Tag Archives: Reading

Shopping for the Bookworm: Robert Burns Edition

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Happy Burns Day! Good old Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s darling, was born on 25 January 1759. As I am certain you know by now, The Chef and I are throwing our annual Burns Supper tonight. Yay, the revelry is almost upon us! I have last-minute party preparations to handle but you, lucky ones, can sit back with a cuppa whilst reading this special edition of Shopping for the Bookworm. Enjoy! Continue reading →

Counting Down to Our Burns Night Supper, Part Four: The Music…

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…is eclectic. I compiled the playlist earlier tonight, and had a finger in nearly every pie. While there are several Scottish or Scottish-born musicians in the mix, my goal was to keep the list as unpredictable and interesting as possible. We’ll see how well I succeeded on Friday. Want a sneak peek? Continue reading →

Counting Down to Our Burns Night Supper, Part Three: Scottish Libations

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This morning, The Chef made a trip to the party store to pick up what he calls Produce of Scotland, which is a crucial component of our Burns Night Supper. Although we will also serve wine, beer, and miscellaneous alcohol, next to these lovelies they matter not.

Produce of Scotland

Produce of Scotland. Photo by The Chef.

The McClelland’s, although not our favourite, is perfect for the Scotch Tasting event: there’s a Lowland, a Highland, and an Islay. The wee bottles of Glenfiddich are the Toasting Contest Prize. The Glenrothes on the right is just because. The Botanist Gin on the left is for the odd person who isn’t into whisky but still wants to enjoy a sip of sweet Scotland’s finest.

Blog of the Year 2012 Award-Fourth Star

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A couple of weeks ago, Kelly Ann (aka NYMUSE88) of What’s Your Story? nominated me for the Blog of the Year Award 2012. I was too sick to accept it immediately, but I am still extremely grateful for the nod! It was my fourth star, which is exactly four more than I expected to receive. Since it is nearly February 2013, I’ve decided to abstain from nominating any more blogs for the award. I’ll settle for yelling my thanks and appreciation across the gaping chasm known as the Internet. I love all of the blogs I follow, comment on, and like. You all deserve hearty congratulations for being so awesome. Happy 2013!

Don’t forget to check out What’s Your Story?.

Counting Down to Our Burns Night Supper, Part Two: The Toast

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A great advantage of throwing an annual themed party is that you have the opportunity to tweak some of the components, adjusting for both so-so elements and after-the-fact brilliant ideas. Knowing that you have a do-over approximately 365 days in the future eliminates any post-party regret. Probably the biggest addition to our 2013 Burns Night Supper is the Toasting Contest. The Chef came up with the idea; he’s a smarty, that one.

All toasts must be original compositions. A bottle of Scotch goes to the winner. Am I puckish in hoping for a bunch of tipsy, off-the-cuff entries? Alcohol often breeds strange, unexpected eloquence in tongue-tied speakers, so it is a possibility. That’s entertainment, folks! Does it sound like I plan on plying my guests with drinks in order to promote a more interesting Toasting Contest? That is not my intention. No, not at all. Nothing to see here.

The Chef has prepared a back-up toast, in case no one else enters the contest. That would be awful, and would mortally wound our sensitive feelings. At least we’ll have a bottle of Scotch in which to drown our sorrows. We hope that this newest delight pleases our guests. If not, there’s always next year.

The Chef's Toast-in-Progress

The Chef’s Toast-in-Progress. Instagram.