This week sees two notable anniversaries – one sad, one happy. The sad event took place on 13 February 1692 when government troops, under orders from King William carried out the notorious Massacre of Glencoe, the attempted ethnic cleansing of the MacDonalds of Glencoe. Thanks to a snowstorm, although 38 died, the majority of the clan escaped the government swords, and the Glencoe MacDonalds were able to supply a healthy number of blades on the Jacobite side in both the 1715 and 1745 Risings.

The second date is, of course, far happier and is engraved on the hearts and minds of romantics world-wide, St Valentines Day on 14 February. Scotland is in a position to 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. But note, the notorious ‘Glasgow Kiss’ has, of course, nothing to do with either the saint or romance, indeed quite the opposite!

Scotland’s most 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 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 as reflected by romantic writers surely requires a romantic recipe – love and chocolate traditionally go together so why not treat your Valentine to some delicious handmade Chocolate Truffles.

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:  4oz plain chocolate; 4floz milk; 4oz icing sugar; 3tbsp evaporated milk; 1tsp vanilla essence

Method:  Melt chocolate and add other ingredients. Leave to cool and firm (1/2 hour) and then form into small balls.