Food Biadh

[Seonag] Nuair a tha mise a’ dol a dhèanamh cèic, ’s toigh leam a bhith a’ cur am fruit mar a tha sultanas ’s raisins ’scurrants, mixed peel ’s na cherries agus na h- almonds, ’s àbhaist dhomh an cur am bogadh an oidhche ron àm ann am branndaidh no uisge-beatha, agus airson cèic den t-size a tha seo ’s àbhaist dhomh leth-bhotal branndaidh a chur innte. ’S dòcha ma tha ùine agam, ’s dòcha gun dèan mi oidhche no dhà ron àm e ’s dìreach ga chumail, ga chur mun cuairt ’s tha sin a’ fàgail ann an seo gu bheil e nas buige ’s tha am blas dìreach a’ dol tron chèic uileadh. Agus chuir mi ann dusan unnsa de churrants, còig unnsaichean sultanas, còig unnsaichean rèisidean, trì unnsaichean de cherries, dà unnsa mixed peel agus dà unnsa de dh’almonds.

[Màiri] Agus leth-bhotal branndaidh.

[Seonag] Agus leth-bhotal branndaidh, co-dhiù. Ach bidh barrachd a’ dol ann nuair a bhios a’ chèic deiseil cuideachd. So tha sin agam air a chur dhan bhobhla seo mar-thà. Rinn mi sin a-raoir, fad na h-oidhche.

[Màiri] Agus mar as tràithe a nì sibh cèic, mar as tràithe air a’ bhliadhna a nì sibh cèic ’s ann ’s dòcha as blasta a bhios i aig àm na Nollaige.

[Seonag] ’S ann, ’s ann. ’S toigh leam a bhith gan dèanamh ’s dòcha trì mìosan air adhart airson ’s gu bheil e, tha sin a’ toirt dhomhsa ùine thoradh uaireannan, aig aon àm ’s dòcha gum bithinn a’ dèanamh ceithir deug no còig deug de chèiceanan ach ’s dòcha gu bheil mi air mo dhreuchd a leigeil dhìom chun na h-ìre sin co-dhiù.

[Màiri] Tha tòrr obrach anns na cèiceanan seo, nach eil, agus cosgais annta cuideachd?

[Seonag] Uill tha. Tha cosgais annta gu ìre ach tha e math nuair a chì thu iad a’ tighinn gu chèile, nach eil? Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e sin, nuair a thèid thu gu banais no rudeigin ’s a chì thu a’ chèic agad ann an sin bidh thu ag ràdh riut fhèin “wow ’s e mise a rinn siud!”.

[Màiri] Agus tha sibh a’ dèanamh chèicichean-bainnse tric?

[Seonag] Uill tha mi, ’s e sin an rud as trice a bhios mi a’ dèanamh. Bidh mi, ma gheibh mi fiathachadh gu banais ’s e sin an rud a bhios mi a’ tabhainn dhaibh mar phrèasant bainnse.

[Seonag] Chan eil agamsa ach mixer beag. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil a h-uile mixer a th’ agam, gu bheil iad air an loisgeadh a-mach.

[Màiri] So sin a-nis, tha sibh air an t-ìm agus an siùcar ruadh ...

[Seonag] Uh huh, còig unnsaichean de shiùcar ’s a bharrachd air sin chuir mi leth spàin-tì de mhixed spice agus cinnamon ann cuideachd. Agus a-nis bidh mi dìreach a’ cur ann na h-uighean, dìreach rud beag aig an aon àm.

[Seonag] Agus a’ dèanamh cinnteach nach eil a h-uile dad gus a dhol na bhrochan.

[Seonag] Agus ma bhios cùisean a’ dol, fhios agad ’s dòcha gun tèid e na ...

[Màiri] Agus flùr?

[Seonag] Flùr plèan, no bhiodh a’ chèic a rugadh gu siorraidh nuair a thigeadh i a-mach às an àmhainn.

[Màiri] Beag air bheag tha Seonag a’ cur ceithir uighean ris, agus seachd unnsa mìn-fhlùir.

[Màiri] Tha fhios gu bheil e math aig àm na Nollaige cèic a bheir seachad a tha sibh fhèin air a dèanamh?

[Seonag] Uill tha agus mar a thuirt mi an sin tha e a’ toirt toileachas-inntinn mòr dhomhsa nuair a bhios mi a’ toirt seachad cèic no ma bhios mi aig banais agus gu bheil mi a’ faicinn gun tèid agam air cèic a dhèanamh cho math ri ’s dòcha cuideigin a tha gan dèanamh gu proifeiseanta. Tha a-nis, tha seo uileadh, tha na measan a tha seo uileadh air an cur còmhla agus chan eil mi ach dìreach a’ dol ga chur ann dìreach rud beag mu seach. Dìreach airson a dhèanamh cinnteach gu bheil e air a bhleith a-staigh.

[Seonag] Am pìos mu dheireadh a-staigh a-nis.

[Seonag] Nis mar as trice nuair a tha mise a’ dèanamh cèic mar seo, bidh mi a' cur a h-uile sìon airson a bhith cinnteach gu bheil e uileadh air a bhleith còmhla agus ’s e mo chròg a bhios mise a’ cleachdadh anns a’ bhobhla dìreach airson a h-uile sad dheth a dhèanamh cinnteach.

[Màiri] An-còmhnaidh rud aig bonn a’ bhobhla, nach eil? Nach eil air ...

[Seonag] Tha.

[Seonag] Agus dìreach airson a dhèanamh cinnteach gu bheil e uileadh, agus cho math ’s gu bheil a h-uile rud ann an dealan ’s a h-uile rud a gheibh thu, tha do chrògan cho math ri dad sam bith eile.

[Màiri] Dè a-nis?

[Seonag] Nis, dhan àmhainn.

[Màiri] ’S dè seòrsa teas aig am feum an àmhainn a bhith? Am feum i a bhith teth, teth no?

[Seonag] Uill ma tha mi a’ dèanamh na cèic a tha seo, dà uair a thìde, dà uair a thìde gu leth.

[Màiri] A h-ochd òirlich a tha seo?

[Seonag] Uh huh. Ach ma bhios mi a’ dèanamh na cèic mòire, an rud as àbhaist dhomh dèanamh ’s e a cur dhan àmhainn mus tèid mi dhan leabaidh air an oidhche ’s tha i deiseil anns a’ mhadainn. Bidh mi an dòchas!

[Seonag] Nis tha an soitheach againn deiseil agus cha bhi mise ach a’ dòirteadh seo, mar a thuirt mi le mo chròig airson bha na crògan ann fada, tha mi cinnteach, mus robh na beaters ’s ... Agus tha cuimhne a’m mo sheanmhair ’s ann le a cròig a bha i a’ dèanamh a h-uile dad, fhios agad, a’ bleith a h-uile dad ’s bha i cho, cho math, mar a bha a h-uile duine eile anns na h-eileanan. Sin agad a-nis a’ chèic.

[Màiri] Tha am fear sin deiseil airson a dhol dhan àmhainn.

[Seonag] Tha sin gus a bhith deiseil.

[Màiri] Dè seòrsa teas aig am feum an àmhainn a bhith?

[Seonag] Ceud gu leth. Dà uair a thìde eile.

[Seonag] Aon uair ’s gu bheil mi air cèic a dhèanamh ’s àbhaist dhomh a fàgail aon oidhche dìreach gus am fuaraich i uile gu lèir, agus an uair sin uair san t-seachdain suas gu àm gus am bi an icing ’s am marzipan a’ dol oirre, ’s àbhaist dhomh tuilleadh branndaidh a chur oirre. Agus dìreach steall beag a chur air, uill steall bheag no steall mhòr - tha e a rèir dè na tha thu ag iarraidh oirre. Agus bidh mi a’ dèanamh seo, ’s na gabh uallach mu na bhios a’ dol dhan bhobhla idir. Tachraidh rudeigin dhan seo! Agus tha mi a’ fàgail seo mar seo, can, an-diugh air an taobh seo ’s tha mi an uair sin a’ cur na cèic mar gum biodh air an taobh seo. Tha mi ga cur dhan tinfoil agus a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil i gu math teann ann am pàipear. Nis can seachdain no ’s dòcha deich latha tionndaidh mi a’ chèic an taobh seo ’s nì mi an aon rud a-rithist oirre. Agus nì mi seo suas gu dìreach an àm aig a bheil i a’ falbh airson icing.

[Màiri] Ga tionndadh uair san t-seachdain?

[Seonag] Uair, seachdain no deich latha no mar sin ’s tha sin a’ fàgail gu bheil am branndaidh a’ dol roimhpe. Tha e a’ fàgail gu bheil a’ chèic bog agus deagh, deagh bhlas oirre, chanainn. Fhad ’s a tha i ann an tiona agus i air a stòradh ceart, mairidh cèic mar sin airson bhliadhnaichean.

Chaidh am prògram seo, Fuine, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2013. Le taing do Caledonia TV.

[Seonag] When I am making a cake, I like to put fruit in such as sultanas and raisin and currants, mixed peel and the cherries and the almonds, I usually steep them the night before in brandy or whisky, and for a cake of this size I usually put in half a bottle of brandy. Perhaps if I have time, perhaps I will do it a night or two before and just keep it, mix it and that leaves it softer and the flavour just goes through the whole cake. And I added twelve ounces of currants, five ounces of sultanas, five ounces of raisins, three ounces of cherries, two ounces of mixed peel and two ounces of almonds.

[Mairi] And half a bottle of brandy.

[Seonag] And half a bottle of brandy, at least. But more will go in when the cake is finished too. So I have that put in this bowl already. I did that last night, all night.

[Mairi] And the earlier you make a cake, the earlier in the year that you make a cake it might be tastier be at Christmas time.

[Seonag] Yes, yes. I like to make them perhaps three months ahead because it is, it gives me time because sometimes, at one time perhaps I would make fourteen or fifteen cakes but perhaps I have stopped to that extent anyway.

[Mairi] There is a lot of work in these cakes, isn't there, and there is a cost to them too?

[Seonag] Well yes. There is a cost to them to an extent but it is good when you see them coming together, isn't it? I think that that, when you go to a wedding or something and you see your cake there you say to yourself "wow was it me who made that?".

[Mairi] And you often make wedding cakes?

[Seonag] Well I am, that is the thing that I make most often. I will, if I get an invite to a wedding that is the thing that I offer to them as a wedding present.

[Seonag] I only have a small mixer. I think that every mixer that I own is burnt out.

[Mairi] So there now, you have ... the butter and the brown sugar ...

[Seonag] Five ounces of sugar and as well as that I added a half teaspoon of mixed spice and cinnamon too. And now I just add the eggs, just a little bit at once.

[Seonag] And making sure that everything isn't going to go hotchpotch.

[Seonag] And if things go, you know perhaps it will go ...

[Mairi] And flour?

[Seonag] Plain flour, or the cake would rise non-stop when it comes out of the oven.

[Mairi] Seonag gradually adds four eggs, and seven ounces of flour.

[Mairi] Surely it is good at Christmas time to give a cake that you yourself have made?

[Seonag] Well yes and as I said it gives me great pleasure when I give a cake or if I am at a wedding and I see that I can make a cake as just as well as perhaps someone who makes them professionally. Now, this is all, all these fruits are mixed together and I am just going to add it just a little bit at a time. Just to make sure that it is mixed in.

[Seonag] The final piece in now.

[Seonag] Now usually when I make a cake like this, I add everything to be sure that it is all mixed together and it is my hand that I use in the bowl just to make sure of it all.

[Mairi] Always something at the bottom of the bowl, isn't there? That hasn't ...

[Seonag] Yes.

[Seonag] And just to make sure that it is all, and although all this electrical equipment you can get is good, your hands are as good as anything else.

[Mairi] What now?

[Seonag] Now, to the oven.

[Mairi] And what sort of temperature does the oven need to be? Does it need to be very hot or?

[Seonag] Well if I am making this cake, two hours, two and a half hours.

[Mairi] This is eight inches?

[Seonag] Uh huh. But if I am making the big cake, what I usually do is put it in the oven before I go to bed at night and it is ready in the morning. I hope!

[Seonag] Now the dish is ready and I just pour this, as I said with my hand because hands existed long, I am sure, before the beaters and ... And I remember my grandmother it was with her hand that she did everything, you know, mixing everything and she was so, so good, as was everyone else in the islands. There now is the cake.

[Mairi] That one is ready to go in the oven.

[Seonag] That is almost ready.

[Mairi] What sort of temperature does the oven need to be?

[Seonag] 150. Another two hours.

[Seonag] Once the cake is made I usually leave it one night just until it completely cools, and then once a week up to the time until it gets the icing and the marzipan on it, I usually add more brandy to it. And just add a little splash to it, well a little splash or a big splash - it depends what you want on it. And I do this, and don't worry about what goes in the bowl at all. Something will happen to this! And I leave this like this, say, today on this side and I then put the cake as though on this side. I put it in the tinfoil and make sure that it is very tight in paper. Now say a week or perhaps ten days I will turn the cake this side and I will do the same thing to it again. And I will do this up to just the time that it goes for icing.

[Mairi] Turning it once a week?

[Seonag] Once, a week or ten days or so and that means that the brandy goes through it. It means that the cake is soft and has a very good flavour, I would say. So long as it is in a tin and stored properly, a cake like that will last for years.

This programme, Fuine, was first broadcast in 2013. Courtesy of Caledonia TV