Category Archives: Stories

A Kinrowan Estate story: Foxes

Though fox hunting by the gentry was common in Scotland for centuries, this Estate never allowed them to be hunted here, so the Estate foxes have thrived. Even when we had a Gameskeeper here, before we abolished that position and … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: A Cookbook (A Letter to Anna)

Dear Anna, I’m going to pitch a book for that culinary folklore seminar you’re teaching next Winter here for those visiting food writers, as I really think it’ll be a good addition to that endeavour. One of Several Annies, Iain’s … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Apple Brandy

A letter from Lady Alexandra Margaret Quinn, Head Gardener here in the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India, to Tessa, her botanist friend who … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Our Pub

It was a fairly typical evening in our Green Man Pub. The weather had turned sharply colder even for this time of year  and that meant a steady flow of custom her which kept Finch, my lead barkeep, busy along … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Stockpots

There’s always a need for a bowl of hot stockpot soup no matter what the hour, be it the Eventide meal or for a break from watching the ewes during lambing season all night long (a task I gratefully now … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Irish coffee

Let me tell the tale of Irish coffee while I fix you one. It is said the very first Irish coffee was invented by Joseph Sheridan, a barkeep at an airbase located in Foynes, a small town in the West … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: New Years Eve

Time is never called in my recurring dream of pubs. — Ciaran Carson in Last Night’s Fun: In and Out of Time with Irish Music It is a hundred different late evenings in the deep of a hundred different winters in … Continue reading

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A Kinriowan Estate story: A Package from Budapest

Nicholas Winter, the Global News Service correspondent who’s a friend of many folks here, just sent Bela and others lovers of Hungarian food a very tasty shipment of food and spirits from Budapest! The lucky soul got to spend December … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Hrafnfreistuor (A Letter to Anna)

Dear Anna, Did I tell you that Local 564 of the Ancient and Venerable Guild of St. Nicholas, which represents Santas, Santa’s helpers, department store elves, tree trimmers, candle lighters, professional gift wrappers, goose stuffers, roast chestnut vendors, plum pudding … Continue reading

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Greening the Estate (A Letter to Anna)

Dear Anna, It’s over the past fortnight that the greening of the Estate took place and that means I’ve been very busy gathering such things as holly, winter berry, pine boughs, pine cones, and setting up the Several Annies and … Continue reading

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