Fearnan Village Association

Julia Lane writes:

Despite only 12 people being present at the May coffee morning, it was a really good event – much hilarity and a wonderful atmosphere.  Everyone was chatting merrily, and we all sat together in a huddle so as not to miss any of the conversations.

Unfortunately there is no picture of the event this time as Sue forgot her camera.  Julia took hers but the battery was flat!

However, we do have a recipe for the Yummy Scrummy Carrot Cake that was so popular (only one slice left at the end!).  This cake is light and moist and keeps for up to a week in a tin.

175g/6oz light muscovado sugar                      175ml/6fl oz sunflower oil

3 large eggs, lightly beaten                                140g/5oz grated carrot

Grated zest of 1 large orange                             175g/6oz self-raising flour

100g/4oz raisins                                                  1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda                                   1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

 Frosting:

175g/6oz sifted icing sugar                               1.5 – 2 tbsp orange juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4 / fan 160 C.  Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm/7″ square cake tin.

 2. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs.  Lightly mix, then stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.

3. Mix the flour, soda and spices, then sift into the bowl.  Lightly mix all the ingredients.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre.

 5. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack.

6. Beat together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.  Set the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the icing over the top, then cut into slices.

Enjoy! 

Laurie Lane has raised an interesting idea.  An FVA buying group would let us not only bulk buy products but also identify services where the provider can be reluctant to travel to a rural location for a single job. There may also be products where the cost of a delivery for one household is the same as for several households in the village.  The web site could help us to let each other know what products or services are needed.

For example, it seems that trying to get a chimney sweep to come to our village at a decent speed and price for 1 client is not that easy. So the idea would be for members of the group to go on a visible list of people who need their chimney swept, and when we have 3 or 4 requests, we can ask for quotes and have a bit of buying muscle.  We would also be able to exchange recommendations for different types of tradesmen and tap local knowledge.

The first step is to identify products or services that FVA members are interested in buying or getting delivered jointly. We also need to know who would be interested in joining a buying group.

If you are interested, please click the Comment link at the bottom of this article and tell us what sort of products/services you are interested in.  By clicking the link at any time, you can see what things other people are interested in.

Julia Lane writes:

If you have a favourite cake that you would like to bring to share at the coffee morning on 24th May, please let Sue Gardener know by Saturday 21st May.

The coffee this month will be Costa Rica, a distinctive tangy real coffee to complement our tasty cake and savoury range.

The tea has improved and is now Punjani Scottish Blend.  There will also be a selection of fruit/herbal teas – is there a special one you would like to try?  Or you may bring your own and we will add hot water at no extra cost! For those people trying to avoid sugar in all its forms, there will be a couple of savoury treats.

Please feel free to bring friends / family / visitors along.  The more the merrier.

And talking of friends, here’s a picture taken at Bob and Barbara’s farewell ‘do’……..

Hazel Brockie has sent this wonderful photo of Debbie’s new foal, born on 3rd May.  Mother and son are doing well!

Debbie and Foal

Julia Lane writes:

Despite a low turnout, the coffee morning on Tuesday 26th May was a huge success.

There was lots of home baking as usual, with the addition of sausage rolls as a savoury option.  Sue’s hot crossed buns (see article below for recipe) looked amazing and went down well.

Graham and Jason, the new residents who have just moved into Bob and Barbara Pitney’s house, came along and were introduced to everyone.  They immediately enrolled as members of the FVA and showed great enthusiasm for local activities, as well as wanting to contribute new and exciting ideas.

We also had a visit from Jack Kininmonth who, at 90 years of age, had driven over from Aberfeldy.  It was good to talk to him and learn about life and bygone times in the village.  He enjoyed meeting some of his old friends and told us about the early days of the bowls team and the building of the McLean Hall.

As usual Fraser donned his rubber gloves and very kindly did the washing up – which we greatly appreciated.

If you enjoyed Sue’s Hot Cross Buns at the Coffee Morning, or if you weren’t there and would like to enjoy some, here is the recipe.

'Mmmmm - Hot Cross Buns

If you make them (Oh go on, they’re delicious!), do send us a picture of the baking, the baker or the consumers in action!

1 lb white bread flour                                             4 oz dried fruit

2 oz sugar                                                                  1 oz mixed peel

2 oz butter                                                               1 egg

1 teaspoon cinnamon                                            8gms quick yeast

1 teaspoon mixed spice                                          About 8 fluid oz. warm milk

Method

Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter.

• Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter.
• Add the rest of the dry ingredients including the quick yeast(or follow the instructions on the packet)
• Beat the egg in a measuring jug and make up to half a pint with warm milk.
• Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough
• Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead to a smooth ball, or, if the bowl in big enough, knead in the bowl.(It doesn’t require as much kneading as bread dough)
• Lightly flour the bowl and put the dough back in crease side down. Cover with a tea towel and put in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it looks risen and feels soft if you press the top with your finger. (It will not rise as much as bread dough)
• While the dough is rising, grease or oil a baking sheet, make the marzipan or pastry for the crosses and the syrup for the glaze.

For the crosses: either marzipan made with 2 oz ground almonds + 1 oz each caster and icing sugar mixed to a stiff paste with beaten egg. (The rest of the egg can be used to brush the buns before baking), or pastry made with 2 oz plain flour with 1 oz fat rubbed in and mixed to a stiff dough with a very small amount of cold water.

For glaze: 1 tablespoon sugar + a dessertspoon of water heated in a small pan to dissolve the sugar, and then boiled for a few minutes to form a syrup. (Watch it doesn’t cook too long and caramelize!)

• Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead lightly to form a ball and divide into 12 even sized pieces. Shape into flat-topped rounds with the creases underneath (a bit like a burger shape). Place on baking sheet allowing room for them the spread.
• Roll out the marzipan or pastry to a rectangle about a ¼ inch thick for marzipan and a little less for pastry. Using the rolling pin as a straight edge trim off the uneven edge and cut strips to form the crosses.
• Brush the top of the buns only with beaten egg and stick on the crosses. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about half an hour.
• Pre heat the oven to 200° C/180 fan/gas mark 5.
• Bake risen buns for about 15 mins until nicely browned all over including the bottom.
• While the buns are cooking, reheat the syrup glaze and have a pastry brush handy. As soon as the buns are done brush between the arms of the crosses with the hot syrup. Lift finished buns onto a cooling tray…………………….spread thickly with butter and enjoy!

Joan Miller writes:

Two partridges are visiting us at Croft-an-Ailein each day and tuck in to spilled birdseed from our bird table.  They then toddle off across the road into the Cunningham’s field.  We hear from Janette at Rock Cottage that they come and feed there too.

It would be interesting to know how many others in the village are on their gastronomic trail. They are looking particularly well fed!

(If you’ve seen them, click the ‘comment’ link below, and tell us where else they’re feeding.)

Last week, Bob and Barbara left Fearnan for Charlton Horethorne in Dorset.  They were a popular couple in the village, and Barbara was an energetic member of the FVA Committee.

Barbara

Her efforts in helping to both organize and bake for events such as the BBQ and the Coffee Mornings were much appreciated by all of us.  Even more notable, are the now legendary Pudding Nights which were entirely her inspiration!

Bob was also capable of donning a pinny to cook burgers, sausages – and more – for the annual BBQ.

Bob

Joan Miller writes,

“Bob and Barbara were valued members of Taymouth Castle Golf Club and will be sadly missed both on and off the course.  It is sad that Barbara will not be here to defend her position as Ladies Club Champion.”

 We shall miss them both and hope they will be back to visit soon.

Julia Lane writes:

Many thanks to all those who attended the Coffee Morning on 29th March.  A good time was had by all, and Margot Levell was totally surprised when we all sang happy birthday to her.  She blew out the candles on her chocolate cake made by Sue and everyone had a piece.

Birthday Cake!

The baking was up to the usual excellent standard, with the addition of some savoury tarts for those diabetics amongst the community who can’t take too much sugar.  Ian Marshall’s daughter-in-law made a really scrummy carrot cake which went down well.

Margo cuts her cake

The savouries were such a success that they will be included in future coffee mornings – so there will be no excuses not to attend!

The next one is on 26th April at 10.30 – put it in the diary now!

Keith Brockie writes:

Many Fearnan residents who feed birds in their gardens will have seen siskins feeding on peanuts.

Male siskin

You may think you are seeing the same few birds but, in fact, there is a great throughput of individuals. Hazel and I caught over a hundred in our back garden during February, including two controls (birds ringed outside Tayside) for which we await details.

One siskin's journey - Surrey to Fearnan

The map shows the movement of one we caught in January last year which had been ringed in Chilworth, Surrey, on the 12th April 2009.