Carina writes a monthly column each month for Scots Magazine. The Scots Magazine is a monthly publication packed with entertaining and informative features on Scotland’s people, places, culture and leisure.Every issue is a celebration of Scotland’s rich urban and rural life- from the great outdoors to the vibrant city scene; all complimented by stunning photography.
Childhood Treat Food!
Wednesday’s in the summer were our fun days. They were theonly days we got off – even at 10! Working in an ice cream shopwith your seven brothers and sisters was great fun, we wereanything but hard done by, we had a ball and were paid in sweets!My brother John Mark (number 7) and I (number 8) would headinto Edinburgh with Margaret, our all round fairy godmother. Wenever got a summer holiday abroad; Peterhead was the highlightfor the October holiday. But Wednesday’s were our lottery days.We were, and still are, even at 93years old Margaret’s bairns. Shespent all the wages she got from my father on us! We were spoiledrotten. Every morning under our pile of clothes (actually under ourpants) we’d get 50p. When I think of it now it was a fortune. Sowith our 50p’s added up for our pocket money we’d head intotown. Please don’t tell my children they only get £4 now. Let’sjust say it was old money!If there was a new film we’d walk up to the Odeon on Clark Street.Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones all the greats! There was atiny wee Italian café just along the road. Beef burger with friedonions in a bun followed by an oyster (ice cream in a wafer shellwith marshmallow dipped in chocolate and coconut). Food heavenfor 10 years olds. After the cinema we’d head to Jenner’s. Do youremember all those face masks that decorated the entrance as youheaded down into the toy shop? It was like a trip to Disneyland justwalking down the stairs! If this wasn’t enough, the big treat wasstill to come. Straight across the road, over to Princes StreetGardens for a round of putting and a carton of chilled pink, fresh,strawberry milk from the vending machines. The vendingmachines were an adventure in themselves. You never quiteknew, until the very last moment if they’d just keep your 10p andthe milk!I think about this almost every day when I’m working in TheScottish Cafe & Restaurant at The Scottish National Gallery. Mylife has changed so much but I’m surrounded by my lovelymemories at every opportunity. Such happy days!We’ll I’m older, not so sure about the wiser and I still lovestrawberry milk but I like it just a little bit more grown up.Strawberry Amaretto Milkshake for me, on the menu at The RoyalMile Cafe. Now Margaret has never touched a drop of alcohol inher life – promise you won’t tell her I’ve slipped a wee dram in, justlike the 50p, for the fun of it! Happy drinks!
Recipes to follow! Keep an eye on our blog!
