expected for lunch or dinner was settled with the butler; then the housekeeper appeared with her large red book containing the cook’s suggestions for meals. The book itself bears evidence of Mrs Carnegie’s ideas; many of the cook’s proposals are cancelled and replaced by the lady’s own dishes.’ Sadly, no menus have survived to tell us what guests would have eaten. But it’s a safe assumption that there would have been plenty of game from the estate, salmon from local rivers and lobsters from the nearby coast. While specific details of these gatherings may be lost in the mists of time, we can be certain that guests would have enjoyed sitting around Mr Carnegie’s enormous oak dining table swapping tales over dinner of their afternoon’s shooting and fishing. Today, feasting at Skibo is a tradition upheld as ‘a kind of indulgence’, says The Carnegie Club’s membership manager Claire Bruce. Good food is a continual state of affairs at the castle and every meal is special: ‘It’s one of the main focal points of a guest’s stay here,’ Bruce explains. From starting the day with a hearty Scottish breakfast, to congregating around the fire for a glass of champagne at lunch or afternoon tea, plentiful dining experiences are available around the clock, each offering an opportunity for communion. Of an evening, guests still continue to gather in Mr Carnegie’s dining room, with the promise of lively conversation at the hosted dinner. Whatever the occasion or setting, Skibo’s head chef Lindsay Mackay says the key to – 2 8 – E P I C U R E champagne-bdr.com CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD CHÂTEAU CLARKE EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD