Caiplie House Goings On

I guess if I provide tourist accommodation in Fife I shouldn’t really be raving about Mull and recommending you go to the other side of Scotland?

Well the the discerning traveler will make it to Crail sometime!!

It was by default that we spent so much time there, as Florence, our campervan for the week, gave up the ghost in Perth only 38 miles into the journey. After the third visit of the Automobile Association plus a Perth mechanic having ‘a wee look’ we realised sitting on the roadside with the hazards on was not the island hopping experience we had anticipated!

So five days on Mull and we could have spent longer! There really was so much to do; a day up Ben More, an easy day looking round Tobermory, a day out on the bikes and then we had to fit in drinking and eating the local fayre!
My personal favourite was the cheese OH MAN! Or there were the Mull mussels?? mmm

We were even lucky enough to spot sea eagles and otter out having a dusk bathe!
So simply put…go to Mull

Had my first round of golf during the week.
Yes I know part-timer!! All you guys who brave the winter months with woolly hats and gloves end of April is well in to the season well done!
I had my first round at Anstruther golf course with father Finlay. I have recently become a member so I am looking forward to a bit of golf there and maybe a par at The Rockies?

I also opened the restaurant up for the summer season this weekend. It was nice to get back at the stove. A few people came in for dinner. The chocolate melt pudding went down a treat!

I greatly enjoyed my working holiday in Montchavin last week.

I was helping John cater for a group in Chalet de la Vanoise. This is a lovely chalet set close to the piste. It is owned by Kevin and Lee who have moved with their family to live the Alpine dream. It has one of the best chalet kitchens we have worked in. Perfect for John to produce meals for 16. This model is working well for John at Mountain Relish as more independent travelers are happy to find their own accommodation and then add catering services.

I endeavored to pick up a few cooking tips as I was helping out so here is the chocolate mousse recipe as promised!!

Ingredients
100g dark chocolate plus a little extra for shaving
4 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
6 egg whites
tiny pinch salt
splash brandy

In a glass bowl, melt the dark chocolate over simmering water, leave the bowl to one side and allow the chocolate to cool.

Whisk the egg yolks and 40g of the sugar until the mixture is considerably thicker. Pour in the cooling chocolate and mix gently together.

Get the egg whites and whisk well together in a large bowl until they have stiffened, but are not dry, add the tiniest pinch of salt not for taste but to stiffen the eggs. Stand the egg whites in the fridge

Add the rest of the sugar and continue beat together until the mixture becomes glossy in texture.

Spoon around a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and mix well together with a metal spoon.
Split the mousse into ramekins, Chill in the fridge to allow the mousse to set.
Just before serving add chocolate shavings on the top for decoration.

Mat from Great Grog in Edinburgh came for the long awaited wine tasting.
He brought with him a really nice collection of wine which he had obviously spent some time putting together for us.

So we have a few half bottles kicking about if you would like to drop round and help us decide on our new wines for this year!!!

Know any of these? Let us know what you think wine@caipliehouse.co.uk

It’s a funny phrase isn’t it? There is a first time for everything

Well we had a couple of firsts within the space of two minutes last night!

My sister Marsaili and her family were here for a couple of days and my nephew Robbie was keeping us all entertained. He has this great laugh you see, it seems much more grown up than his seven months and he uses it to great effect, even better when married to a pointing finger.
Anyway Robbie’s Dad Jamie had had such fun with the wee man watching Crail High Street pass them by that he decided to feed him at the front door in the evening sun:

No sooner had we had a chuckle at my new, trendy, pavement, dining experience when 1st number two appeared, on a tandem….
Yep my first tandem clients arrived, The Boggon Party with a lovely Claud Butler Tandem, cool

Here is a photo of them setting off this morning, I promised not to video them as they confessed they wobble a bit until they get the speed up!

For information on cycling in Fife please email me:
cyclinginfife@caipliehouse.co.uk

So more than half way through July already, The Open complete, the summer racing by!

I have already done three of my five lobster nights in July. I am pleased to report they have all been sell outs so far!

I have been getting quicker at preparing them as well

The lobster is obviously the main event but a crab salad with a big oatcake to start helps to get the juices flowing

Helen has been making a great strawberry cheescake for dessert, I think the strawberries have been better than usual this summer.

Inspired by Jonny Wengel who runs The Fox and Hounds, Houston, Renfrewshire. Jonny comes through regularly to collect a load of lobsters for his lobster nights
The trips often last two days as we squeeze in at least 27 holes with a quickie at Anstruther now traditional.

Sorry Jonny the truth is out, I know you claim you haul the creels out yourself but I don’t think you were fooling anyone!

If you would like to book a table for a lobster night on 24th or 31st July
give me a call 01333 450564
Finlay