Yesterday ( 10 October 2002 ) was the bicentenary of the birth of a great
19th century Scot, Hugh Miller of Cromarty in the Black Isle. Miller rose
to international acclaim as a geologist ( self-taught ), editor of 'The
Witness', a twice-weekly newspaper, and writer. His birth place, the
thatched cottage built c1698 by his grand-father in Church Street,
Cromarty, is now under the care of The National Trust for Scotland and is
open to the public from May to September every year. The furnished cottage
contains an exhibition and video on Hugh Miller's life and to the rear is
a Scottish wild garden of colourful native plants, designed to reflect
Miller's own love of nature. Hugh Miller's cottage was first opened to the
public in 1890. It was handed over to the care of The National trust for
Scotland by Cromarty Town Council in 1938.
It became one of the Trust's earliest properties as The National Trust for
Scotland was only formed in 1931. The Trust now has over 100 properties
and this year saw the NTS membership reach a record level of 260,000. The
Trust, which has charitable status, depends on its members
subscriptions, entry fees to properties and donations to carry out its
important role in the protection of Scotland's natural and cultural
heritage. Over its 71 years, the result of the Trust's efforts has
produced a magnificent diversity of properties including some of
Scotland's greatest country houses and fortified castles, like Culzean,
Brodick and Haddo, along with many of our nation's finest gardens, such as
Inverewe, Arduaine and Threave. battle sites like Killiecrankie,
Bannockburn and Culloden are maintained by the Trust and their story is
brought alive through the best in modern interpretation.
Given the bicentenary of Hugh Miller's birth, a birthday cake recipe
seemed appropriate for this week. Once again 'The Anniversary Cook-Book of
the Dumfriesshire Federation SWRI ( 1922 - 1992 )' comes up trumps, as the
Closeburn Institute SWRI supplied a recipe for Favourite Birthday cake to
the Federation's 70th anniversary book.
Favourite Birthday Cake
Ingredients : 10 oz ( 275 g ) plain flour; 8 oz ( 225 g ) butter; 12 oz (
350 g ) currants; 2 oz ( 50 g ) seedless raisins; 4 oz ( 100 g ) mixed
peel; 8 oz ( 225 g ) castor sugar; 6 eggs; 8 oz ( 225 g ) sultanas; 2 oz (
50 g ) glace cherries; 2 oz ( 50 g ) ground almonds; rind of an orange or
lemon
Line an 8 inch cake tin with greased paper. Clean fruit. Beat butter and
sugar to a cream. Add eggs and flour alternately. Add fruit and mix well,
then add remainder of rind and almonds, mixing well. Bake in a very slow
oven for four hours. Cover with marzipan and Royal icing, if desired.
