Up next was a week long
trip to Kelso cooking for a fishing party – and a pretty expert one at that, if
the number of salmon caught were anything to go by. Poached salmon galore!
(cooked, not stolen) and cheerfully the nearby Ednam House Hotel runs a little
smokery and lets fruitful fishers of the Tweed bring their bounty along to be
cold smoked. A very brilliant way to deal with extravagant gluts of spanking
fresh salmon. I was a regular visitor by the end of the week and would smile as
I crossed the market place with 8 pounders (or so) slung over my shoulder, dangling
fattly down my back, as no one ever looked twice. Obviously a common sight in
Kelso.
Happily, once the
exceptionally committed team had left early in the morning with their rolls,
Tunnock bars and Krug (the quantities of which ascended in that order), I had
quite a lot of time on my hands to investigate the Borders. The countryside
that spreads out either side along the Tweed is seriously stunning and castles
(both ruined and very not ruined) were almost more prolific than salmon (I
think). I managed to see one nearly
everyday, but the best and most breathtaking was Fast Castle – a long since
ruined fort perilously perched on a sea stack - and all the more special since
it’s not signposted at all (I noticed it on an OS map) and to reach it is quite
a steep hike along the cliff edge. It felt pretty hairy, and possibly silly, to
cross to in wet and windy weather, but curiosity got the better of me and I’m
glad that it did; there was a little shingle cove far below dotted with fluffy
white specks, like basmati; seal pups!
On a
finger-snappingly cold day I met with a friend who lives in the Borders (and
lives to fish) for a riverside picnic and a quick go in the bank bursting water
myself. Not a bite. We all left empty handed but with tummies full of treacle
tart. I have to say I wasn’t glum; that first proper proper wintry day made for
spectacular river bank beauty and I’d rather seen enough salmon for one week.
Then back south
(lor, I feel like a yoyo) for a weekend in my old stamping ground, Gloucestershire. It’s lovely to be back for a traditional shoot weekend and the
same old soufflés, chocolate fondants and the general 70’s style eating they
love, and is so jolly to cook.