We’ll probably be having a quiet Hogmanay this year. We’re not going out ‘first footing’. But if anyone comes to our door after ‘the bells’ – this is the sort of welcome that they’ll be given. Whisky, Irn Bru, cherry cake and shortbread. Maybe not the kilt, that’s just for ceilidhs and weddings. Note the seasonal snowman on the Irn Bru bottle.
Women of my mother’s generation used to cook a huge meal and serve it up about an hour before midnight. Steak pie was the traditional fare, the idea was that if people (men) ate a good meal then they wouldn’t get so drunk and hungover. Women of course didn’t drink anything, well perhaps a very wee sherry at midnight!
I’m hoping that 2011 is going to be a good and peaceful year and things aren’t going to be as horrendous as all the politicians are promising us they will be.
Happy New Year to anyone visiting ‘Pining’ and big hugs and kisses to the lovely people who take the time to leave comments.
If you missed the Irn Bru advert which I posted a few weeks ago you might like to have a look at it now. I shouldn’t need any Irn Bru for hangover purposes as I’ll just be having one wee drinkie, I’m not mad keen on alcohol but I am quite partial to our other national drink.
The advert contains well known Scottish landmarks.
Sláinthe – as they say in the Highlands. It’s pronounced like “flange” only with an “s” instead of “f” at the beginning.
A very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to you and your family, Katrina! My husband has been trying to figure out what whisky you had on offer should he have dropped by!
Joan,
The same good wishes to you and yours from us. I wish we had a transporter as in Star Trek and you could have had some Glenmorangie whisky. There’s not much left in that bottle if you look closely and most of it has been used in cooking – shh – don’t tell the whisky purists! If you click on the photograph it should enlarge but I don’t know if that makes it any easier to figure out the whisky if you don’t know it.
That’s what Jack guessed it was! He loves single malt whisky, especially the peaty ones from Islay. Once, he had quite a collection. I don’t drink whisky, so I can’t keep them all straight, but I know a nice bottle of one of them was his ‘souvenir’ from Edinburg!
Joan,
I have a Jack too! My Jack isn’t much of a whisky drinker, he just likes a pint of heavy or 80/- now and again. I quite like the taste of some whiskies but even a small amount is quite rough on my stomach. I discovered recently when clearing up after Gordon and Laura that a glass which has had Glenmorangie in it smells lovely, like creamy caramel. It’s made in Tain which is north of Invergordon right in the Highlands.
The town that I grew up in distilled J&B and Ballantines and blended lots more fairly ordinary whiskies.
I am in lust with all the goodies you’ve set out, but I think the shortbread wins. Fortunately Canada is full of Scottish grandmas who’ve passed their recipes down to my friends, otherwise I’d have to depend on Walkers.
Happy 2011!
Niranjana,
I sometimes think that places like Canada and New Zealand are more Scottish than Scotland is nowadays. So many people from our home town settled in Canada, we thought about it ourselves in 1978 when my husband was offered a post doc – I think it was in Montreal but the chances of getting a job there afterwards were nil, so we decided against it as we wouldn’t have been allowed to stay. Often wonder what it would have been like though.
I hope 2011 is a great year for you and yours!
I think immigrant communities often take great trouble to preserve tradition. People who live in their “home” countries are often more relaxed, less wary about change.
My husband (before I met him) did his post doc in Montreal. He liked it, but didn’t think of staying in Canada. Of course Fate had other plans 🙂
Niranjana,
Yes, I’ve noticed that amongst immigrant communities here too. It can cause problems for the younger people though because things don’t seem to progress the way they do in the homeland and they end up being quite old-fashioned.
That’s quite a coincidence about your husband – and mine. My husband has a Ph.D in Chemistry but we met when we were young and married after he got his B.Sc from Glasgow Uni.
Hi there,
I work with IRN-BRU and we would like to invite you an exciting launch next week.
Plesae get in touch with your email address and we can formally invite you.
Kind regards,
Kathryn
Kathryn@burtgreener.co.uk