Oat cakes.
This time of the year, there seems to be constant baking, at least in my mind. Oh! who am I kidding? We all know I am constantly talking about food in this corner of the world.
You know you have been reading my adventures for far too long if you remember Dreams of Caraway Seeds, or Honey Poppyseed, I actually created an entire collection back then with food names. The nerve.
More recent talk had these two dreaming of Licorice, and I know I am always feeding porridge to the dolls. But today? today it was all about oat cakes.
You see? yesterday morning I read a recipe for oat cakes and I just haven't been able to stop thinking about them. Aspen, such an appetite this one!, requested them today and well, what do you know? We might just have to make ourselves a treat for afternoon tea. Don't you agree?
The recipe was found in the book I shared with you in my previous newsletter. But I am transcribing it here, in case you too want to indulge in such delicacies:
"The havercake or oatcake recipes of the Dales varied from one locality to another. Some were leavened with yeast to make a rather rubbery bread, some were crumbly, biscuit-like mixtures of meal, water and a little fat. To make a simple, crips type of oatcake, melt a walnut-sized piece of lard or dripping in 2 tablespoons of hot water and pour it on to 4 oz of medium oatmeal mixed with a pinch of salt. Knead the mixture into a ball, then flatten it with the hand into a disc about 1/8 in thick - or make several small discs if the mixture is very crumbly. Slide the oatcake on to a hot griddle, or into a lightly-greased frying pan, and cook for a few minutes until crisp."
James Herriot
There you have it. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some havercakes or oatcakes to make for this most delicious child. She has a pièce de résistance in the name of a coat (perhaps you checked my Instagram stories over the weekend? I shared a bit of the process there) that still needs a bit more pampering before we call the whole thing "in the bag".
She also has a pet. A very shy pet that I can't wait to introduce you. My first forray into a fully needlefelted animal. A realistic sort of animal that is. Progress is slow but she is patient. We shall come back late in the week to show you.
