Here we go… my cooking adventures for the season have begun!
And Sutherland is no bad place to start. Admittedly it is some distance from Dumfries and Galloway but when it comes to dramatic scenery, wildlife and stunning surroundings it doesn’t get much better.
Sutherland is one of those places that sees all the seasons in one day, even in May, hail wind rain and glorious sunshine within a few hours is not surprising and has lead to a couple of near drownings as I’ve set off on a sunny afternoon to capture some deer on camera and come back almost too drenched to stand!
But obviously the main focus, as always, has been on the food and it’s been an interesting week. Often I end up cooking roast dinners every night, partly because it’s a crowd pleaser and partly because it make it easy to make up sandwiches the next day. This week’s been a little bit more inspiringly foodie though and I’ve cooked a few things that wouldn’t usually make the cut.
Highlights for me; langoustines, definitely. I drove to somewhere on the outskirts of Lairg to pick up a box of the little blighters, and then drove all the way back to the lodge with them scrabbling to get out. There’s something very special about being in the kind of place where you can’t find some pretty basic ingredients because the local supermarket is so small but at the same time you are able to source the most fabulous local produce by going directly to the producers. As much as it’s so convenient to have everything under one roof, you never quite get it as good as when you actually meet the people that caught, farmed or produced it. 
Another highlight was definitely the cheese cake. I usually make a baked cheesecake, but this time I instead made a set one and used (Connage) crowdie cheese. It was really very nice, much lighter that the recipe I usually use.
Next week I’m in Kinloch Laggan, so fingers crossed for more good food stories and nice lodge views….
Letters From A Lodge Cook 