Black Bun

I have made a couple of black buns, which are in the oven as I type this. I have made at least one of these traditional Scottish cakes every year since the early 70s. They are eaten in Scotland at New Year, and contain lots of whisky! Originally I made one each year for my parents (specifically for my father, who supplied the whisky, as we couldn't afford it then). I seem to have continued making them since.

I use the recipe in the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book I got as a wedding present.
I don't follow it exactly, but hey!

I made the pastry and Pete weighed out the dry ingredients last night, as it takes a while to actually cook. 

Heres the method - should enlarge if you click on it.

Dry ingredients for both buns

Wet ingredients - whisky, egg and milk

everything ready to go... cake tins oiled and floured, and wrapped in newspaper

line the tin,

mix all the ingredients,

cake mix into the pastry,

fold the spare pastry in,

egg for glue...

cut out decoration - I always do the same thing - a thistle. Not very imaginative, but I like the way the leaves tesselate with the flowerhead - all comes out in (nearly) one piece!

put on lid,

prick over the top with a fork, decorate...

more egg to glaze, then put in the oven for AGES. I usually cover the top fairly soon with folded newspaper to stop the pastry burning too much.

installing a woodburning stove in the gîte

Why is Pete busy cutting holes in the lovely smooth floor of the gîte upstairs?

He is searching for a section of underlying wall, upon which we will build a chimney, to work with the new woodburning stove. At last an effective way of heating the gîte, though the cost of the chimney will be almost double that of the stove - ho hum...

Watch this space for updates, and I hope the chimney blocks are delivered in time for us to find a window of fine enough weather to finish the whole of the chimney, exterior as well as interior!

désarmement du grand léjon 7th Nov 2009

 

 

Went up to St Brieuc to help with the désarmement of le Grand Léjon. Everything movable was taken off the boat and stored in a lock-up just off the quayside. Then out comes the paper tablecloth, the aperitifs and the nuts & crisps!  We all went off for lunch afterwards, which gave my hands a chance to thaw out, having washed down the bunk mattresses in cold water (the water actually felt warmer than my hands). 

porch door, sloe gin & Stumpy the cat.

Porch door (nearly finished) 23rd October 2009. Top half not yet oiled, and no lock fitted yet. But it keeps out the wind.

Sloe gin on the go. Started 3rd Nov 2009. Should be ready by Christmas!

plus lots of empty bottles to be refilled when the gin has sufficiently steeped.

 

 

Meet Stumpy the cat, the only one of Ma's latest litter who is brave enough to venture into the house. Stumpy because he only has half a tail, but very beautiful for all that! Most of Ma's kittens have a genetic problem with their tails - usually a kink, but Stumpy missed out on a few extra bones.

18th Oct. Pete's first Grand Léjon Trip

It was freezing early on, couldn't get warm even with many layers. Thierry steering.

Warmed up eventually - piles of coats on the hatch-cover!

Once again, no wind to speak of. Nice day, though.

Pete enjoying the day.

on the way back into port in the evening. Another great day out.

friend's sheep coming to stay here to be 'tupped' 13th oct 2009

Said sheep not too keen on being caught.   Lambs due mid-March 2010 if Shaun does his job promptly.

Jane's first trip out on Le Grand Léjon. 4 Oct 2009

My first trip on Le Grand Léjon - Pete was in the UK visiting his mum.  We set off at 8 am - still dark!

Leaving the Port de Légué, the motorway viaduct visible behind us.

 

approaching the lock

& the lock gates closing behind us.

 

Oce out of the harbour, starting to hoist sail. This is the 'taillevent' or mainsail. The hunier is on the deck to the right - this goes above the mainsail.

Not much wind for sailing!

hoisting the 'foc', or jib.

The view to stern.

This is the small foc. There is a bigger one, but not used today.

The bay where we stopped for lunch.

Then a post-lunch snooze

Before hoisting sail and setting off home. This is the 'Misaine' or mizzen.

Just messing about in boats....

Bit of deck-washing. I took refuge up front, as there was lots of cold water being splashed about.

 

We got back about 7.30 pm, having spent all day cruising - I really don't know where the time went, and we really did nothing! What a lovely way to spend a day.