Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
fuel that adventure
Our weekend adventure in Yell, Britain’s second most northerly island. We’ve recently had a spell of unseasonable glorious, sunny weather. Nearly two weeks of sun and very little wind (for our standards), and so come the start of the October school holidays I made an executive decision to take my younger two children on a …
I have lived nearly my entire life by the sea, and would you believe I have never been on a sailing boat before? Not properly, anyway. I’ve been on aboard a few while they were berthed, but I had never experienced the thrill of being out on the open sea with the sails down, wind …
In collaboration with P&O Ferries. It’s World Chocolate Day! The day we get to celebrate all things chocolate and wonderful, so let me take this opportunity to tell you about the Belgium Chocolate Experience we had the privilege of enjoying last week. As a family we travelled, old school, via ferries and trains from our …
Boulets à la Liégeoise are a traditional Belgium meatball recipe made with a mixture of pork and beef mince cooked in a delicious sauce. This recipe has been made in collaboration with Redmond Multicookers. It feels like an absolute age since I have cooked anything properly! In fact, it’s been nearly a month since I …
…or two, if you’re really slow cyclist like me. I have lived in Shetland for nearly 18 years and I have never before explored our nearest neighbours to the south – the Orkney Islands, just a hop skip from the north mainland of Scotland. In fact, I only ever spent a few hours in Orkney …
Part two of two of my long bank holiday weekend bike ride to the most northerly tip of Britain. I had a very comfortable sleep in Windhouse Lodge, the gatehouse to Shetland’s most haunted house, built in 1707. There were no signs of any ghosts, unfortunately! If you haven’t read Part 1 of this series …
Part one of two of my long bank holiday weekend bike ride to the most northerly tip of Britain. Regular readers will, by now, be well aware that I am planning an epic 250 mile mountain bike cycle from my home on Shetland to Fort William, where I’ll be climbing Ben Nevis – all part …
Yell’s most northerly beach. Nothing beats a beach day, really. Especially when you’re seven and you’ve just spent the last hour sitting on a couch playing on your Mum’s iPad while she tosses battle ropes, swings kettle bells and Spiderman walks up the village hall you’re in. She’s doing some sort of bizarre fitness training …
A guest travel post by Ronan, aged 15. Every four years or so my school organizes a ski trip to Italy. This year I got to go. The overnight ferry ride from our island home to the UK mainland was a bit bumpy. One of my bunk mates had to do a tactical chunder in …
Planning an adventure of a lifetime and fundraising for the RNLI. Ok, it’s time for the big reveal! For the last few months I’ve been hinting at something big in the pipeline. Something I’ve been training for, something that means I’ve been consuming an extraordinary amount of protein and subsequently I’ve been sharing fewer cake …
I had one of those I love my life moments yesterday. That’s me standing on the edge of that cliff you see there. Taking advantage of the predicted fine weather and the long school holiday weekend, DD and I packed a packed lunch, gathered our provisions and met up with a friend for some coastal …
Just imagine it – a grand replica Viking galley, a squad of big burly bearded axe-wielding men and a procession of nearly 1000 individuals with torches parading through the streets of Lerwick, Shetland. This is followed by singing The Norseman’s Home, a dramatic burning of the galley and then an all-night party in the local halls. The …
While listening to BBC Radio 2 over my morning cup(s) of coffee I am listening to stories of flooding in the Lake District, and how, despite the weather, people are being encouraged to visit the area (where it is safe, of course) and enjoy its natural beauty. We had the pleasure of visiting the Lake …
I might have said this a few times, but there are very few trees in Shetland. We live on a wind-swept, saltwater-battered rock in the middle of the North Sea. There are a few little groups of trees here and there, and one deciduous area which gives a tiny taste of what it feels like …
The Ptarmigan – Scotland’s highest restaurant at 1090 metres. Situated in the top station on Cairn Gorm Mountain, in the most unexpected of places, you’ll find Scotland’s highest restaurant – The Ptarmigan. At 1090 metres/ 3500 feet above sea level it’s no problem to access thanks to Scotland’s only Funicular Railway – a train carriage …
As Storm Abigail bashes and batters the outside of our house on this windy, wet, cold Shetland winter’s day, and the flickering lights mean the electricity is still holding on, I am daydreaming of warmer temperatures and the family adventures of times gone by.
Old Norse: feitiland – fat land, rich pasture Situated at the most northern tip of the Shetland mainland, Fethaland’s fertile soil has a long history of settlement. There is evidence of an Iron Age prehistoric round house or broch (there is some disagreement on this), the circular wall outlines of a Neolithic house and the …
A weekend of great company and excellent food. Food Blogger Connect (FBC) is (in their words) “the world’s leading International food blogging conference” held annually in London, England. Founded in 2009 it brings together food bloggers, industry representatives and educational speakers for a packed weekend of networking and community. After hearing so many positive reviews …
Plus some other rather delicious morsels in the city of lights! I’m going to be 40 soon, so I’ve compiled a list of 40 Things I’d Like to Do Before I Turn 40. Drinking coffee in Paris was #2 on this list. You know – a street side cafe, sunglasses, watching the passerbys passing by, …
Exploring the city of lights one geocache at a time… It’s funny how one thing can lead to another. How chance encounters and random events can shape our lives and create lasting memories. Earlier this spring I found myself bumping across the North Sea in a tiny seven seater aircraft returning from the most fantastic …
