Home Sweet Home

Is there somewhere in your heart that you think of as home? Maybe you've lived in the same place your whole life, or maybe you haven't found that place yet. I spent my childhood in the Scottish Highlands on the east coast. I look back at this time of my life as idyllic and magical, and Scotland haunts me and wills me to return.
I grew up surrounded by golden sandy beaches, rolling hills, and a rugged landscape steeped in history. I saw seals basking in the sun and schools of dolphins regularly as I collected shells on the beach, and I visited castles and museums that filled my head with wonder.
I miss the céilidhs, the hardy Highland cattle and of course the food; shortbread biscuits, broths, and fresh fish.
It's strange as I haven't lived in Scotland now for 18 years, though I try to return and visit as often as I can. I live in London which is exciting and jam-packed with amazing galleries, historical buildings, eateries and gigs, but my heart still belongs in Bonnie Scotland. I yearn to wake up in my own cottage and look out of the window to see purple mountains and a sea loch, deer grazing and buzzards swooping over.
I've even taken to reading Scottish books that I read as a child and still cherish dearly. The Boy with the Bronze Axe is set in the ancient Stone Age village of Skara Brae on the island of Orkney. This is a vivd adventure set almost 3,000 years ago.
The Desperate Journey follows a family in Scotland during the Highland Clearances as they are forced to emmigrate to Canada to make a new life.

I love the old folklore and mythology from Scotland, the ghost stories and the tragic history. The mysterious secrets of Loch Ness and the unspoilt beauty of the land. Hopefully, one day I'll return for good.

Lavender Shortbread

I have a few confessions to make. Firstly, I adore shortbread. I grew up in Scotland and to this day absolutely adore Scottish food. Secondly, I love lavender. I love the smell of it (I used to live in a house with a garden full of it) and ever since trying lavender cheese at a cheese-tasting evening I really like lavender used in food. Lastly, and this may not be healthy, but I am attracted to food that is unnaturally coloured; if something is blue, I'll eat it!

I stumbled across this recipe for lavender shortbread and it is perfect (and purple - one of my favourite colours). I found the recipe here http://www.objetivocupcake.com/2011/03/como-usar-un-molde-de-shortbread-sin.html but as it's in Spanish, I've put it below.

250g butter (I use a soya spread)

75g sugar

1tbs water

300g flour

100g rice flour

2tbs edible lavender, chopped finely

2tbs brown sugar

purple colouring

Preheat oven to 160

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the water, sifted flour and lavender. Add the colouring - you'll only need a tiny bit.

Mix well. Knead on a floured surface and then roll out using a rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes and place on a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the remainder of the lavender and the brown sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes and then transfer onto a rack to cool.

Another recipe can be found here. This one doesn't use colouring and adds lemon and mint flavours. Yum! http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/6993/lavender-shortbread-biscuits.aspx