"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

Jack Black said:
No whisky-laden ships being grounded? ;)

When I was a kid, and we had power-cuts, all us children loved it! We got to burn candles and paraffin-lights, go out in the DARK, and some of our parents even conversed with us for a change instead of watching the TV! Me and my dad read all the James Bond books during the winter of '71!* :D


* - One of us was 10 and found them rather juvenile! ;) :D
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Early in the eighteenth century a Spanish merchant vessel beat through a storm into the Scottish harbor of Dundee. She was carrying a cargo of Seville oranges and apples. The storm continued, and the cargo was perishable. James Keller saw a change to make a killing. He bought the cargo for a firesale price. Alas, none of his countrymen would buy the bitter tasting fruit. Keller’s goodwife saved the day. She converted the entire load into pots of jam. That was the origin of Dundee marmalade.

In Iberia, James Michener reminisced about pre-Civil-War Spain. Along the way he described feeding the Marmalade Mills.

While a student in Scotland, I had shipped as chart boy aboard a Clydeside freighter which lugged coal to Italy and brought back oranges from Spain to be used in the marmalade factories of Dundee…

I now discovered why the oranges were delivered in steel drums, for the captain directed that a hose be thrust down into the Mediteranian where the water was clear, the ordered the deck hands, “Knock out the bungs,” and presently all the drums were opened and I saw that the oranges inside had been cut in half. The resulting juice, of course, did not fill the barrel, and the empty space was now to be filled with sea water.

“What’s the idea?” I asked.

“Everything sloshes back and forth, all the way home to Dundee,” the captain said.

“To accomplish what?”

“It prepares the rind for making marmalade.”

There were two schools of thought aboard our ship. The captain held that the action of salt water ate away the pulpy part of the rind and left the skin translucent, as required in the better brands of marmalade. The pulp and juice would be thrown away. “Nonsense,” one of the deck hands argued. “Everything in that barrel is mixed with sugar and then boiled down to make the bittersweet taste of a true Dundee marmalade. Without the salt water it wouldn’t be worth a damn.”
 
Jack refers to an event that occurred on the island of Eriskay, Outer Hebrides (only five islands south of me) in the early 40s. The S. S. Politician ran aground there and the locals took what they could of its cargo of whisky and banknotes - customs kicked off about it because there was no duty paid.

There's a pub there now call Am Politician, which still displays a few of the original un-opened bottles of malt. I had a few drams there this summer, though not of the salvaged kind which is of course not for sale.

;)

There was a Compton Mackenzie novel and film about it;

 
pmew said:
Jack refers to an event that occurred on the island of Eriskay, Outer Hebrides (only five islands south of me) in the early 40s. The S. S. Politician ran aground there and the locals took what they could of its cargo of whisky and banknotes - customs kicked off about it because there was no duty paid.

There's a pub there now call Am Politician, which still displays a few of the original un-opened bottles of malt. I had a few drams there this summer, though not of the salvaged kind which is of course not for sale.

;)

There was a Compton Mackenzie novel and film about it;

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Thanks, Paul.

That's my kind of shipwreck.

It reminds me of one Seattle incident. I’m borrowing from Ivar’s Acres of Clams website:

The Northwest dining legacy that is Ivar’s began with one very entrepreneurial spirit—the late Ivar Haglund. Haglund was a true Seattle icon, known as an entertainer, folksinger, restaurateur and ultimately, the "King" of the Seattle waterfront. In 1938, 33-year old Haglund opened Seattle’s first aquarium on Pier 54. As droves of people lined up to view the Puget Sound sea life Haglund had collected, he noticed his patrons were working up an appetite. Haglund quickly began to sell clam chowder and fish n’ chips from what is now known as Ivar’s Pier 54 Fish Bar. An instant success, Ivar’s Restaurants were born.

As Haglund was a well-known radio personality, Ivar’s Acres of Clams and Pier 54 Fish Bar received plenty of on-air promotion. Known for his outrageous stunts and buzz-building antics, Haglund was also a sound businessman and able to see opportunities where others could not.

In 1945, Haglund turned a messy situation (a train car spilling corn syrup all over the street in front of Ivar’s) into an advantage by heading into the spillage with pancakes, a big spoon and a camera—creating headlines by telling crowds and reporters, “Eat at Ivar’s. We don’t spare the syrup!”
 
Raymond, thanks for your posts. I come to BF to learn about knives, but so often I learn a lot of other interesting information that's not knife related. Who knew that marmalade had such international swashbuckling roots?

- GT
 
pmew said:
Jack refers to an event that occurred on the island of Eriskay, Outer Hebrides (only five islands south of me) in the early 40s. The S. S. Politician ran aground there and the locals took what they could of its cargo of whisky and banknotes - customs kicked off about it because there was no duty paid.

There's a pub there now call Am Politician, which still displays a few of the original un-opened bottles of malt. I had a few drams there this summer, though not of the salvaged kind which is of course not for sale.

;)

There was a Compton Mackenzie novel and film about it;

Click to expand...

And also a poem:

THE SS POLITICIAN
by Angus Mcintyre

"Och, times are hard in Barra"
You'd hear the Badochs cry.
"No food to feed a sparra!
And effery bottle dry."
Old men, once fresh and frisky,
So full of ploy and play,
Dropped dead for want of whisky,
The blessed Uisque Bae.
Now, the dusty dry Sahara
Is a bare and barren land,
But the drought that year in Barra,
Was more than man could stand.
Aye, life was hard and cruel
And days were long and sad,
When the strongest drink was gruel,
And the war was going bad.
A cleffer man, old Hector
And wise the words he said:
"Without the barley's nectar,
A man is better dead."
But strange the ways of Heaven,
When men in darkness grope.
Each sorrow has its leaven,
Each tragedy its hope.
The great ship 'Politician'
Her hold stocked high with grog,
Steamed proudly past the island,
And foundered in the fog.
A case was rent asunder,
Twelve bottles came to grief,
When the Barra surf - like thunder -
Came pounding on the reef.
And then the scent of nectar,
Came on the wild wind's breath.
"I smell it..." screamed old Hector
"It's whisky - sure as death".
He yelled out "Kirsty, Kirsty,
Bring down my oilskin coat.
No more will we be thirsty,
Salvation's in that boat."
Though thirst her tongue had blistered,
Old Kirsty forced a laugh.
"I'm coming too," she whispered,
"It's me that needs a half."
Now, Chon MacNeill was dying,
The death that's far the worst.
No end so sad and trying,
As the fatal pangs of thirst.
For weeks he had been lying,
Without a sign of life,
And all the neighbours crying,
For his nearly widowed wife.
He sobbed, "I am delivered,
From the torture I am free".
As his nostrils flared and quivered,
In the glory from the sea.
He shook, chust like an aspen,
The man they thought was dead,
An' sighin' gulpin' gaspin'
He vaulted out of bed.
Barefooted, in his nightie,
He slipped from out their reach,
With steps both long and mighty,
He headed for the beach.

There is more to the poem. But the forum won't let me post it.
 
Thanks for the fascinating posts Raymond, some great history, and I enjoyed the poem too :)

Thanks too Paul, that must have been a great trip :) I have a copy of the film, with various extras about its making, which are of interest. I believe it was released in the US as Tight Little Island, and I dare say some of our older members are familiar with it.

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I think there's a whole chapter assigned to the incident in Bella Bathurst's excellent book The Wreckers, which I can't seem to locate on my bookshelves, but thoroughly recommend :thumbup: I just hope that I haven't leant the book to someone while under the influence, as I've lost a lot of books like that over the years! :eek: :D
 
It´s a strange winter this year... it just was freezing once and just a little some nights ago. I was just out with baby Max on a walk and I see almost green leaves on trees and bush. Some years ago we were under a deep cover of snow right now. We have 13° Celsius and the sun is shining....
 
Another holiday away. Leave for Afghanistan on Thursday. Will return 6 January 2015. Just enough time to miss another holiday season with the family. Wife is a bit down.
 
leghog said:
Another holiday away. Leave for Afghanistan on Thursday. Will return 6 January 2015. Just enough time to miss another holiday season with the family. Wife is a bit down.
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Safe travels, and in case you don't have good internet there, I'll say "Merry Christmas", now.
 
On the last day of our trip to Costa Rica, my wife and I were heading down to the beach to watch the sunset. When we got to the beach there was much excitement going on, so we ran over to where the group of people were all gathered. We were privy to one of natures true miracles, a nest of about thirty leatherback turtles were emerging from their sandy womb, and crawling their way to the mighty Pacific for their very first swim!
Witnessing this event touched me very deeply, a spectacle I will cherish for all my days...


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Fantastic Duane, thanks for sharing your experience, and that beautiful sunset. Sounds like a wonderful trip my friend :thumbup:

Take care Leghog :thumbup:
 
Congratulations, Dad!! You need to drop the "aspirant" from your sig when you get a chance :D
What a great photo of your magnificent new son! Hope you're all doing well.
Fasten your seatbelt, because the "father adventure" can be a wild ride at times!
What a Christmas present!

- GT
 
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