April At Glamis

And we’re off!

We hit the ground running on the 1st April with the “Friends of Glamis” Open Day. Castle Administrator David Broadfoot welcomed the Friends and introduced Charles Maclean who gave an excellent presentation on whisky tasting; a subject I have to say is very dear to my own heart. Everyone agreed that the presentation was first class; the added attraction of a wee dram helping to counter the effects of the damp, blustery day.

Since then it has been non-stop at the castle, the first coaches of the season rolling in that weekend. Our new guides have settled in very well, they quickly flew solo becoming a welcome addition to the staff. The shop is full to bursting with fabulous items to suit any pocket. Early indications are that we are to have a very busy year.

As we rapidly approach the end of April, preparations for our Wedding Exhibition are in full swing. A few weeks ago we received some fantastic news; a bit of a dream come true, as we are to have the Queen Mother’s wedding dress for our exhibition. This is the dress Elizabeth Bowes Lyon wore as she walked down the aisle in 1923 to become the Duchess of York. On loan from the Royal Collection, it will take pride of place amongst other exhibitions that include a bridesmaid’s dress from the same wedding, a replica of the beautiful eighteenth century wedding dress worn by Mary Eleanor Bowes (the originator of the “Bowes” half of the Bowes Lyon name) and various photographs and documents relating to family weddings. It promises to be an exciting exhibition and one not to be missed.

The Exhibition begins on Royal Wedding Day, April 29th, when we have several television screens on site that will broadcast the event. Visitors in our restaurant can take in the atmosphere of the wedding over a traditional afternoon tea that includes cucumber sandwiches, scones and jam.

But before that comes Easter, the first Bank Holiday of the season. A late Easter brings with it warmer weather weather so that visitors can take in the beauty of the Italian Gardens, wander through the pinetum, marvel at the daffodils, meandering along the River Dean prior to partaking of the seasonal Simnel Cake and other temptations from the restaurant.

To tempt you further I will am including the recipe for the Simnel Cake that will be on offer here.

GLAMIS CASTLE RECIPE FOR APRIL

SIMNEL CAKE

A traditional cake for the Easter period, it was also a Mothering Sunday treat. There are a couple of explanations for the name. One legend has it that the cake was named for Lambert Simnel. In 1487, at the age of 10, Simnel was a pretender to the English throne when he was presented as the Duke of York, the younger of the two princes murdered in the Tower of London during the reign of King Edward the IV. A more probable explanation however is that the cake, which is of medieval origin, takes its name from the Latin word “simila” meaning the fine, wheaten flour from which the cake was made.

INGREDIENTS:

500g. (1lb.)white almond paste

175g. (6 oz.) butter or margarine

175g. (6 oz.) soft brown sugar

3 free range eggs, beaten

175g. (6 oz.) plain flour

Pinch of salt

½ tsp. ground mixed spice (optional)

350g. (12 oz.) raisins, currants and sultanas

55g. (2oz.) chopped mixed peel

½ (lemon-grated zest only)

1-2 tsp apricot jam

1 egg for glazing

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 140°C/275°F/gas mark1. Grease and line a spring base 7” (18cm) cake tin.

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time until well incorporated.

2. Add the mixed fruit, peel, lemon zest and stir. Add the flour, mix well.

3. Put ½ the mixture into the greased tin. Using ⅓ of the almond paste roll into a circle shape to fit the top of the mixture then put the remainder of the cake mixture on top. Level the top of the mixture with a pallet knife or similar.

4. Bake for 1¾ hours. Test with a cake skewer. The cake is done if the skewer comes out clean and dry. Set aside on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before turning out.

5. While the cake is cooling, roll another circle of almond paste for the top of the cake. Stick this on top of the cake using warmed apricot jam. With the remainder of the almond paste make 11 balls and stick them round the top edge of the cake. This represents 11 of the 12 apostles of Christ, omitting Judas. A 12^th can be put in the centre of the cake to represent Christ.

6. Place the cake on a tray, dust lightly with icing sugar and using a cook’s blow torch, caramelise carefully.

Historic Wedding Exhibition

An 18thC reproduction wedding dress was personally delivered to Glamis Castle by the designer Jerri Charlton. The dress will form part of the Historic Wedding Exhibiton at Glamis to begin on 29th April.

Daffodil Photographic Competition

Win two tickets to Glamis Castle in our daffodil photographic competition. Flowers are in full glory now. Upload images to http://www.flickr.com/groups/1688899@N22/ Will announce winner on Facebook and Twitter 15th May.

Expo Scotland

Heading up to Aberdeen tomorrow for EXPO trade show with Blair Castle and Scone Palace. Visit us on stand F7

Wander as lonely as a cloud - we have a host of golden daffodils at Glamis.

We re-opened on Saturday for 2011 and spring is a great time to visit - we look forward to seeing you.

Recipe of the Month - Heart shaped shortbread

Makes approximately 30 biscuits. Just as well as they never last very long around here.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. unsalted butter
1 lb. plain flour
12 oz. icing sugar
8 oz. cornflour

METHOD:

1. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until soft but not too soft.
2. Add the flours and beat together for 2-3 minutes.

3. Knead together and roll out thickness required. Cut out using heart shaped cutter, prick with a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes. Do not let allow to brown; the shortbread should be white in colour.

4. Remove from oven and dust with caster sugar. Remove from the tray after 2 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

TOP TIP: Shortbread benefits from cold hands and shouldn’t be handled too much. Otherwise the dough becomes too sticky.

March at Glamis

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I look forward to the lamb bit, the lion is certainly roaring around at the moment. A week ago I would have said that spring was here but the weather has turned cold once more and we have had a flurry or two of snow.

Luckily it doesn’t lie on the ground but any thought I had of turning off my central heating is put on hold for the present. I am told not to expect to turn the heating off till the end of April so at least I look forward to that.

So here it is, March at last, and despite the cold weather, we are moving towards our seasonal opening on the 2nd April. The staff welcome day takes place on March 25th, the day that the seasonal staff return to be updated with events and occurrences over the last couple of months. I have been lucky enough to be here over the winter but the majority of staff don’t work here during the closed season.

We welcome all new members of staff; guides and otherwise who are joining us for what looks to be a very busy 2011. The 1st of April is of course our annual Friends of Glamis Open Day when we welcome Friends past, present and future to enjoy the castle, its facilities and an annual presentation. For 2011 we have Charles Maclean, Scotland’s leading whisky expert, who researches and writes books on a subject which forms a very large part of Scottish heritage. It promises to be entertaining whether or not you are a fan of the subject. The Friends of Glamis also gives people an opportunity to renew their annual membership or to become a new Friend of Glamis.

It is also an opportunity for everyone to meet our new castle administrator, David Broadfoot. He joined us from Cawdor Castle at the end of February to take up the reins. He is a personable man of many ideas and quick decisions. I am sure that all of us here at Glamis will benefit from his enthusiasm this season.

Finally, as an extra to the blog, I offer a monthly recipe; all of them compiled by our baker and pastry chef Wendy and offered in our restaurant. As winter still has us in its vice like grip, the March recipe is for Wendy’s famous shortbread. It is a super recipe and very simple as most of the best recipes are. As with all great recipe books, I include a photograph taken in our 16c kitchen. Wendy’s shortbread deserves the best of settings and the 16c kitchen was just perfect. I speak from experience when I say that it is exceptionally tasty with elevens’es, threes’es – well any time really. You won’t need much of an excuse.