Comments on: Fly Cemeteries – Learning How to Bake the Irish…err…Scottish Way

By: cindy Ewings

cindy Ewings — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:41:35 +0000

The recipe “fly cemeteries” received it’s name from Maisies grand sons. I know because I am married to one of them. I too have tried to make her recipes but it is hard when she used regular kitchen utensiles. It took me a while to get her scones to come out like hers
but I finally did and now my mother in law says they taste better than grandma’s (ha,ha)

By: Jennifer Joray

Jennifer Joray — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:52:42 +0000

Hi! Thanks so much. I’m Scottish (Mother is 100%) but unfortunately don’t have many of my family’s trad. receipes. My mom just made all this stuff from memory, and although she’s only 72, doesn’t use fat, salt, sugar, or pretty much anything else that makes food good anymore . She doesn’t remember how to re-create these receipes that I grew up on (I’m only 34…). “Fly Cemetaries” IS what her mother, Helen Mackersy, called them, and that’s what my mom grew up with in Scotland. I have a little girl who’s turning 3, and another girl on the way. We’ve been cooking and baking together since she could hold a whisk, and she’s starting preschool tomorrow. I’ve been compiling lists of fun snacks and foods to include in her lunchbox. This is one receipe I will be making soon! Thanks.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:46:28 +0000

What a lovely story and memory! I love the idea of using a puff pastry crust, I may have to try that next time instead of the shortcrust I used here

By: John Yells

John Yells — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:08:08 +0000

While searching for a currant recipe I ran accross yours. My mom who is now 94 and came to America when she was four always called a pastry like this one Fly Cemeteries also. Every Christmas my grandmother would make a version of this recipe. The filling was the same. but she choose a puff pastry curst sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:50:12 +0000

Aww thanks – yes I would LOVE to get a GF shortcrust – it’s different from a typical pie crust, a bit in between traditional short bread and pie crust. I should definitely reattempt these here, currants are really easy to find and purchase whereas in the States it was rather difficult. Will def. post about it if I get a good GF version!

By: Denna

Denna — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 01:14:57 +0000

Loved your article but I was crushed to get to the end and not have a GF recipe for these! I hope you’ll get back to them sometime very soon and develop the GF version. Shortbread is one of my favorite things, and I would love to be able to make one that I could eat now.
My mom cooked like Maude! When I was first married she sent me a bunch of the “family recipes”. Most of them were lists of ingredients, sometimes with amounts or approximate amounts, however nothing about how to make them or what temp to bake them or anything more! Even complicated desserts–just a list of ingredients. They always made me laugh, she was a wonderful cook, and I guess just didn’t think about the fact that I had NO idea what she was talking about!
Thanks for the memories!

By: Jenn

Jenn — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 04:42:57 +0000

Thanks! Yeah I know the name is something, eh?

By: Violet Crown Kitchens

Violet Crown Kitchens — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 03:32:51 +0000

These are beautiful. But “Fly Cemeteries,” my word! Yes, that’s awful. How to come up with a name that sounds good but is also traditional-sounding and reminiscent of the original? Hmm . . . Fly Sentinals . . . Currant Cemeteries . . . Fly Seminaries? Happy cooking! I’m loving your recipes AND your writing.

Chris in Santa Fe

By: Valérie

Valérie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:32 +0000

Haha, the “make the pastry” instruction had me laughing! My mother is the exact opposite: she gives me too much information when I ask her for a recipe. “Ok, next you sautée the chicken. Do you know how to do that? You take a bit of oil, but not olive oil, because that wouldn’t work for this recipe, and then you put it in the pan and wait for it to get hot, and then…”

Anyways, the squares look delightful! Thanks for sharing this traditional recipe with us!

By: S.

S. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:47:50 +0000

They look great, and I love that they’re little squares of dessert– it makes you feel less guilty after scoffing a bunch, which I’m sure I would do! I really want to try these now…