For our Easter holiday this year, we chose to stay at the Stone Lodge in Doune, a tiny hamlet on the west coast of the Knoydart penninsula, north west Scotland. [Go and get your map out!]
This blog will focus on the food as a little diary of the flavours, care and ingredients involved, making a happy record of our trip. Of course, there are endless stories of the views, the weather, the mountains and the company, but not here. More about Doune, in due course, but first, how did we get there?
Friday 5th April 2013. “Mopped up with a Metro”
Unusually, I am travelling alone at the start of our adventure.
Mr Crumbs is to meet me en route with the first treat of the week. As promised, he delivers and arrives in the railway carriage carrying two tall cups of hot chocolate; but where’s lunch?
Tucked away in his best outdoor coat (this is significant!) are two warm Stanforth’s pork pies. This is a treat. To appreciate these pies, you must know about the butchers; Local legends with an international reputation, this is no ordinary pork pie lunch.Treat yourself to a look at least: Do scroll down on this site! Whilst watching the wonderful Yorkshire Dales scenery pass by, with remnants of snow drifts track side, the pies are keenly devoured, with what’s left of the rich liquor leaking out with every juicy bite, the rest residing in Mr Crumbs’ coat pocket! A spare Metro, appropriated for the purpose, catches any stray bits and pieces!
This is the first time we have ventured on holiday by train and we are fortunate to have such a route close to home. The galleries and timetable for the Settle-Carlisle line here will tempt you further. Just in case, Mrs Crumbs provided some salads, ‘not just any salads, but…’ you get the picture. This is was also a fine opportunity to enjoy some red velvet cupcakes I’d prepared earlier! (one each I hasten to add, not the whole tray!)
Even though they were rather sticky and inelegant to eat, the buns provided the sweet ‘afters’ we needed before sitting back and admiring the changing views. Metro mop up having been abandoned, and Mrs Crumbs having forgotten the pretty paper serviettes for the purpose, there was nothing for it but to lick all fingers carefully to remove all red food colouring too! We managed to save the last bun for the Carlisle to Glasgow journey as ‘afternoon tea’ which was a stretch of the imagination, but showed some restraint of a couple of hours nonetheless.
To be continued at dinner in Glasgow!