What a special evening it is to celebrate Burns Night. I look forward to it every year, where family and friends come together for a feast in front of the fire and a few sing-alongs. With its poetry and music, it is always a wonderful oppourtunity to make for a memorable evening and in the midst of the wintry months, the warm, rousing celebration of Scottish heritage is wholeheartedly welcomed.
There are a few non-negotiables to consider when hosting; ‘neeps and taties’, haggis, whisky and of course a roaring fire are all completely necessary, but there are a few special touches I like to mix into the setting when hosting.
I love to forage the surrounding castle grounds to adorn the table with wild heather, thistle, moss and leafy shrubbery atop my ‘Gunn’ tartan tablecloth along with my antique silver thistle candelabras. Each year, we find a slew of cast stag antlers on the estate within the Cairngorms National Park and having collected these, I have had some crafted into cutlery, candelabras and other decorative pieces, enhancing the ambiance within Forter.
We have two dining spaces in the castle; the Kitchen and the Great Hall. At this cosy time of the year, the more casual, kitchen-adjacent dining room is the place we find ourselves nestled for breakfast. I travelled across the British Isles sourcing much of the fine bone china and tableware and I treasure the ‘countryside bird’ mugs I found in a beautiful little shop in a neighbouring village.
Spanning the length of the castle, the Great Hall is perfect for hosting, there is a large, inset wood-burning fireplace, which sets an idyllic cosy scene, and the mahogany antique bookshelf is softly lit by the warm glow of the flickering fire. The impressive open space features a large dining table for sixteen guests and this centrepiece is where my brother, Sebastian traditionally leads us into reciting Robert Burns’ poetry and traditional Scottish songs are sung.
My Heart is in the Highlands
By Robert Burns
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.
Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend as you celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Burns. Let us carry forward his passion for storytelling and his love for tradition. Whether toasting with friends or nursing a quiet and reflective whisky, I wish you an evening full of warmth and inspiration.
Slàinte Mhath
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