Christmas season orders for the Clapdarnach Incense Cones were well up on last year.
Due to the popularity of my Clapdarnachs I’ve been receiving a lot of mail, asking for more details about the manufacturing process. I can’t give away all the secrets but I thought I would post some popular FAQs.
Q. At what age do you do perform crutching on your sheep?
A. Well, that’s a very interesting question. As many of you know, crutching is when you shave the fleece from the sheep’s under tail and hind legs, to prevent dangleberry staining. The answer is, therefore, I don’t do any crutching. I harvest my clapdarnachs straight from the sheep and this area of fleece is important to their housing.
Q. What time of year is best for clapdarnach harvesting?
A. Harvesting is a year round process, but we don’t do it on Sundays until after church or until last orders have been called and all the glasses have been washed and put away at the wool shop. The weather must be dry, in order for the clapdarnachs to keep their firm shape.
Q. Do you brush your teeth before harvesting?
A. Ah, yes, good question and I know where you are coming from here. The answer is NO, never, unless the toothpaste is cinnamon flavour. A crofter’s Number One Rule is to always remember that the smell of mint is terrifying to a lamb.
Q. My lambs have been exposed to the smell of Minty Tic Tacs. What should I do? Can you recommend a good therapist?
A. Try Murdina at the Butcher’s shop. She has chust completed Part One of the “Onions Without Tears” cookery course called – Oven Ready Lamb Without Bleats. Meanwhile keep all Polos and Extra Strong Pandrops well out of range.
Q. How do you get that delicate kipper aroma on the Smoke-cured Santa’s Raindrop Clapdarnachs? I bought some for my girlfriend’s mother and her cats chust love it.
A. Ah, now I can’t be giving away secrets on the smoking process, but it’s all to do with the age of the sheep’s urine that I use to marinade the wood chips.
Keep the questions coming, and I’ll publish the best ones.
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2 comments:
is clapdarnach production under threat from "artificial imitations" that according to a well known rock group are even better than the real thing
What rock group would that be now, Cyril? Is it granite, sandstone or that bonnie red caithness stone?
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