Page 35 - LOTN Advent issue 57

FAITH AND CULTURE

weeks and even days, but we always found a happy end to about the the national team, usually reflecting on yet
them. another brave failure!
As part of a stowing squad (three to four men) we shared Then we have the funnies, about family life: “Jimmies
the different operations of the working day. One would quine is getting married next year, he is in the office noo
operate the forklift, one would control and load the casks askin for a pay rise."
on the floor, and one would be in the stow receiving the “Terrible winter last year, didna get the tatties planted till
casks. This can be in a dark and enclosed environment, May.”
working only by torchlight. "Willie hid a great day at the bookies on Seterday,
One of the highlights of this operation is climbing up blootered a weekend.”
the stairs of the warehouse to the top level along with the I could write on for ages, but here is a final piece to end
‘Angels' Share.’ Here it is light and warm, there is more room with which happens to be a true story: “A farmer had a
to work, and the aroma of spirit (whisky) is intense. It is a terrible infestation of cooshy doos (pigeons) in his byre, so
joy to be up here because of the afore mentioned, but you he asked the farm servant to try and solve the problem. He
have also have considerably more time on your hands as thought long and hard how to do this. Eventually he got
the forklift takes quite a while to reach the top, deliver the the Land Rover ready, caught the pigeons with nets, loaded
cask, and return to the floor (up to eleven tiers high). them into boxes and set off for Cullen.
Now, a man with more time on his hands can become Feeling really pleased with himself, he opened the boxes
creative, and a warehouseman would always have a piece of and set the doo’s free.
chalk on his person, used to write information on the casks, He returned to the farm, found his boss in the byre, and

therefore, you will find the roof beams and surrounding told him excitedly of his success. The farmer, killing himself
walls filled with great nuggets of wisdom and complete laughing, pointed to the roof……. the doos were back half
nonsense but usually hilarious - in years long passed there an hour before him.”
would usually have been a dram to hand! Margaret asked for a recipe and this is one for roast
There are the usual football rallying cries and the results venison which we often have at special family meals, Easter,
of games played. Naturally, Celtic F.C. often features as does New Year and birthdays. This one does not include whisky
the great conquering run in the 1980s of the Dons, and one but does include a good sploosh of decent red wine. Enjoy.
or two regarding Rangers. The Wee Keith Deek
Throughout the decades you will find many comments

Graeme's Roast Venison it becomes rich and glossy. Serve the venison joint with
the roasted vegetables, roasted potatoes, the rich glossy
A Venison Joint gravy, some red currant jelly and a large glass of red wine.
A little goose or duck fat or oil
2 carrots chopped
2 onions chopped
2 sticks celery or celeriac chopped
A bay leaf
A sprig of thyme
A few black peppercorns
(Extra spices if required -
juniper berries, cinnamon, cloves, dried oranges)
500ml beef stock

Cover the venison joint with a little goose or duck fat or
oil and sprinkle with salt. Preheat the oven to 210°C for
fan ovens or 220°C for non-fan ovens. Place the chopped
carrots, celery or celeriac and onions in a large roasting tin
with the bay leaf, sprig of thyme, the black peppercorns
and, if required, the juniper berries, cinnamon, cloves and
dried oranges. Place the venison joint in the roasting tin
on top of the vegetables. Then place the tin in the oven
and roast for 20 min at 210°C/220°C then 170°C/180°C
for a further 20min or until cooked. Remove the tin from
the oven, place the venison joint on a warm tray, cover
with a sheet of tin foil and rest it for 20 minutes. Remove
the vegetables and keep them warm. To make the gravy,
heat the beef stock, add to the roasting tin and mix in all
the juices from the venison and the vegetables. Transfer
the liquid to a saucepan, thicken with a little cornflour
mixed with cold water, bring to the boil and reduce until

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