1 Comber earlies
The botanist William Coles wrote in 1657 that ‘the soyle of Ireland doth so well agree with them [potatoes], that they grow there so plentifully that there be whole fields overrun with them’. These small potatoes, earthy, sweet and nutty, are planted in January—two months earlier than other types in Northern Ireland—and harvested in July. The spuds are specific to an area once known as the Hamilton Montgomery Lands (after two Ulster-Scots families) in the temperate climes around Strangford Lough. (EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status)
2 Spoot
The spoot—or razorfish—is big in the Orkneys, where it’s as prized as a truffle, although most people buy it from the fishmonger these days, rather than scrabble around in freezing, wet sand. The time for gathering the long, thin shellfish is in March, when they’re exposed by receding spring tides, but you’ve got to move fastas the cunning little critters quickly sink without trace. Eat fresh, tossed in a pan—frozen ones are as bland as string, apparently.
3 Islay whisky
3 During Feis Ile (the Islay Festival of Whisky and Music, May 22–30, www.islayfestival. com), Islay’s eight distilleries —quite a lot for a 25-milelong island—are open for tastings. It was Irish monks who first twigged that it’s the brown, peaty, salty water that gives these Hebridean whiskies their particular edge: Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroag are considered the strongest, Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain lighter.
4 Arbroath smokies
Denne historien er fra February 12, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra February 12, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
