best for FICTION
Cookery books lay spread out on Liz’s kitchen table top like a foodie-themed, lop-sided fan. Some of the pages were sticky – splattered here and there with sploshes of long-ago gravy for the haggis and home-made fish stock for the Cullen Skink soup. Burns Night supper specialities both. While there was no Scottish blood running through Liz’s veins, her late husband Graeme had been a proud Scot and even though he had lived in England for many years, Burns Night on January 25th had always been an occasion to celebrate. Abig, big night in their calendar.
Not that Liz had felt like celebrating it since Graeme passed away but this year marked five years since she’d lost him and, having mostly come out through the other side, she was now all for remembering the happy times – and that meant reviving the traditional Burns Night supper with maybe a bit of a hootenanny for afters. Nothing big. Just her grown-up daughter Catriona and boyfriend Archie who lived five minutes’ walk away. Appropriately enough, Archie happened to be a Scot, too – although a Highlander rather than a Lowlander like Graeme had been. And, also, Liz’s grown-up son, Jamie, his new girlfriend Anna whom she’d never met and Anna’s two young children were coming, too. Not being local, they were staying over. Liz smiled to herself. It would be fun to have a couple of kids in the house again – especially for a Burns Night Supper. Some of her most cherished memories were of Catriona and Jamie as littlies, attempting to narrate Robbie Burns’ Address to a Haggis, bubbling over with excitement as they got to stay up late and do manic Scottish dancing to the Proclaimers’ 500 Miles. They would tire themselves out and fall asleep on the front room sofa while the party carried on in the kitchen. Happy, happy days.
Catriona was as excited as Liz – especially at the prospect of her Archie finally getting to experience to one of the Dunbar clan’s famous Burns Night Suppers.
‘We’ve got a surprise, too!’ Catriona had announced when she and Liz had spoken the day before. ‘To make it extra special. Extra Scottish.’
‘What is it?’ Liz demanded to know. ‘It won’t be a surprise if I tell you but let’s just say it’s very… appropriate. You’ll love it!’
‘Does Jamie know about it?’ Liz enquired.
Catriona scoffed. ‘I’ve told him but nothing goes in. Unless it’s an Anna thing, he doesn’t seem interested. Honestly, that wo…’
Liz heard faint alarm bells. ‘What?’ ‘Never mind,’ Catriona quickly replied, ‘See you tomorrow.’
***
Liz was up early to start the preparations – Cullen Skink, followed by haggis, neeps and tatties, and then Caledonian Cream – whipped cream with whisky liqueur, marmalade, and orange juice
