• The annual Bridge of Allan Highland Games on 8 August

• Knit Camp, University of Stirling, from 9-14 August

Devotees of Scottish sports and the fine old craft of knitting have an opportunity to combine both activities if they get there by Sunday 8th August.

Stirling is located at the start of the Highlands in Central Scotland, with Glasgow and Edinburgh both equidistant, about an hour’s drive away

The annual Bridge of Allan Highland Games will take place on Sunday, the day before Knit Camp starts.  For more details of the Games, click here.

The following day, on Monday 9th August, Knit Camp starts at the University of Stirling. There is still plenty of single accommodation available, and you can register here.

Historical Stirling Bridge, Scotland

Knit Camp Classes August 10-14

The final timetable, showing the location of classes, is available to download on our website.

Marketplace

You may want to start planning now which booths you intend to hit and when. Details here.

Goody bags!

There are some amazing goodies for those attending Ravelry Weekend (goody bags are only available to folks buying their entrance tickets in advance).  Your bags may contain products from the following companies:

Inside Crochet special edition, free yarn from Jamieson and Smith, Opal mini sock yarn balls (from Viridian), Colourmart, Cygnet Yarns, King Cole Yarns,  Designer Yarns (including Debbie Bliss, Louisa Harding & Araucania), Debbie Stoller’s new yarn line, Stitch Nation, Hypoallergenic hand cream from Dermaguard, Recycled needles from Blacker Designs and needles from Rico Designs.

There are also free patterns from Schoolhouse Press and Debbie Stoller, including patterns from her new book.

The Knit Camp organisers say it might not be one of the hottest weeks in Stirling with daylight temperatures likely to be around 20 degrees celsius (65 degrees fahrenheit) but evenings are likely to be quite cool.

Keep an eye on the weather here.

It would be wise to take a lightweight waterproof jacket and a cardigan, sweater or shawl for the evenings – the more ornately patterned, the better.

For other activities while you’re up Stirling way, see Visit Scotland.

Chicken Liver Pâté with Sloe Gin. VDuBourdieu©2010

Ingredients
1lb (450g*) organic chicken livers, trimmed and cleaned
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 teasp. fresh oregano leaves (or thyme)
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons (60mls) Sloe Gin (or brandy)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 oz (225g) organic butter
1 teasp. (5g) allspice or mace
Sea Salt and freshly milled pepper

Utensils & kitchenware
Chopping board
3-4 buttered cocotte (mini soufflé) dishes
Food blender or hand blender with glass mixing jug
Wooden spoon, tablespoon, teaspoon, garlic crusher, sharp knife, salt and pepper grinders
Small stainless steel pot and pyrex bowl to fit inside or a bain marie
Stainless steel or iron frying pan/wok

Method

1. Brown trimmed chicken livers in pan, using 1oz (25g) of butter, and cooking about 2 minutes on each side or until they are just pink inside. Transfer to food blender.
2. Melt 5oz (150g) of butter and add to blender.
3. Add chopped shallots and crushed garlic** to pan; cook until transparent. Pour alcohol on shallot mixture and stir any residue in the pan until you have a sauce. Pour over chicken livers.
4. Now add mustard, allspice or mace, oregano or thyme, and blend until the mixture is as smooth as you like it. Divide between buttered pots.
5. Melt remaining 2oz (300g) of butter in bain marie, and pour over pate in pots to seal. Decorate with oregano flowers or a sprig of leaves.
6. Cover with film (or Gladwrap in NZ) and keep in fridge until required.
7. Serve with a good wholegrain toast or, if you prefer, Melba or Sicilian toast.

*Conversion rounded up for grams

**Thanks to Maggie Moriarty for spotting that the garlic had not gone in with Version One.

Fishmore Hall, Shropshire

Take an exclusive tour of the award-winning kitchens at Fishmore Hall and see where the magic happens. Better still, get involved.

A lovely Georgian-style hotel in glorious Shropshire, this poem to comfort and style is run by Acorn Award-winning Laura Penman.

For a creative corporate team building package with a difference, you can book Fishmore Hall’s ‘Chef for a Day’ package, and learn how they cook in the countryside.

This exclusive package invites delegates to get involved in the kitchen, and take part in a cookery demonstration with Fishmore Hall’s Head Chef, David Jaram.

David and his team have a passion for innovative dishes, and for making the best of local and seasonal produce. This approach is an integral part of hospitality at Fishmore Hall.

The two day ‘foodie adventure’ begins in the afternoon with a two course light lunch in Fishmore Hall’s award winning restaurant, followed by half a day of Cheese and Wine Tasting with the Chef and Restaurant Manager.

The afternoon is designed to be fun, with some friendly competition; guests split into small groups, and are provided with a variety of cheese and wine to taste. They are encouraged to work out which cheese matches the selection of wine. And why it works.

Later on, relax after a fun packed day with a champagne and canapé reception, followed by a three-course dinner from the seasonal a la carte menu.

Next morning, guests awake to a full Shropshire breakfast, followed by a light lunch. On the second day of the visit, the group can enjoy a cookery demonstration and tour the local cheese shop, the Ludlow Food Centre, and several suppliers who provide the hotel with fresh local food.

Luxury Bedroom, Fishmore Hall

Guests can try out the local beer in one of the most historic pubs in Ludlow, the Church Inn, or explore the delis and local shops of Ludlow.

The group then put on their aprons and get on with the work of preparing dishes. They will be encouraged to take part plucking and butchery, as well as baking cheese crackers, and organising the evening’s canapés, using ingredients purchased during the day to create a delicious evening meal.

Package rates start from £400 per person, including two nights’ accommodation at Fishmore Hall on an ‘exclusive use’ basis, half a day of activities, cookery classes, both evening meals, and the corresponding wines. A seven course Tasting Menu, with matching wines, is available for the additional cost of £35 per person or group.

Up to 15 rooms are available (two people sharing a double or twin room) and a package can be booked for 30 people, nd subject to availability.

For further information on Fishmore Hall, please visit the website or ring 01584 875 148.

Mollymook Beach, South NSW - Photo©VDuBourdieu

Long known as an expert on travel to the South Pacific, Austravel now has a special microsite for easy access to its luxury travel sector.

The site is simple to get around, gives a broad view of Australia, and allows users to search for accommodation and excursions by name or region.

For instance, it offers customers the chance to take one of Australia’s great railway journeys onboard the chairman’s private carriage on the Ghan.

For little more than the regular fare, you can travel with family or friends in privacy and comfort across the Australian landscape.

•    Your cabin is a private lounge during the day;
•    By night, your private cabin converts to your choice of comfortable, double or twin beds with quality bedding;
•    An oversized panoramic window in your cabin offers you a unique perspective on the ever changing Australian landscape;
•    You can also stretch your legs and take meals in the elegant Queen Adelaide Restaurant Car, including a la carte dinners.

For those who want to book excursions, Luxury Australia provides access to sea planes in Sydney, and escorted tours of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Austravel luxury microsite covers Saffire, a stunning resort on Tasmania’s Freycinet Peninsula and Wolgan Valley, Australia’s most environmentally responsible tourist destination.

The newly refurbished Crown Towers in Melbourne is also a hot property on the site.

As well as a wide selection of images, the microsite offers access to Google maps so that visitors can see luxury resorts and their stunning locations – up close and far away.

Wellington, NZ - Photo©VDuBourdieu

Founded 32 years ago to showcase travel in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, Austravel is known for its great deals.

These include individually designed holidays, cheap flights, hotels, cruises, and escorted tours.

Austravel prides itself on finding the right holiday for its customers, and has won the Australia Tour Operator of the Year Award three times out of the last five years at the Tourism Australia Awards.

Link to Austravel’s new luxury site here:

Children, Millenium Square, Bristol. Photo Tamany Baker.

There’s never been a better time to travel to Bristol by train.

First Great Western has teamed up with Bristol hotels, attractions and restaurants to offer excellent money saving deals in 2010.

Simply pick up a leaflet at the station or visit the First Great Western website to find out more, and to download your free voucher online.

National Express has some great 2-for-1 offers when travelling to Bristol by coach. Please click here.

Clifton Hotels

Discount: Stay 2 Nights or more from £49 at any of four, individually styled hotels in Clifton – one of the most attractive and affluent areas of Bristol.

These hotels offer a range of accommodation from contemporary rooms to simple but comfortable facilities, all situated within beautiful Georgian buildings. Offer valid from Sunday – Thursday, 18 July to 2 September, excluding 1–5 August.

Book by telephone on 0117 946 7469, and quote ‘Summer Stays’ or log on here.

Bristol Hotel, Harbourside
Two nights with strawberries, champagne and a free dinner in the River Grille on arrival, with full English breakfast daily
From £95 per room, per night, every day of the week. Free parking from 4pm Friday to 10am Monday. Upgrade to Deluxe room available.
Book by telephone 0117 923 0333 or log on here.

Last Minute Weekends – Bristol Marriott
An excellent family hotel near Harvey Nichols and Cabot Circus, the Bristol Marriott Hotel’s ‘Lift Your Spirits Promotion’ with 20% off weekend rates; from £73 in July.
Book by telephone on 0117 929 4281 and quote ‘Lift Your Spirits Promotion’ or log in here.

See other 2-for-1 deals on the Visit Bristol website.

The new range of herbal teas from organic herbal expert, Pukka Herbs is great for summer.

Sebastian Pole, Pukka Herb’s herbal director and co-founder, wanted to ensure they delivered real punch and flavour and he gets my backing on that.

Unlike some herbal and fruit teas, and this is true for the entire Pukka range, there are no ‘fillers’, artificial ingredients or added sweeteners.

Three Mint tea is sweet and fresh, with a delicately aromatic scent.  Mint has been used to support health for thousands of years in many different cultures; it refreshes the palate and helps with digestion.

Three Ginger tea is rich, spicy and stimulating with ginger root, galangal root and golden turmeric root: a great mid-afternoon drink to warm up circulation, settle the digestion and uplift the spirits.

Three Berry tea is Pukka’s first ever fruit tea and – to my mind – it completely roars past any other fruit teas I’ve tried; the combination of sweetness and real berry flavour has made it my favourite for first drink of the day.

Berries have long been used in traditional healing and the combination of elderberry, blueberry and blackberry used in this tea guarantee a high level of antioxidants. Unlike other berry teas, it has very high fruit content, with 87% real berries, as opposed to flavourings.

Sebastian Pole used the ancient Indian wisdom of Ayurveda in creating these teas (see the interview with him).

Pukka Herbs now sells 17 different types of teas, some of which are stocked by leading retailers.

The complete range is available online here.

Related articles

• Ayurvedic Remedies for Arthritis (herbal-properties.suite101.com)

Bristol International Balloom Festival 12-15 August, 2010. Photo by Gary Newman.

Summer in Bristol just got hotter. Destination Bristol announces summer late deals.

The summer late deals include a £20 return train fare to Bristol from London, numerous hotel discounts and two-for-one attraction offers.

This is your opportunity to catch great summer sights and events like the Bristol Harbour Festival, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, and the anniversary celebrations of Brunel’s ss Great Britain.

All summer late deals and Bristol activities are available here

Bristol Harbour Festival (30 Jul - 1 Aug 2010)
Now in its 39th year, Bristol’s big Harbourside event features entertainment across eight stages with an eclectic range of music. There is also a children’s festival, and a youth area featuring BBC Blast, circus and dance stages.

This all takes place before a backdrop of hundreds of colourful vessels in the floating harbour . The Harbour Festival will close with a stunning fireworks display.

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, four days: 12-15 August

Now in its 32nd year, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta has become Europe’s biggest Hot Air Balloon event, and one of the UK’s top five outdoor events. This attracts 500,000 visitors over four days, and it’s FREE .

There are mass Balloon ascents at 6.00am and 6.00pm, daily, the famous ‘Nightglows’ on Thursday and Saturday evenings, over 250 trade stands and caterers, and a variety of other entertainments.

Summer Late Deals For Travel, Hotels And Attractions

First Great Western £20 return fare available through to 25th July
First Great Western, in conjunction with Transport for London (TfL), are running a special promotion to encourage Londoners to explore Great Britain this summer.

They are offering Oyster card holders huge savings on off-peak rail fares to Bristol. London to Bristol return train fares are discounted to £20 and single ticket fares start at just £5.

You can even book your wheels on First Great Western trains and take your bike to this UK cycling city.

Channel 5 TV presenter, Suzi Perry, gives her backing to National Motorcycle Week,18 to 24 July.

The annual National Motorcycle Week campaign aims to create awareness amongst the public, media and politicians about the benefits of motorcycling. It starts next week on 18 July.

People are being urged to ride to work on Wednesday 21 July, and to take a friend or colleague with them.

‘Ride to Work Day‘ will highlight that motorcycling cuts congestion, pollution, journey times, and is both convenient and flexible.

National Motorcycle Week emphasises the important point that owners are from all walks of life, and that riding a bike or scooter can make positive social, environmental and economic contributions to the world around us.

This year the slogan is ‘ Get On - Life is Better on Two-Wheels‘.

The aim is to encourage existing riders to become more active, and get the most out of their bikes, whilst encouraging new riders to give bikes a go by participating in a free, one-hour taster session with a local trainer.

As an added incentive during July, Get On are running a prize promotion which allows any biker who introduces a friend at a Get On dealer the chance to win a huge range of prizes, including biking holidays, Weise kit, Arai helmets and Pirelli tyres.

Non-bikers won’t miss out either as they will be entered into the draw for iPads, iPod nanos and digital cameras. The competition can be entered at one of 450 participating Get On dealers across the country. 

Suzi Perry, who was a presenter at this year’s BBC coverage of Royal Ascot, suggests people take the opportunity to get out and about and enjoy life on two wheels.

She says, “Bikes have been a huge part of my life and are such a fantastic way to get around. Not only do they help you get ahead of the traffic but they’re also more economical, greener and a huge amount of fun.

“For many people, the thought of getting into biking can be a bit intimidating and it can often be confusing about what licences and training you need to be able to ride a bike. ‘Get On’ strips all this away.

“Not only can anyone try riding for free without any commitment but the website also offers a one stop shop on all you need to know about getting into biking. What’s even better is that you can win great prizes just dropping into a dealer to talk about it.”

Anyone can get involved in National Motorcycle Week, and people who are interested in running their own events can think about planning a bikers BBQ, a local charity fundraiser, getting some extra training or going on a group ride –out to celebrate all that is positive about life on two-wheels.

More information and an event pack is online in the campaigns section of the industry website

Free rides can be booked here.

Ironbike Race August 14, Ishgl, Austria: TVB Paznaun-Ischgl

The Austrian resort of Ischgl wants to ensure that everyone can take place in two big summer racing events in August.

First up is the Ironrun event on August 7, the second event is the mountainbike challenge on August 14.

But that’s not all. The Paznaun Valley also offers a wealth of other activities and attractions to holidaymakers, including the first Ischgl Hot Air Balloon Festival in August.

Amongst other activities, there are guided walks on mountain paths that take in the pilgrims’ route of Jakobsweg. And food is never far behind, where the Austrians are concerned.

Up in Jakobsweg, the mountain huts offer traditional Tirolean dishes with a modern twist. These have been devised by top Michelin-starred chefs from around Europe, including Ischgl’s very own Michelin chef, Martin Sieberer.

For more information and accommodation packages in Ischgl and its Paznaun Valley neighbours of Galtür, Kappl and See, please click here.

Ironrun Event in Ischgl, August 7

Runners will take pride of place on the mountain when the first Ischgl Ironrun is held on August 7.

The run is open to anyone from beginner to competitive mountain runner, and the course has been tailored to suit different levels of ability.

The entry fee is 15 euros, and online registration needs to be made by August 5. An entry form can be found here:

Ironbike Event in Ischgl, August 14

Mountain bike challenge, Paznaun, Austria, 14 August: Ironbike Race August 14, Ishgl, Austria: TVB Paznaun-Ischgl

On August 14, Ischgl will run the toughest ironbike event in Europe.

This unique mountain bike event – with the biggest prize money – puts novices and stars together at the start, but allows novices to complete a shorter course so that everyone has a fair chance to finish the race.

The leading entrants will push themselves to the limit in Ischgl’s mountain bike highlight of the season as they set off on a 79-kilometre course, with 3,820 metres of altitude to conquer. This includes a trip across the border to Samnaun in Switzerland.

Altogether, more than 1,000 riders of all standards are expected to take part, chasing a total in prize money of 20,000 euros, and the cachet of being the toughest rider of the year.

Once started, less advanced riders can choose to do either the full course, or one of two shorter routes. The ‘newcomers’ route’ is 27 kilometres long, with a 750-metre altitude difference. The medium route is 48 kilometres long, with 2,050 metres of altitude.

The entrance fee is 32 euros, and includes free food stations along the route, a photo, a bike wash service, and a pasta party afterwards.

More details here.

John Torodes says, “I really hope that no one who tries this dish portions it up neatly in the kitchen and then takes it to the table or packs the couscous into little ring moulds and serves slivers of guinea fowl balanced on top. This is wonderful, honest, stick-the-pot-in-the-middle-of-the-table food.”

GUINEA FOWL
1 guinea fowl
a little olive oil
2 carrots, cut into chunks
6 dried prunes, dates or figs
rind of 1 preserved lemon, cut into strips
1 mint sprig, leaves chopped
Harissa, to serve

CHERMOULA
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove
1.5cm piece ginger, roughly chopped
100ml olive oil
100ml lemon juice
1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 heaped tsp honey
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
1 handful flat-leaf parsley
1 handful coriander

COUSCOUS
100g couscous
1 tsp salt
100g butter, cubed
1 small handful sultanas

The day before cooking, put all the ingredients for the chermoula ina blender and process until smooth. Pour over the bird and marinate in the fridge overnight.

Next day, heat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade (gas 7). Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the bird on all sides over a high heat. Put the carrots, onions and fruit into the tagine and place the guinea fowl on top. Pour in about 400ml water - enough to come 1cm from the top of the tagine base. Cover and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180 degrees centigrade (gas 4) and cook for another 45 minutes.

About 15 minutes before serving, rinse the couscous in cold water and put in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and scatter with the butter and sultanas. Pour on enough boiling water to cover the couscous by about 1cm. Cover and leave for 10 minutes or until the grains are plump and tender.

Open the tagine at the table and scatter with the preserved lemon and mint. Serve the couscous and harissa separately.rested chicken over the dish as well. Sprinkle with the last of the chopped herbs.

Click here for Chicken Tarragon recipe.

John Torode’s Chicken and Other Birds is published by Quadrille.
www.quadrille.co.uk

At the back of the book is a list of Poultry and Game Dealers, retailers, farms, stalls and online retailers.