Tagged “summer”

I’ve reached the halfway point of short summer working weeks and long weekends, and they’ve been great so far. I began this long weekend with lunch at the Broadcroft Hotel in Kirkintilloch for my parents’ emerald anniversary. My Uncle Liam was there too and we all really enjoyed it.

I had panko breaded Stornoway black pudding with apricot & plum chutney to start, followed by fish pie, then a coffee to finish. In the words of Larry David it was all pretty, pretty good. It’s also pretty, pretty impressive that my folks have been married fifty-five years. My mum was delighted to find a specific Emerald Anniversary card to give Dad, which contained some amusing words about their steadfast love!

Saturday was even more of a food-fest. After a blissful long walk at Pollok Park with Rudy where we spotted a baby highland cow, I met Clair for breakfast at Outlier. The food was nice (I had scrambled eggs on toast with trout) although there was a reassuringly long wait for it. (To be fair, they were mobbed when I arrived). Have to also mention: their cakes are banging!

Later, I visited Martin and Izzie where Paul and Rita were visiting with their lovely twin baby boys Liam and Jack. The hosts treated us to some french delights – saucisson, cheese, brioche, lentils, lovely bread – and the assembled friends enjoyed a good natter about life, work and travels.

Kiro Tempura have returned to our area as a popup and later on Saturday night Clair and I paid a visit. We had a tempura set of hake, mackerel, prawn, sweet potato, pumpkin, greenbeans and sweetcorn and it was delicious. Hope it goes well for those guys – the food was ace and the service friendly.

For James’s 40th, Clair bought him the gift of some vouchers for the “wild cooking” and dining experience at Wild Kabn Kitchen, Ardkinglas Estate, Cairndow near Loch Fyne. The idea was that we two, James and Grant would go but with Grant looking after a recovering Toby, Toad stepped in.

I didn’t know much about Wild Kabn in advance and wasn’t prepared for how off the beaten track it was! From Glasgow you head out beyond the Rest and be Thankful and Arrochar toward Loch Fyne but toward the end of the journey you’re driving along the world’s narrowest wee track and beating your way through tree branches, which all adds to the excitement.

We were having the Sunday lunch by fire and, since it was a beautiful afternoon, we sat outside the greenhouse, right in the middle of the woodlands and with mountains in the background. We were at a trestle table beside two other couples and enjoyed chatting.

All three courses were fantastic but the venison was stunning.

Afterwards we had a lovely walk around the estate and onto the beach at the loch.