The key difference between jam and jelly is that jelly is made with fruit juice while jam contains whole chunks of fruit.

Serve with finely peeled rhubarb, place in ice cold water to make it curl, then swizzle around a herb sprig. So when a Save Scotland’s Caledonian pine forest fundraising leaflet popped through my door at home from Woodlands trust I wanted to get involved.The Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) charity has reopened its 105 mountain huts, shelters and howffs after more than a year of closure due to Covid. The overwhelming majority of these are in Scotland and they reopened in August for what the MBA described as “ responsible use”, pointing out that Covid has not gone away. The bothies are all sorts of shapes and sizes in varied locations – many are extremely remote and operated with the agreement of owners and estates and maintained by MBA volunteers since the late 60s and early 70s. The sloes skins will split as they thaw - this is a good sign as it means the flavour will be released throughout the fruit. Seal your sterilised container and shake My show is full of stories and tales from the hills. Some come directly from my own experience, like when I talk about what it was like to be caught in a life and death situation in an avalanche. Other scenes in the show are more light-hearted, such as when I act out an encounter with a strange creature during a night in a lonely bothy.” Decades ago many bothies were in a poor state, some in danger being lost completely. They had earth floors, tumbling walls and leaking roofs

Burns practices escapism in it’s simplest form – hill walking. Getting out on your own, armed with a map, a compass and a stout pair of boots. (And often, as required in Scotland, a small bag of coal, a large bottle of whisky, some food and a sleeping bag.) The book is filled with articles or essays and jumps around a little, but that doesn’t affect the cohesiveness. All the tales portray his sense of wonder at nature, and glee at his semi-retired state meaning he can go walking whenever he likes. Heartily jealous, John. In Bothy Tales, the follow-up to The Last Hillwalker from bestselling mountain writer John D. Burns, travel with the author to secret places hidden amongst the British hills and share his passion for the wonderful wilderness of our uplands.The Millars are fourth generation members of the original founding family of North Street Dairy, and has played a key role in the launch of Bothy Butter. Burns chapters include the weird and the wonderful – alternative realities, hilarious encounters and even…a murder! Yet there are also serious ruminations about what it means to truly be in the wilderness. And how dangerous this can be. There are also tears amongst the belly laughs -the chapters where Burns writes about his father and the grief he carries are beautiful. However, what’s key is that there is more room for creativity. There are several upcoming collaborations, new flavours and products the Bothy team are working on which we’re really excited to announce later this year.”

Eleanor’s event starts at 6.30pm on Tuesday 14 November. Bothy Tales with John D. Burns is being held on Monday 13 November at 6:30pm. The events will include an audience Q&A and a chance to buy signed copies of books. John Burns will be performing his one man show Bothy Tales, based on his bestselling book of the same name, on two dates in October and November.

Summary

In some ways, how we make gin today hasn't changed much from the old ways of homemade rhubarb gin. You can still find us foraging for pine and heather, or eagerly awaiting the first pull of the rhubarb stalks. We use traditional methods of production - every bottle is numbered, batched, and poured by hand. Sugar: Sugar helps create the magical web of pectin strands that gives jam its quivering texture. Sugar also acts as a preservative to prevent mould and maintain the jam's glossy, rich colours.

Steve described it perfectly whilst helping me forage and gather pine needles from lower hanging branches in the forest: we are guardians of the land and here to protect it for generations to come, to him this clearly isn’t just a job, his passion and commitment emulate and I definitely left feeling this is his vocation and the future of the forest was in safe hands. Gin Bothy has gone on to become one of Scotland’s best known premium gin and rum brands producing over 65,000 units each year sold across the UK and exported internationally. A brand-new spirit range from the Best Artisan Drinks Producer 2020 (Scottish Rural Awards) Gin Bothy, Hipflask Spirits, launches today, Friday 8 th January 2021. Hipflask Sloe Bramble has already been selected as one of Aldi’s next top products and will be available in all Scottish stores in spring this year. Of course, the exact location of the sloes is one you’ll need to discover for yourself — that’s part of the fun of foraging! What is Sloe Gin? Served with a light tonic and a slice of orange it is the perfect companion to Scottish smoked salmon and smoked game charcuterie.

For me there is a simplicity in these places and a quiet peace can be found within their walls which constantly draws me to them. In performing Bothy Tales, I'm trying to bring these remote places alive and to say something about the pleasure I have in exploring them." Sales will initially be limited to the Bothy Experience shop in Glamis or the newly-opened Bothy Larder on 6 Lochside Road, Forfar. Oh, what a shame you weren't here last week, she says, pity radiating from behind her horn-rimmed specs. You've missed him. Scots pine is the natural wood of the highlands and in autumn light was a patchwork forest, one of the most stunning landscapes I’ve seen.