BBC ALBA is calling on Scots to dig out their old recipe books for new baking series
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BBC ALBA is appealing for Scots to share their cherished, inherited recipe books passed down the generations for a new series of Cidsin Granaidh Chalanais (Granny’s Kitchen).
These are the hand-written or even typed up collections of recipes gathered by aunties, grandparents or other relatives and passed down.
Presented by Gregor Macleod, the Caledonia TV-produced series returns in 2023, as he cooks and bakes up a storm from his kitchen in Callanish, Lewis and all over Scotland.
Gregor enjoyed the experience of cooking through his granny’s old recipe book, in which she had over 50 handwritten recipes.
The book is dog-eared and even includes additional notes in the margins with extra tips.
He relished the challenge of interpreting her recipes so much so that he wants to find out what culinary delights have been passed down by the rest of the country from their friends and family.
That’s where Gregor needs your help as he calls on you to look out your favourite old cookbooks or collected recipes for the new series.
Anything goes - from savoury bites to sweet treats and everything in between.
In the first series of Granny’s Kitchen Gregor cooked classic recipes like braised oxtail.
These are the tried and tested recipes passed down through your family or scribbled on the back of a jotter.
BBC ALBA is looking for a snapshot of Scotland’s larder - from Gaelic speakers, ideally.
From his granny Gregor learned so much about ingredients and cooking techniques of days gone by, like carrageen seaweed and oxtail, and he knows there’s more out there.
He said: “I learned so much about ingredients and cooking techniques of days gone by through my granny and the precious hand-written recipe books she passed down to me.
“From her recipes, I learned to cook and bake with ingredients like carragreen seaweed and oxtail – I know there will be plenty more treasures out there in books handed down by friends and family across the country.”
To tell Caledonia TV about your old recipe books email info@caledonia.tv and leave your name and phone number.
Please submit as many details as possible about the history of your recipe books and the recipes within them, as well any related pictures.
Meanwhile, Gregor is back with another BBC ALBA winter warmer as he returns with a new series of Fuine.
He visits home bakers from all over the Western Isles to bake - and sample - the recipes they can always depend upon, the true crowd-pleasers around the table.
In the first episode of series 8 Gregor bakes “Callanish muffins”.
The six-part Caledonia TV production is a warm hug on a cold night with a gooey centre bursting with flavour, from Donna’s coconut meringue tartlets in Stornoway to Gregor’s homebaked “Callanish muffins” which he serves up in his bed and breakfast!
Follow along and take recipe tips as other dishes such as Moroccan spiced lamb flatbreads in Point, baked Alaska in Barvas and espresso martini cocktails in Tong pop up across the series.
Fuine is truly a slice of Scotland and a taste of the islands.
Episode one of Fuine next airs on BBC ALBA on Friday 4 November at 8.30pm and each episode will be on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after first broadcast.
