossed in flight, and I just now have picked myself up off of the floor, being that I was completely bowled over by the generosity from Kelly, in the way of a pile of treats from the Highlands of Bonnie Scotland.
And I do mean a pile .
Some darling wee coasters (already stained with tea rings from my afternoon tea while studying cookbooks ) and postcards, depicting old castles nestled into Scottish landscapes, and most sweetly, two yarn cakes from Kelly’s personal stash, of lovely Hebridean 3-ply yarn in the ‘pebble beach’ colorway.
Oh but wait… as if two cakes of Scottish Hebridean yarn wasn’t plenty on it’s own, there’s more ! Some ‘cakes’ of Scottish soap . . .
and ~~~ Scottish cookbooks !!!!
And right on time, because I’ve been having a real hankerin’ for some Cullen Skink lately !
And just look at these adorable wrapped cakes called ” sair heidies ” !!!
I’ll be trying the recipes in these Scottish cook books, beginning today. I believe me sair heidie is for want of one of these wee wrapped cakes, with my afternoon tea this weekend, perhaps tomorrow, on an Easter Sunday ( I wonder if I can use wool in place of kitchen twine?)
Ah, but the yarn which arrived in this package, well, it got me thinking.
Since now I’m happy owner of a couple of skeins of some Hebridean 3-ply Virtual Yarns in ‘pebble beach’ colorway… (see all those colors? Yes, do click the photo) . . .
. . . perhaps this is a great incentive to swatch for my first Alice Starmore sweater? Since buying her book “Fishermans Sweaters” a couple of years back, I’ve had one on my mind to knit. In particular , since acquiring the book, I’ve dreamed of knitting miles of cables and moss stitch diamonds in deep navy tones in this design , and more recently I’ve pondered the idea of substituting her Hebridean 3ply for her Scottish Fleet yarn in one of the fisherman designs.
However my thoughts have now refined to a more feminine style of ‘fisherman sweater’ style, perhaps an Alice Starmore sweater for myself. I just took a look at her designs for which she uses her Hebridean 3ply yarn, and so now I’ve got my eye on this one~~~
a sweater she calls Scalpay .
((I really do just love shawl collars ))
What do you think?
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Thank you so very much Kelly, for all of the treats from the your Scottish Highlands ~~ they’ve become food for thought, as well as for my tummy ! Maybe the Hebridean 3ply yarn you sent will launch me into a knitting diversion, for I’ve wanted to try for some time, my first Alice Starmore Design. . . just maybe ?
But it’s off to the kitchen for now, because I’ve got a sair heidie thinking about all these knitterly possibilities…. and I’m going to take some pantry inventory and prepare myself for some real Scottish cooking !!! xx !
You are more than welcome hen! I’m just glad they arrived. I was starting to worry! I love the Alice Starmore jumper. You should definitely do that. I’m looking forward to seeing what you make from the cookbooks. I have the spiced apple soap too. I love it, it reminds me of Christmas. With love from me and Cuilean to you and Emma. X
Aw hen, thanks a million. I know it took a while to get here, but it did finally. 🙂 We can all sleep at night now 🙂 I think first I want to make the Cullen Skink (but of course !!!) and definitely those Sair Heidies look just too intriguing, and I must make for an Easter treat tomorrow! Other things from the cookbook which I am listing to make are :
From “A Taste of Scotland” : I want to learn how to make a proper Scotch broth, potato (pan)cakes with Lorn sausage, clam stovies, skirlie, kailkenny, cranachan, drop scones, clootie dumpling & Dundee cake. . .
and from “Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes” : the Fife and Selkirk bannocks, tattie scones, black bun, bramble bake (I seem to remember having something like that at a Burns Supper last year) , cranachan cheesecake, marmalade cake, almond flory, auld alliance appley tart, border tart, whisky marmalade, and from my ancestrial home of Aberdeenshire . . .crulla !
( and maybe share with me beg dug Emma too!!! (especially the Lorn sausage she says…)) 🙂
A lovely parcel to receive. I do think you are an honorary ‘one of us’.
I wholeheartedly agree! 🙂
You LIzzi , and now Kelly, are my very own two Scottish friends , who I have all the faith can bring me up right in the ways of a Scots Woman 🙂
What a great bundle of goodies you have there! Again, I am envious. And a little jealous. I’ve not told you, but my ancestors, my dad’s parents and my mom’s came from Scotland. So that makes me a wee bit Scottish too! And …well enough about me, I think your cooking and baking fantasies have been fulfilled with the cookbooks, a real treasure. Soaps, and the beautiful yarn, all sorts of goodies packed in for you by a good friend. Can’t think of a better surprise. Here’s to you, and your wonderful Scottish friends!
Well hi Martha.. but of course you’d be Scottish ! 🙂 You’re more Scottish than me ! Lets start a wee Scots Cooking club here in the comments… 🙂 . I think I’ll try Cullen Skink next week. How about you? 🙂