25 years ago

A SPICY pickle was at the root of a new business by two school friends, reported the East Lothian Courier on October 6, 1995.

The ‘Dreaded Green’ is posed to take over East Lothian.

But local residents need have no fear.

For the dreaded green in question is only a harmless pickle – one of a new range of handmade preserves from Edinburgh Preserves based at Fenton Barns.

Delicate wafer thin slices of cucumber mix with white onions, mustard, celery seed and various herbs are the ingredients behind the winning product by young entrepreneurs Alistair Rutherford, 25, and Sandy Herd, 26.

The business was launched in April and the ‘Dreaded Green’ made its public debut at the East Lothian Business Festival last month.

The spicy, secret family recipe comes from Sandy’s mother, Prue Herd, who plays an active part in the business along with her son, and Alistair, his old school friend from Loretto High School in Musselburgh.

50 years ago

A SPONSORED walk was held by a local Rotary club to raise money for indoor swimming baths in Haddington, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on October 9, 1970.

To help raise funds for the proposed indoor swimming baths at Haddington, nearly 300 people took part in a sponsored walk on Sunday.

The walk, which was organised by the Rotary Club, covered a distance of 15 miles within the burgh boundaries.

Checks were made at various points on the route and refreshments were available for those taking part.

Red Cross personnel were on duty throughout the afternoon but fortunately their services were not required. Those who did develop blisters carried on without complaint.

More than 250 walkers – whose ages ranged from eight years upwards – completed the course.

100 years ago

A FARMER appeared in court and was fined £20 after a worker added water to his milk, reported The Haddingtonshire Courier on October 8, 1920.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, on Monday, Ferrier Pace, farmer and wholesale milk dealer, Ormiston Mains, Ormiston, pleaded guilty to having supplied to a Leith dairykeeper a quantity of milk which was found not to be genuine sweet milk.

An agent said that harvest operations were in full swing, and the work had been left to the women.

On the day in question, there was a shortage of milk, and one of the employees had stupidly and thoughtlessly put in the water to make it up.