An
activity for which the Perthshire town of Crieff was famous, indeed
almost infamous, in the 18th century will be commemorated in
the second week of October (Saturday 7 – Saturday 14 October 2006).
Langsyne every October the Crieff Tryst (cattle sale) attracted drovesof
cattle from all over the Highlands and Islands and buyers flocked from
the Lowlands and England. The sight of thousands of cattle, in and
around Crieff, must have been a tremendous one indeed. In 1722 some
30,000 head of cattle was sold at Crieff. The Tryst moved to Falkirk in
the 1770s but not before Crieff had gained a reputation for unruly
behaviour as hordes of Highland drovers celebrated their arrival and
sales with a dram or three! Apparently the Crieff gallows were kept
extremely busy.
No
such extreme fate should befall those who attend the 5th
Crieff and Strathearn Drover’s Tryst even if you have a dram too much!
But the emphasis, as in the drover’s day, is very much on walking( in
their footsteps), with a variety of daily walks (easy, medium and hard)
and other outdoor activities, Evening entertainment abounds with
ceilidhs, a barn dance, quiz nights and a special performance by top
Scottish folk duo Gaberlunzie among the attractions. Visit
www.droverstryst.co.uk for full details including a walk around
Bennybeg for young bairns, ‘Toddle Waddle’ is for under-5s and is in aid
of the Meningitus Trust and will take place on Wednesday 11 October.
Saturday
14 October will see the week wrapped up with the second Saturday Crieff
Day with the Crieff Market in James Square. Something for everyone -
from pipe bands and fresh products & baking to arts & crafts, street
entertainment and a bouncy castle and as they say much, much more.
With
Scottish beef now available, world-wide, after a ten year ban, and this
week’s topic looking back to the heyday of the drover’s tryst in Crieff,
our recipe must be beef based. Patricia Wallace offered one of her
favourites - Roast Beef - which should tempt all palates.
Roast Beef
Do buy, and cook, your joint on the bone if possible. The bone
provides a good conductor of heat inside the joint, ensuring the cooking
is even with less loss of juices.
Dust the fat-surface of the joint with a mixture of flour and dry
mustard, and sprinkle with freshly-milled black pepper (but no salt,
since this encourages the juices to escape). Add a knob of beef
dripping to the tin, just to moisten the base, before placing the joint
in it. Start by giving it 20 minutes at gas mark 9, 475°F (245°C),
then lower the heat to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C), and cook for 15
minutes per pound (for rare), plus 15 extra minutes (for medium-rare),
plus 30 minutes extra (for well-done), and baste the meat with the pan
juices during the cooking.
Let the meat 'relax' for about 30 minutes before carving, pour any
juices that come out of the meat back into the gravy.
