Thistle ‘n Dixie www.caledoniansocietyofneworleans.com Volume 49, Number 07 Editor: Derek Ewart [email protected] March 2021 Editor’s Comments The Scottish Connection With Fàilte mo chàirdean NASA’s Mars Mission (Faal-cha mow harsh-din / Welcome. my friends) NASA’s latest rover, Perseverance, touched down on the Martian soil on February 18th, but few people are aware of the helping hand How was y’all’s Mardi Gras? It Scotland has provided in this Scottish themed mission. seems that 2021 wants to one up 2020! Can you believe that New WL Gore & Associates’ Space Centre of Excellence in Dundee, was Orleanian Scots missed out on responsible for manufacturing the Burns Night AND Mardi Gras? wires and cables used, not just for At least king cakes weren’t locked communications during the critical down! landing, but also on the Perseverance rover itself. As I write this, it appears that New Orleans is moving closer to more In addition to this, two of the rover’s relaxed lockdown measures, so we cameras are named after two of Sir can hold out hope that our end of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous year party may still take place like characters. SHERLOC is used to we remember, pre Covid. identify the environment that would have formed Mars’ rocks, while Next month will see Tartan Day WATSON will be observing the dust celebrated again, but not yet in its and rock debris found on the planet. normal format. This always invloved a pararde in NYC, but One of the aims of this mission is to this year will no doubt take on a drill for samples, in an effort to virtual presentation. Look out for evaluate the possibly of creating a liveable habitat for a human colony. any emails and Facebook posts if the Board has any celebrations Were you aware that the bore holes created by the previous Mars rover, planned for 2021. Either way, Curiosity, are named after Scottish towns and cities? In addition to don’t forget to wear your tartan on Glasgow and Edinburgh, you can also find Aberlady, Stoer, and th April 6 . Kilmarie, all newly situated on Mars! Not only that, but the area being drilled is named after Scotland’s Torridan region due to it’s similar geological look.
If you have any news or items you The similarities do not end there. Scientists of James Hutton Institue want included in the newsletter discovered from data sent back by the Curiosity rover, that the minerals then you can contact me at on Mars were incredibly similar to the basaltic soils found on the isles [email protected]. of Skye and Mull! Is it possible that a Mars fragment collided with these areas at some point? Tapadh Leibh Perhaps the book is right when it says women are from Venus and men (Tapa leev - Thank you) -at least Scotsmen- are from Mars. This may also explain the high Derek proportion of red heads! Time – 2:00-3:00 pm Program- Burns Luncheon Information – The aspects of the delayed event are still being finalized. More information will be available here when confirmed. Please note that the requirements for attending the following meetings are the wearing of a mask and Member and Society News observing a six foot distance from fellow attendees. If you have any member news to include in the These meetings will also be streamed using Zoom, newsletter, please let Christyn Elliott know at her e- so look out for an email with more details on how to mail address or home phone number so that she can join the meeting remotely. We are also looking at pass the information on to me for the next putting these meetings online for anyone who newsletter. cannot attend Society member and Daughters of the British Sunday, March 14, 2021 Empire President, Jane Caruso, would like to inform people of the DBE’s At Home Afternoon Venue – Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church, Tea. With meetings still not available, there is the (Audry Reich Hall) opportunity to buy “Tea in an Box.” This allows 2221 Chippewa St, New Orleans 70130 participants to have this British experience at home. Time – 2:00-3:00 pm Please read the following flyer for more Program- Celtic Britain and Roman Britain information. Information – This will include a video and discussion on the topic.
Sunday, April 14, 2021
Venue – Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church, (Audry Reich Hall) 2221 Chippewa St, New Orleans 70130 Time – 2:00-3:00 pm Program- The Romans in Britain and Scotland Information – Connie Rodriguez will lead this program, showing the influence of Rome in the British Isles
Sunday, May 16, 2021
Venue – Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church, (Audry Reich Hall) 2221 Chippewa St, New Orleans 70130 Time – 2:00-3:00 pm Program- Annual General Meeting Information – Open to all. Keep informed about how the Society has been operating in the last year.
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Venue – Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church, (Audry Reich Hall) 2221 Chippewa St, New Orleans 70130 Other Events interest, so if you know of someone who would be interested, please send their information for April will see the return of the first Celtic Festival inclusion in the courtesy e-mail group. All mass e- in the South since Covid wiped out last year’s mails are sent to recipients “bcc” for privacy. schedule. The Scottish Tartan Festival will be held in Minden, LA on April 10th. The gates open Social Media at 10:00am, and close at 6:00pm. Admission is $10 for adults, with children 12 and under paying $5, The Society has a website with many links and while children under 6 get in free. In addition to the gallery pictures for everything Scottish! In case you regular attractions of pipes, music, and dancing, haven’t seen the site yet, all you need to do is just there is also a workshop for Scottish history and click on, or copy and paste the following link: also for the Gaelic language. For a full listing of http://www.caledoniansocietyofneworleans.com/. events and activities, go to the following site, The site also has a very useful resources page, https://scottishsociety.wixsite.com/tartan-festival. where you will find almost everything you could think of needing. This has links that can help you As Covid restrictions relax, we expect to see more with ancestry, heraldry, and even learning more festivals returning this year. Once we have more about Scottish Gaelic(gaa-lik). information we will be posting it here and on Facebook, so keep your eyes peeled! In these times of social distancing and masks, don’t forget that you can still be social and not get too Yearly Dues close. Have you checked out our Facebook page? If not, then you’re in the minority. You can find us As we head down the final stretch of the Society’s by looking for “Caledonian Society Of New strangest season, I would like to remind all our Orleans,” and hit the like button to follow us. members of the importance of paying their yearly dues. Family rates are $25, while Individuals and Our most popular post in Students pay just $20 and $10, respectively. February was a Mark Twain quote about Mardi Gras, which It’s not much to pay, but what we receive goes a also mentioned Edinburgh. long way in helping pay for monthly meetings, Why not let us know what type refreshments, and major events on the CSoNO of posts you would like to see schedule. With many Covid requirements for actual on our page? We want to meetings, and the additional costs involved, your engage with everyone. If you like anything you see dues are more important than ever to ensure on our page, then why not share or even comment. compliance with State and Parish directives. This helps us to be seen by more people, and in turn grow our numbers. If you are currently receiving our newsletter on our courtesy list, why not consider upgrading to become Time For Gaelic a member. As you can see, the fees are low and you will receive news of all events and invitations not This month I am happy to normally issued to those just on our courtesy list. provide more resources for your Gaaelic learning Please send your payments to Wendy Grubb, 8131 adventure. Jefferson Cohn St, New Orleans, LA 70118. Alternatively, Parish Public Libraries you can hand them in at the next meeting. offer languages on it’s website. You can find Newsletter two links to use - one for Mango, which I have CSoNO members receive the newsletter by e-mail already brought to your or post. A complimentary e-mail newsletter is also attention, and another sent to non-members who have expressed an which takes you to Pronunciator, an online link which lets you choose how you want to learn. This second option allows learners. I have tried this myself and feel that this is you to tailor make your learning experience in a one of the better sites. way that suits your exact needs. You can also download the Bluebird app. After trying this app If you have tried learning Gaelic and are struggling, out, it appears that Pronunciator and Bluebird are then why not get in touch with me at the same source, but allows the option of learning [email protected]. I have been learning on your device or laptop. since November 2019, and, with the inclusion of Gaelic in the newsletter, have had to become a I am hoping that, with all the different options, teacher too. Who knows, there may be enough people are starting to see that Gaelic is not as people to start a support group!! daunting as that first day of trying to learn. Words which were once undecipherable are now making Castles Of Scotland sense. As always, it is important to be consistent when using these sources. Several lessons a day, Name: Cairnbulg Castle even the same ones over and over again, are Location: Cairnbulg, Aberdeenshire ultimately more useful than trying to cram in as Year Built: 13th Century many words as you can in a day, but not using the Clan Affiliation: Fraser app again for a week. Just as absence makes the heart grow fonder, repetition improves understanding.
Even though I provide a selection of words and phrases each month to learn, nothing can beat the satisfaction of being able to hold a conversation, no matter how brief. A quick Fàilte becomes, Fàilte agus halò, ciamar a tha thu? Tha mi air bhioran. Tha Gàidhlig cho spòrsail.
Always remember that learning takes time, so don’t be upset if you sometimes have a bad day. I’ve had Originally called Philorth, until being renamed in a year’s worth!! 1615, it’s original purpose was to serve as a coastal defence after the Norse excursions under King Don’t forget to check out these learning apps. Haakon decades earlier. The first castle was destroyed during the Wars of Independence, shortly after it’s construction. The ownership of the estate by the Comyns ended after this, with the Fraser clan taking control and rebuilding the castle in 1380.
It appears that, after picking the wrong side against uTalk Duolingo Mango Robert the Bruce, the castle did not see any other form of action in it’s history. Through the years, In addition to these apps, you can also find useful the castle saw numerous changes of ownership resources on the following sites, amongst various Fraser relatives. 1775 saw Cairnbulg leave Fraser hands, when George rd https://www.learngaelic.net/ Gordon, 3 Earl of Aberdeen purchased the estate. https://www.fluentin3months.com/scottish-gaelic/ Unfortunately, he stripped the castle bare and https://go-gaelic.scot/ removed its stones to strengthen nearby buildings in the area, specifically built for his mistresses! The Learngaelic website also has a wide variety of ways to learn, including lessons for all grades of The castle was sold in 1863, and restored thirty three years later. Lord Saltoun, a descendent of the original Fraser family, purchased the estate, bring- As an intesting piece of trivia, the distillery is ing ownership full circle back to the Frasers. The located at the site of the 1690 Battle of Cromdales, current owner, Katharine Ramsay, is the great- which saw a Jacobite army defeated. great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Just For Fun Distilleries Of Scotland How did y’all do with our Valentine’s teasers? Five Name: Balmenach out of five? One out of five? Here are the answers. Location: Cromdale, Strathspey Whisky Region: Speyside 1. Where can alleged relics of St. Valentine be Whisky Type: Single Malt found in Scotland? Website : Not available Blessed John Duns Scotus' Church, Glasgow 2. The failed attempt of wooing which monarch led to poet Pierre de Bocosel de Châtelard’s being tried and executed for treason? Mary, Queen of Scots 3. After Sir John Balliol’s death in 1268, what item did his widow carry with her her until dying in 1273, and it subsquently being buried with her? His heart, embalmed in an ivory casket 4. Which Scottish tradition between unwed men and women would mean a marriage taking place? A written name being pulled from a bonnet three times 5. “So fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve Balmenach was just one site of many whisky am I” is from which Robert Burns poem? moonshine operations in 19th Century Scotland. A Red, Red Rose The Excise Act of 1823, saw the owner, James MacGregor, granted a license in 1824. This occurred just after a visit from an excise officer. And now we give you this months questions. When enquiring about the contents of a particular building, MacGregor told him is was just a peat shed. In response, the excise man told him “Well, I 1. Ninewells Hospital is a renowned teaching suggest you take out a license for it.” Clearly, the hospital near which Scottish city? wool had not been pulled over his eyes! 2. Which Scottish city is famous for its granite and oil? The site changed hands several times over the years. 3. In earlier times granite, used to manufacture WWII saw the distillery, like many others at the curling stones, was quarried where? time, close to reserve valuable war resources. 1947, 4. In 1839, what sport did the 'Eglinton saw Balmenach reopen after an expansion before Tournament' involve? closing again in 1993, by United Distillers, who had 5. The first ever Scotland soccer team was made up owned the site since 1987. Inver House purchased entirely of players from which club? the propery in 1997, and whisky production resumed, before they sold to the current owners in 2006. For those of you interested in sampling a I’m Fixin’ To Balmenach whisky, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait. The distillery is viewed as an important production When you live in Louisiana you know that a house, providing it’s own malt as part of the favorite topic here is either eating, talking about blending process for more well known brands. You eating, or talking about eating while eating, and not can, however, sample it’s limited edition Caorunn necessarily talking about what you’re eating! Gin, which has been in distribution since 2009. (Editor’s notes – I’ve had several bottles and can vouch for it!) For the Shortcrust Pastry Fruit Slice / Fly’s Graveyard Self Raising Flour - 14oz (3½ cups / 350g) Butter - 6oz (185g 1.5 sticks) Cold water
Method: Place all the fruit filling ingredients into a large pot and boil continuously for 3 minutes, stirring all the time until the mixture thickens and reduces. Leave aside to cool.
Now, make your shortcrust pastry. This needs to be light and full of air and handled as little as possible. Sieve the flour and salt into a large mixing Believe it or not, but this is better known as a bowl getting plenty of air in there. Rub all the fly’s graveyard, due to the raisin and currant Butter into the Flour until it resembles filling resembling a lot of dead flies! In spite of breadcrumbs. Using blunt knives to work it in to its name, the fruit slice is still popular in reduces handling. Scotland. Much like gumbo here, there are variations on how this fruit slice is made - some Add some cold water, a little at a time, sprinkling use puff pastry instead of shortcrust pastry. over the mixture and kneading until you get a soft dough. Don't over-knead as you will lose the air. Note that the word "raisin" is usually reserved Cut the mixture in two equal portions and roll out for the dark-coloured dried large grape, and the two halves over a floured surface. Lay out one "currant" is a dried small Black Corinth grape of the rolled pastry onto a greased 9 x 6 cookie (with "sultana" outside the US being a golden- sheet/baking tray, covering it completely. Spread the Fruit Mixture evenly on top, then lay 2nd rolled coloured dried grape) pastry on top of that. Brush the top with milk and put in a pre-heated oven at 375 F/190C for 20 If you want to be fancy, you can put icing on minutes. top - using 4 cups powdered/icing sugar and cold water. Alternatively, you can go with the Take out of oven and leave to cool. Once cool, you traditional sprinkled sugar, which goes over the can make up icing (if you want this) by adding a brushed-on milk before going into the oven. Or little water at a time to the icing to make a thick you can even sprinkle powdered sugar over the paste, making sure it is stiff. Smooth on top and top once it is out of the oven and cooled. leave to set. Once set, cut into 20 squares.
The ingredients below should be enough to Hopefully, these recipes are going down well, but if cover a 9 x 6 baking tray, providing 20 squares. you’re worried about trying any, we recommend cooking with whisky. After three drams we usually Ingredients: can’t remember what was being cooked anyway! We hope you have enjoyed this month’s newsletter. Fruit filling Our aim is to educate and entertain, as well as keep Raisins - 2 cups (300g / 10 ounces) our members informed and up-to-date on all things and currants -1 cup (150g / 5 ounces) currants (if Scottish. you can't obtain currants use 3 cups /450g 15g raisins in total) Sugar - 1 cup / 200g / 7 ounces Water - 1 cup /200g /7 ounces Tioraidh an-drasta! Cornflour/Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon (Chee-ree an drasta) (Bye just now) All Spice - 1 teaspoon