I will serve redcurrants with Crailoch lamb tonight with Madeira Sauce. The lamb is delicious, being partially reared on the shore and partially on the hill.
Great harvest of redcurrants so the jelly bag is dripping ready to make recurrant jelly
August 14th, 2011Walking in Southern Scotland is an amazing experience, surprise yourself in this undiscovered area, shared by very few people.
July 24th, 2011We hardly met a sole, our guests informed us on return from walking to the top of Benerraird; the views were spectacular today and the sky larks sang above our heads. Hares dashed across our paths and deer appeared from the forests.
For more on walking in Southern Scotland see www.cossescountryhouse.com/walkncycle.htm
Scotland has a fantastic reputation for cycling and montain biking thanks to our beautiful natural landscapes and top quality facilities. Brian and Angie stayed last night.
July 17th, 2011
Brian is cycling 470 miles from Norwich to Newtownards to raise funds for
Motor Neurone Disease : http://cyclingformnd.com/index.htm
Day 1: Norwich to Lincoln. (Caenby crossroads, about 12 miles North of
Lincoln to be exact)
Day 2: Lincoln to Leyburn – on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
Day 3: Leyburn to Gretna
Day 4: Gretna to Cairnryan via the Galloway Forest Park – nice views!
Day5: Get the boat to Larne and finish the ride to Newtownards.
Angie is following them in their fabulous car
Brian and Angie commented on the safe secure parking and storage for their car and bikes.
I was telling them about the fabulous cycling from Cosses Country House – some organised trails such as the 7 staines trails and many local tracks and trails. The International Mountain Biking Association states that Scotland was designed with mountain biking in mind!
Cosses Country House is the perfect base with fantastic food to begin and end each day!
local routes and a favourite from Cosses is Ballantrae, Beneraird and Arecleoch Forest
Kiroughtree visitors centre is just 45 minutes from Cosses Country House (through some glorious scenery), where you can hire bikes and discover the level of mountain bike trail to follow. If you have not tried it before, come and have a new experience that will enrich your life. This is a perfect way to explore nature, fresh air and exercise are the perfect remedy to stuffy work conditions.
Nevermind strawberries at Wimbledon, surprise yourself with strawberries at Cosses Counrty House – availability this weekend!
July 1st, 2011
http://www.cossescountryhouse.com/menus.htm
Strawberries compliment lobster and go well with Elderflowers.
Delphiniumms and geraneums bloom in the cottage garden. Surprise yourself with afternoon tea enjoying the scents and blooms
June 30th, 2011
Mum and Dad picked 14lbs of gooseberries yesterday and I have made gooseberry and elderflower jam which the guests had on freshly baked scones
June 28th, 2011
Mum made the scones whilst I made the jam – a wonderful combination!
2 ½ kilos of gooseberries
850 ml water
2 ½ kilos sugar
20 heads of elderflowers
Top and tail the gooseberries and slowly bring to the boil in the water.
Add the elderflowers and simmer until the mixture is soft and reduced about a third.
Warm the sugar.
Remove the elderflower stalks.
Add the sugar and stir bringing back to the boil.
Boil until 104 degrees centigrade.
Pot in warmed sterilised jars.
Yum!
Surprise yourself and discover South West Scotland! fabulous home grown and local produce at www.cossescountryhouse.com
June 22nd, 2011Friday June 17th 2011
Starter
Ballantrae Crab with a hint of grapefruit and yoghurt
Cosses Strawberries and Cosses Salad Leaves,
Finished with a swwet chilli grapefruit dressings
Freshly baked bread and butter
Main
Fillet of Loin of Dalduff (Crailoch)Ayrshire Lamb roasted with garlic, ginger & rosemary, finished with Madeira & Redcurrant Sauce
Cosses Lady Crystl Potatoes
Scottish Spring Cabbage with Ginger and
Roast Courgettes
Dessert
Brandy Snap Cones filled with Cosses Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool
with Gooseberry and Elderflower sauce
Cheese
Scottish Cheese & Homemade Oatcakes
Coffee – Tea – Homemade Tablet
Choose from our fabulous wine list: .cossescountryhouse.com/fine-wines.htm
Celebrate Ayrshire at Cosses Country House
June 17th, 2011Come and stay at Cosses Country House for the weekend and enjoy all the best in Ayrshire.
Home grown produce
On Sunday from 11.00am until 4.00pm:
An exciting festival of all things Ayrshire – including farming, food, arts, history, and the environment. Entertainment and activities for all the family, including musical entertainment with Maybole Pipe Band and Newmilns & Galston Brass Band.
Celebrate and support your local heritage at this popular annual event.
In keeping with the Burns theme of the Homecoming year, visitors will have the chance to meet Ayrshire poet, Robert Burns in the flesh as he mingles with the crowd and shares some stanzas of his best known works.
More contemporary poetry will be provided by the talented Makar Press Poets, who will offer lively recitals of their latest pieces.
Another theme of the day, again with a Burns connection, is farming. Milking displays featuring an Ayrshire cow, Ayrshire tractors and Ayrshire produce will all feature in this fantastic family day out.
Event organiser, Katie Walker, who is also one of Culzean’s rangers, said: “In this year of Homecoming, many people from across the globe and locally are planning to discover Ayrshire, pay their tributes to Burns and explore the area. As well as its strong traditions in the arts and poetry, Ayrshire has contributed much to Scotland’s way of life. Its agricultural produce is well-known throughout the world for its variety and quality.
“We are very pleased to have so many excellent local organisations, food producers and talented performers involved as we spread the word about Ayrshire and all it has to offer.
“Hopefully Culzean Castle and Country Park will prove to be such an inspiring setting our re-incarnated bard will feel bound to produce an ‘Ode to Ayrshire’ – a fitting tribute in this, the 250th anniversary of his birth.”
Celebrate Ayrshire takes place at Culzean Castle and Country Park on Sunday 14 June, from 11am – 4pm.
Other event highlights include:
Vintage Military vehicles, the land army and Robbie the Clydesdale horse
Robert Watson M.A. B.D. (historian and writer) will be giving a talk on the Scottish Covenanters and playing his short film on the subject.
Local food on sale including delicious Ayrshire Farmhouse Ice-cream
Ayrshire artists demonstrating
Live music from the Maybole Pipe Band and Johnstone Silver Band
Explore inside an open-top Double Decker bus from the Beith Transport Museum
Come and Try Archery with the British Longbow Society