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Shetland Isles

Britain’s most northerly food blogger

Cookery for Northern wives: recipe for bannocks

How to eat mussels: tips and recipes

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

msmarmitelover

At a posh hotel in Japan you can get an incredible

At a posh hotel in Japan you can get an incredible selection of foods, both western and Japanese. @tim.spector told me about the healthy microbiome properties of Japanese breakfast. It isn’t much different to their other meals- usually consisting of rice, miso soup, raw egg cracked over hot rice, nori seaweed strips, sometimes potato or pasta salad with mayonnaise, often some green salad or cabbage, pickles plus my favourite umeboshi plums. But at a large hotel you get a much greater range which is a real insight into local specialties. I’m in the region of kumano, to watch the Japanese rocket launch kairos which is launching from here. Last night I attended a Buddhist prayer ceremony and ritual to pray for a successful launch. There is a space race happening right now, with the USA and Elon musk ahead, to control space. Other countries such as Japan and the UK are trying to get a toehold. The Shetland islands attempted a launch this summer. But it’s also a problem because there are hundreds and thousands of small satellites orbiting the earth, the size of shoe boxes, forming space junk. There is a Japanese company who are trying to clean up space. #kumano #kairos #japan #space #rocket

Tasting different types of citrus juice @10factory

Tasting different types of citrus juice @10factory_dogo at dogo onsen in Matsuyama city. I’ve long been fascinated with citrus. The Japanese version of the @marmaladeawards was held nearby this year. Some of the best marmalade makers in the world are Japanese. Shikoku is known for its citrus such as yuzu, sudachi and Mikan. I’ve been collecting pips from roadside citrus. Will have a go at growing some. This shop has a tasting board of different citrus juices from the unshu family. They range from sweet to sour. Some have grapefruit flavours, some are more clementine. This little film shows my notes after tasting 6 different types. #japan #citrus #shikoku #matsuyama

Arrival at temple 45. An eyrie high in the sky. Af

Arrival at temple 45. An eyrie high in the sky. After a walk through forests, vivid autumnal colours, leaves blowing in the harsh cold wind. Today I’ve walked 14km but it felt longer. This is one of the coldest regions of Shikoku, but also very beautiful. Tonight staying at ‘National lodgings’ with dinner and breakfast. Leaving tomorrow for Matsuyama, a city. I’m just over halfway through my ‘Henri’ pilgrimage of 88 temples. #japan #solotravel #solowoman #walking #pilgrimage #buddhism #shikoku

From kochi City Sunday market to Temple 38 on the

From kochi City Sunday market to Temple 38 on the cape, the southernmost tip of Shikoku. It’s been a hard journey, with tears, pain, fear, distrust, frustration, anger, boredom. Running out of money, a creepy older guy, a vicious young woman, haughty scorn from Buddha bros telling me to lower my standards in terms of being vegetarian but hey they are kind and all knowing but also kindness and concern from local Japanese. I’m about a third of the way through. I’ve had to compromise by taking transport sometimes. But I try to walk 20km a day. #solotravel #femalewalking #pilgrimage #shikoku #88ohenro #japan #olderwomen

My latest substack week 2 of my Shikoku pilgrimage

My latest substack week 2 of my Shikoku pilgrimage: https://open.substack.com/pub/kerstinrodgers/p/week-2-shikoku-88-temple-pilgrimage?utm_source=app-post-stats-page As this trip is self-funded I’d really appreciate subscriptions! Thank you to everyone that has subscribed so far, especially paid subscriptions which help finance my travel writing. The images here are of today’s journey to and around temple 28. Plus last nights izakaya meal- eating chips with chopsticks- I’m blending in! The charming but slightly mad hostess who admits she’s a beginner, playing a song while I’m eating. #shikoku #henro #pilgrimage #japan #solotravel #substacknewsletter

Temple 27 on the 88 temple pilgrimage in Shikoku.

Temple 27 on the 88 temple pilgrimage in Shikoku. I guess I am a true English woman because I prefer a day getting soaked in the rain to the endless shadeless sunny motorways which drive me insane. Temple 27 is an 11 km hike through the forest from the main road. They have a shop and cafe ( just coffee no food) at the top which was a welcome rarity. As most Japanese do this pilgrimage by car ( what is the merit in that? None I suggest, unless you are old and infirm) there a few facilities for walking pilgrims, wet, thirsty and hungry we may be. I’ve had a bad couple of days but I persist. Pictures include temple 27, the rain drenched path, the brown rice ball I was given to eat by last nights hostess, the still dark morning when I left my lodging, the coffee bar with hand crocheted seat covers #walking #pilgrimage #solotravel #japan #shikoku

This lady is Fujita tokiko - the mum of the presid

This lady is Fujita tokiko - the mum of the president , Fujita Yasushi, of the yuzu company @ogonnomura_yuzu he is investing in his home village of Kito. She’s been picking yuzu for 50 years. She’s wearing a yakke , farming wear, which is padded therefore protecting her from the long thorns on the yuzu trees.
Here are some other famous citrus you can find on Shikoku:

Kabosu citrus - green- sourer
Sudachi: small green - similar to lime but more perfumed. I had it on my grilled red snapper last night- delicious
Yuzu: yellow medium sized- perfumed zest
Mikan - orange like a mandarin, for eating #citrus #shikoku #japan #pilgrimage #kito

The yuzu harvest happens in November on the island

The yuzu harvest happens in November on the island of Shikoku. It’s a unique citrus that chefs adore. It grows here because of the extremes of temperature. But the average age of farmers is 70 years old. It’s hard to get workers because of the long thorns on the branches. A yuzu lasts about a week so it’s a very seasonal ingredient. Everyone is excited when it’s yuzu season. They tried to grow yuzu in Spain but it’s not cold enough. #farming #japan #shikoku #yuzu #citrus #kito

My day pack for 49 days- 88 temples around Shikoku

My day pack for 49 days- 88 temples around Shikoku. Bare minimum. Bottom and clockwise: thin white nightdress; pilgrim vest and bonnet in white; 3 pairs socks ( 1 antiblister , 1 merino wool); 1 black sports bra; I red swimming costume; 1 red rain poncho; I white puffer jacket, super light from @uniqloeurope; headphones for audiobooks; 1 pair plastic shoes; 2 water bottles ( 1 for hot 1 for cold); yellow day pack; passport and money in plastic bags; 1 pack vitamins & paracetamol for aching legs; 1 battery pack: cables; I Japanese adapter; 1 yellow purse for change; 1 marker pen for writing signs to other pilgrims like do not go up here; 1 pack post-it notes; to stick into guide book; 1 roll tape in case things break; 1 lighter; 1 fire lighter; m hairbrush; factor 50 tinted sun protection @larocheposay; @discoversuri toothbrush in recharging carry case; toothpaste; Vaseline tin; 1 pack blister plasters; 1 lipstick; 1 credit card sized Swiss knife set @victorinox ( brilliant gets through airport scanners no problem); 2 packs tissues ( which could double as toilet paper); 1 glasses( can be sunglasses too) on chain; 2 pairs knickers from @muji and @uniqloeurope ; 1 pair trousers @marksandspencer ; 1 guidebook/map for Shikoku ; 1 temple stamp book; at bottom: I merino thermal long sleeved sweater in black; 1 white heat tech long sleeved sweater lightweight from @uniqloeurope; 1 short sleeved white T-shirt @mujiuk. Not in picture: hiking boots that I bought and used on the Camino and my pilgrims stick. I have a bell attached to my day pack to frighten off the ‘dangerous monkeys’, deadly hornets, vipers, wild boars and snakes. Most places have a washing machine so I’m in a kimono now while I wash and photograph these. I had to forgo a diary and my laptop, makeup, toiletries, books; nice clothes! But even this is a lot to carry! Especially the last couple of hours of trudging.
#henro #shikoku #pilgrimage #longwalk #packinglight #solotravel

750 mile circuit, 88 temples, November, December,

750 mile circuit, 88 temples, November, December, citrus season, Shikoku, the 4th largest Japanese island. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. #travel #japan #pilgrimage #shikoku

Trying the peatiest whisky in the world @bruichlad

Trying the peatiest whisky in the world @bruichladdich Octomore. It uses the Isley peat which has marine flavours, to smoke the barley from which you get the mash which translates into whisky. A normal whisky has 20-30 ppm ( peat parts per million). Here I taste 3 types of Octomore which go up to an astounding 307 ppm. What do I think? #whisky #peat #islay #outlanderfans

@fishoutofh20 wrote a beautiful cookbook bayou pub

@fishoutofh20 wrote a beautiful cookbook bayou published by @artisan_books the photography is gorgeously atmospheric. I know where the crawdads sing brought to life in cookbook form. All about Cajun food, feasts and seasons. She also ran The Mosquito Supper Club. #cookbooks #cajun #bayou #photography

It’s a marmite subject but I love a smoky peaty

It’s a marmite subject but I love a smoky peaty whisky. (I also like an oaky wine). I’m looking forward to trying these drams out. I guess I should open my @drinksbythedram adventure calendar every evening rather than the morning. 🥃🥴🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 peatiness can be measured in phenols. Most whiskies have a phenol rating of 30. But @bruichladdich has the Octomore which has a phenol level of 307- want to try that. #peat #whisky #dram #christmas

Before and after: my substack on refurbishing my E

Before and after: my substack on refurbishing my Edwardian building. Everything you need to know about doff cleaning, repointing with lime, repairing masonry and sandstone, historic colours, paint. @graphenstone https://open.substack.com/pub/kerstinrodgers/p/refurbishing-my-edwardian-building?r=3873k&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I’ve been cooking with this peat smoked tomato s

I’ve been cooking with this peat smoked tomato sauce from @peatdfoods , a Scottish start up. Smoked flavours are a bit marmite, but I love them.

I made poppy seed kifli, a Hungarian crescent past

I made poppy seed kifli, a Hungarian crescent pastry filled with ground poppy seeds. I tried these with judít of @antiquebuyingtripinhungary at a Saturday morning flea market in Budapest and decided to recreate them. Recipe up on the blog soon. I 🖤 poppy seeds, they are like legal heroin, culinary morphine. Only downside is they get in your teeth. #hungary #sweetpastries #kifli #poppyseeds

Everything I did in Hungary: from agricultural dro

Everything I did in Hungary: from agricultural drones with @abzinnovation to a flea market visit with @antiquebuyingtripinhungary discovering Hungarian textiles and embroidery , eating lángos, kifli, paprika potato stew and soup, visiting the pince caverns in Páty, going to the paprika museum in Szeged and visiting paprika farmer Agota Hodi. #visithungary #paprika #pary #pince #fleamarket #turkishbath #budapest #szeged

Scottish food and drink: Scotland is famous for i

Scottish food and drink:
Scotland is famous for its porridge and whisky.

I ate at several restaurants in Glasgow:
Mussels and cranachan at @mharsanta mharsanta

Cocktails and a raspberry soufflé at The Gannet, a Michelin star restaurant

For high tea, I went to @mackintoshatthewillow tea rooms. Love the @burleighpottery china- with a specially designed willow pattern. Sauchiehall street is Gaelic for willow, hence the willow motif that Charles Rennie Mackintosh threads throughout the design of the tea room. Every table has a bell to order sandwiches, scones, tiny cakes, washed down with their special house blend of tea.

I ate a traditional Scottish breakfast of porridge at @cameronhouselochlomond near Loch Lomond. Their breakfast bar had a Bloody Mary Station!

At the Great Scot bar, some bottles of whisky cost 3.5k, a wee dram can cost £650. A whisky locker costs £300 a year. Some of these lockers commemorate whisky drinking relatives. I saw a brass plaque saying ‘To daddy’. 🥲

The grill at Cameron House served grilled royal turbot with a salsa verde sauce and lobster. Their La Vista restaurant served fantastic modern Italian.

Slange var - which is how you pronounce slàinte mhath- cheers!

My article for @matadornetwork on screen tourism i

My article for @matadornetwork on screen tourism in Scotland. I spent a week touring Scottish castles, villages and ports used for Outlander. If you are a fan too, go check these out: https://matadornetwork.com/read/outlander-filming-locations-in-scotland/. Locations: Glennap castle; Troon; Dean castle; Culross village; ( where Geilis Duncan the witch lived ); Blackness castle(Jamie’s prison); Midhope castle (lallybroch); Falkland ( Inverness in the series); Doune castle (castle Leoch)

My mum turned 86 this weekend. Still beautiful and

My mum turned 86 this weekend. Still beautiful and stylish. Strawberry dress by @boden_clothing

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