Two notable
dates fall this week – one a tragedy, the other very romantic.
The tragedy
occurred on 13 February 1692 when Government troop, under the orders of
English King William, carried out a massacre of the MacDonalds of Glencoe
which has gone down in history as an act of infamy. See this week’s ‘Sing a
Sang’ (above) for the words of Jim McLean’s magnificent song ‘The Ballad of
Glencoe’ and historical information in the footnote.
The romantic
date is, of course, St Valentine’s Day, on 14 February, which is celebrated
world-wide. But Scotland can claim a close affinity to the Saint as his
remains lie in a Glasgow church – the Church of Blessed John Duns Scotia in
the Gorbals. The notorious ‘Glasgow Kiss’ has nothing to do with the Saint
or with his remains, indeed quite the opposite!
Scotland's most famous romantic poet, Robert Burns,
wrote of St Valentine's Day in his poem 'Tam Glen'
"Yestreen at the valentines' dealing
My heart to my mou' gied a sten' ;
For thrice I drew ane without failing,
And thrice it was written - Tam Glen."
And our most famous novelist, Sir Walter Scott, wrote of St Valentine's
Day in 'The Fair Maid of Perth' -
"Tomorrow is St Valentine's Day, when every bird chooses her mate. I will
plague you no longer now, providing you will let me see you from your
window tomorrow when the sun first peeps over the eastern hill, and give
me right to be your Valentine for the year."
A romantic
time of year requires a romantic recipe – love and chocolate traditionally
go together, so why not make your Valentine a very tasty treat – Baked Dark
Chocolate Puddings with Chilled Vanilla Whipped Cream. Enjoy and forget the
calories!
Baked Dark
Chocolate Puddings with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
120g Butter; 120g dark chocolate, chopped; 2 large whole eggs; 2 large egg
yolks; 50g caster sugar; 2 tsp self-raising flour; vanilla flavoured whipped
cream, to serve
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 8. Butter 4 ramekins and dust them with a
little caster sugar. 2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a
pan of simmering water. Leave on one side to cool slightly. 3. Whisk the
whole eggs, egg yolks and caster sugar together until the mixture is very
thick and pale. 4. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture and quickly but
carefully fold in the sieved flour. 5. Divide the mixture between the
ramekins, set them on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. 6. Serve hot,
with chilled vanilla flavoured whipped cream, or with a good vanilla ice
cream.
