Modern Scots love and knowledge of our countryside owes a great deal to the late Tom Weir. We change our usual format for this feature to present a photographic tribute to Tom Weir which appeared recently on Electric Scotland, Our grateful thanks to both Alistair McIntyre, Electric Scotland, and photographer David McConnell Hunter for their permission to use the fine photograph’s of Scottish scenery in ‘Tom Weir’s Country’.

With the continuing good weather perhaps the only cooler places would be up the Scottish hills so beloved of Tom Weir. It is the sort of weather of which Scots say “We’ll pay for it! We’ll pay for it!”  As the nights draw in, bit by bit, we have reminders that autumn is not too far off and thoughts should turn to preparing for a touch of summer sunshine in the depths of winter! Over the next few weeks we will provide some chutney and jam recipes which will do that, starting this week with Old Fashioned Apple Chutney.

Old Fashioned Apple Chutney

Ingredients: 1 ½ lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped; 12 oz onions, peeled and chopped; grated rind and juice of 2 lemons; 6 oz sultanas; 4 oz chopped walnuts; 2 tbsp mixed spice; 1 tsp salt’ ¾ pint of good malt vinegar; ½ lb Demerara sugar

Method: Put all of the ingredients except the sugar into a large preserving pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the apples have softened. Add the sugar and continue to simmer until the mixture is thick and almost dropping consistency. Spoon into prepared jars, seal and label.