Rachel, husband Chris, and bother-in-law Andrew run Ballintaggart Farm and the Grandtully Hotel in Perthshire
Sweet treats
As a family, the past few weeks have been a blur of nativity plays, carol singing, card writing, shopping, children’s parties and preparations and anticipations of the season.
And as a business, we’ve watched guests gather to celebrate and indulge together and others to escape the madness of the festivities in search of peace. Smoked turkey croquettes have been hard to resist along with gomashio (coconut, salt and sesame) sprouts and warming plat du jours including crowdie and chesnut ravioli with sage butter and confit turkey legs, juniper stuffing, celeriac and rainbow chard have proved popular.
In the farmhouse kitchen, we’ve made sweet treats galore – last minute Christmas loaf cakes, florentines, gingerbread men and sticky ginger cakes, dehydrated orange decorations and even put together clove and orange pomanders and traditional Christingles. There’s been mulled apple juice for littles and the adult version with brandy too as well as the more usual mulled wine and mince pies.
Anticipation
In all of the busyness, there’s also been some fairly frantic planning for some time off and time to cook for our family and friends. We’re anticipating classics from Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson including hot-smoked fish and leek pie and then getting creative with left overs from Jerusalem artichoke and brussel sprout fritters with poached eggs for lazy breakfasts, to Bang Bang turkey and using up the cheese with cheese biscuits and scones. We might even try a cranberry focaccia and of course there will be cake, most likely the dreamy combination clementine cake with whole boiled fruit, almonds and rosemary.
We have enjoyed some wonderful milestones this year not least the opening of the Grandtully Hotel by Ballintaggart and Ballintaggart Farm’s listing in the Good Food Guide 2019 and we are so looking forward to some proper family time and indulgences. We wish you all a magical, merry and delicious time and a chance to recharge for whatever the new year brings.
Music to cook to
Listening to Coldplay Christmas Lights or off-key carols by our children!
