Here's a bit about "Bannocks or Oatcakes" as found in my "A Taste of Scotland in Food and Pictures" (printed first in 1970) but there was no mention in the index of hough, sorry, Anne. Fiona in Deerness, perhaps you might know about potted hough - or could ask the butcher in Deerness!!? What, there isn't a butcher in Deerness....!!? Bannocks or Oatcakes: ...easier to make 1 large oatcake at a time and cut it into quarters (or farls) for cooking as the mixture stiffens if left too long. After cooking they can be stored in a tin and either lightly toasted or heated in a slow oven to crisp them. A heavy frying pan van be used instead of a gridle or they can be baked in a moderate oven for 20 mins. This quantity makes 1 large bannock the size of a dinner plate (or 4 to 8 small ones). The gridle must be heated before baking. 4oz (2/3 cup) medium oatmeal a pinch of salt a pinch of bicarbonate of soda 2 teasp melted fat (bacon dripping is good) additional oatmeal for the kneading about 1/4 cup hot water In a basin mix first 3 ingredients then make well in the middle and pour in the melted fat. Stir around, then add enough water to make a stiff paste. Scatter a board or table thickly with oatmeal and turn out the mixture, roll into a ball. Knead well with the hands covered in oatmeal to prevent sticking. Press down a little and keep the edges as regular as possible. Roll into 1/4 inch thickness and shape by putting a dinner plate on tiop and cutiing round the edges. Finally sprinkle with a little meal and cut into quarters or less. Place on a warmed gridle or pan and cook until the edges curl slightly. In Scotland they are finished on a toasting stone but a medium hot grill to crisp the other side is adequate. Mix another bannock whilst the oatcakes are 'finishing'. Interesting addition to the text: "Froissant, the 14th century chronicler, writes that the Scottish soldier always carried a flat plate of metal and a wallet of oatmeal as part of his equipment. With a little water he could always make himself an oatcake over a wood fire, which contributed to his remarkable stamina." Off to watch the Big Read! Fiona in York UK >From: "Dutch Thompson" <dutchink@isn.net> >Reply-To: ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com >To: ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Deerness Cook book found! >Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2003 15:20:14 -0400 > >Hi Anne- > Is there a recipe for bannock by any chance- I'm researching (mainly) >Scottish foods from early 20th C and have heard many variations on bannock >& >biscuits made from flour fresh from the mill. >Both hough & a nap bone are new to me. I have my grmum's (born 1893) >cookbook from when she started collecting recipes as a girl and there are >many different hands writing recipes in the book for her. >The pages stained with molasses and butter etc contain the tried-and-true >hand-me-down recipes that my Mum and now sometimes my wife cooks- ginger >snaps that snap ! > >cheers Thompson > _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with absent friends - get MSN Messenger http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger