Chocolate bartering

A few days ago on our local township WhatsApp chat, a neighbour posted up a query about a package that she’d received in the post that was clearly not meant for her. On opening it, she discovered a sample bottle of dark rum from the Isle of Barra distillery.

It had arrived addressed to The Manse but with no recipient name, and being the good and honest neighbour that she is, she put out the call to find the rightful owner rather than just drinking it. The reply soon came back from the occupier of the modern Manse to say that it was for him. Yes, we have two Manses in this tiny village in the middle of nowhere - not bad for a place with only about thirty houses in total.

However, it apparently wasn’t needed. A duplicate had been sent to the correct address and so it was suggested that should a slice or two of chocolate cake be forthcoming, the rightful owner would be pleased to do a swap.

Rum for chocolate cake. Hell, yeah. That was a deal.

I got to baking today. Once breakfast was cleared away and the kitchen worktops cleaned I donned my apron, assembled my ingredients and made a start. I made chocolate cake with a dark chocolate ganache and a sprinkling of chopped pistachios, and a second one for good measure with whipped pistachio creme and more chopped pistachios. Well, the oven was on so it seemed a shame not to fill it.

I used my alien knife to chop the nuts. There were a lot of them to do and I could have put them into the food processor, but I really wanted to see how it would cope. I’m pleased to say that alien vs. pistachios was really no contest, and that it coped beautifully.

The cakes were soon baked and decorated, some for neighbours and some for the honesty box. Husband was on his way down our windy hill this afternoon to help with a neighbours electrics and offered to transport them down in the car, a definite win as the day has been blustery and wet, as only a Skye March afternoon can be.

Who doesn’t love a little bartering session. It happens here on an informal basis all the time. Little reciprocal gifts, more accurately, such as a bunch of flowers for a baguette, or eggs exchanged from local hens for cake. It’s a way of community recognising everyone’s contribution and staying together.

I rather like it.