St Andrew's Day

As winter descends on the Highlands, we visit St Andrew's Cathedral Inverness as the congregation celebrate their Patronal Festival. There will be Sung Eucharist at 7.30 pm followed by a fish and chip supper in the Old Boys School.



Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
Bright seraphs, cherubim and thrones,
Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,
Virtues, archangels, angels’ choirs:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O higher than the cherubim,
More glorious than the seraphim,
Lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of th’eternal Word,
Most gracious, magnify the Lord.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
Ye patriarchs and prophets blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,
All saints triumphant, raise the song.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O friends, in gladness let us sing,
Supernal anthems echoing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!



Happy Feast!

Fort George - 16

We conclude our visit to Fort George as these two Roman soldiers prepare their meal.



All is well until you spot the two beef burgers in the pan - the burger buns, and the tomato ketchup in the jug. I think the Army could do with a new historical adviser!

Fort George - 15

I was quite impressed with this scene of an army kitchen during Tudor times - plenty of fresh ingredients here.



Here is a fascinating video of a Tudor Feast - enjoy!



I don't think army food was quite up to this standard!

Fort George - 14

Feeding the army is hard work! The cook is a highly valued member of the squad.



Here is what four current soldiers have to say about modern Army food:

Corporal Paul Whiting: Depending on where you are, some people will have a cookhouse so they’ll have fresh food every day, ie Bastion and Kandahar. If you’re in a FOB you’ll be either on a 10-Man Ration Pack or a 24-Hour Ration Pack, so you’ll be eating out of a packet – sausage and beans, bacon and beans, all-day breakfast, rice pudding, cereal bars, fruit, raisins and a little Fruit Shoot juice drink.

Private Shaun Teale: We had 24-Hour Rations and on the odd occasion we had a 10-Man Ration Pack so we’d make shepherds pie, cakes and stuff like that, just for a bit of morale. Food-wise you’re allowed to take anything out because it’s a bit of morale, but in Camp Bastion there’s a NAAFI anyway so you can buy all sweets and pop and stuff like that.

Lieutenant Alec Hammond: The meals that my guys were eating out on the ground completely vary from the ones in the UK. The rations are completely different in theatre than the ones we have over here, so the variation in meals is good. Obviously there’s the menus – the set menus – that the Army has; there’s a lot of pasta and rice in them now which is a great improvement from what we had before – it used to just be steak and veg all the time I think. There’s no corned beef hash, which everyone hates!

Lance Corporal Dave Pugh: Within Kandahar there’s 4 cookhouses so you’ve got loads of different variety – fries, burgers, all your different pastas. You can get quite a good diet out there. But you’ve also got the fast food, you’ve got Subway, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Tim Hortons so you can get fat and donuts as well!

Fort George - 13

On the menu today we have wartime cottage pie.



Recipe

1 lb mince beef ( note a weeks ration of mince beef for one person was about 1/2 lb )
several large potatoes
2 oz cheese
dried herbs (Rosemary & Thyme work well)
salt and pepper
beef stock like bovril ( 1 pint or more)
bisto gravy powder
peas and finely chopped carrots and onion
blob butter or margarine

Method

Brown the mince
Add the chopped vegetables
Add salt and pepper and herbs
Add beef stock, stir and simmer for 15 minutes (thickening towards the end by mixing bisto powder with a little cold water to a runny paste and adding to beef stirring all the time- beef sauce should be quite thick!)
Meanwhile chop up all the potatoes into small chunks
Place in salted hot water and bring to the boil until tender and drain.
Mash with generous blobs of butter or margarine, add salt and pepper to taste
Finally add milk so mash is spreadable
Place beef sauce in a small cooking tray with deep sides or shallow casserole dish
Pipe or spread mashed potato on top
Sprinkle with 2 oz of grated strong cheddar and some dried herbs
Place in oven until cooked and the top is brown

Remember - an army marches on its stomach!

Fort George - 12

These woodburning cooking stoves are splendid pieces of apparatus. I have one in my conservatory, though I use it for heating rather than cooking. I was unable to discover who manufactured these stoves at Fort George, but my stove is a Dunsley Highlander 5.



For many years Dunsley dealt mainly in the manufacture of solid fuel open fires, boilers and gas fires, however as tastes change and needs evolve we have recognised this fact and created two different types of Multi-fuel and Woodburning Stoves.

The Highlander range of Stoves includes the Highlander 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10 and the Yorkshire stove which has been recognised as a market leader in its use of 'Clean burn' technology.

Feast of Christ the King (34th Sunday of Ordinary Time)

In our Eucharist today, we celebrate the Feast of The Bonnie Prince - Christ our anointed King, who overcame suffering and death and so brought us out of darkness into his kingdom of light.

The permission to depict The Bonnie Prince in the Royal Stuart tartan was graciously accorded by the Earl of Moray. The portrait was commissioned by the Transalpine Redemptorists who live on Papa Stronsay and was skilfully painted by the Catholic artist Mr. Anthony VanArsdale.



Here is a lovely meditation by the Transalpine Redemptorists:

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, The Bonnie Prince, blesses you from the Stone of Destiny, the crowning place of kings. He wears the Royal tartan and His holy person is framed by the ancient Banner. Jesus is The Bonnie Prince; the Fairest of the Children of men; of Whose kingdom there shall be no end. As your Infant King He seeks to win your heart to Himself. Look upon his wounded hands and little feet. Behold His Heart that has loved you so much. Stand beneath His banner, worship Him as God and do Him homage. By Homage you declare that: He is your Lord; you are His servant and friend; and you promise to remain with Him in loyalty, love and perpetual fidelity.

All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine,
didst yield the glory that of right was thine,
that in our troubled hearts thy grace might shine:
Alleluia!

Thou cam'st to us in lowliness of thought;
by thee the outcast and the poor were sought,
and by thy death was God's salvation wrought:
Alleluia!

Let this mind be in us which was in thee,
who wast a servant that we might be free,
humbling thyself to death on Calvary:
Alleluia!

Wherefore, by God's eternal purpose
thou, art high exalted, o'er all creatures now,
and given the name to which all knees shall bow:
Alleluia!

Let every tongue confess with one accord
in heaven and earth that Jesus Christ is Lord;
and God eternal be by all adored:
Alleluia!



Happy Sunday!