1/15/2013

Oatmeal



It is said that the 18th century writer, Samuel Johnson, disparagingly wrote of oatmeal that, 'In England it is used to feed the horses; but in Scotland it is used to feed the people'.

Apparently, the retort, 'Yes, and where do you find such fine horses ... and such fine men?' was given by Lord Elibank.

Well, I am happy to acknowledge the quality of the English horses, but I can give y'all full assurance that Scotland has the best of men.

Just sayin'.

I guess most people think of porridge when they think of oatmeal. My own fine Scottish man, aka the Builder, 


... that's him there, 



and here, 



and, er, here... has porridge every morning.

However, my preferred us for oatmeal is making oatcakes. For those of you who don't know what oatcakes are, they are really biscuits rather than cakes.   


Here they are made, and my favoured way to eat them is with butter (lots of it!) and cheese.





6 oz marg
2 oz light brown sugar
1 egg
10 oz oatmeal
6 oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda



Beat butter, sugar and egg.

Add flour, bicarbonate and salt along with the oatmeal. Mix.

Roll out on oatmeal.

Cut into rounds or squares and place on baking tray.

Bake at 170 C for 20 mins.



See, I roll it out on oatmeal, rather than on flour. I love the crunchiness this gives the oatcakes when they're baked.



They are so easy to make, and so delicious to eat. They also keep well in the freezer.

So, Mr Johnson, you Sasannaich may have fed your oats to your horses, but we made much better use of the grain.





12 comments:

  1. yum! the first time we made oatcakes were for a Narnian feast ~ and I liked them much better than oatmeal or "porridge". I will have to try rolling them out in the oats, though! :)

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    Replies
    1. The 'rolling them out in oats' makes a lovely difference.... It's worth a try ;)

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  2. YUM! I've made oatmeal rolls, but never biscuits. May have to try these!

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  3. I always wondered what oatcakes were! I'll have to make them now, out of sheer curiosity!

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  4. We have made your oatcake recipe several times now, since I found it on your blog from an earlier post. My family and I really like them a lot! We have them when we make Scotch broth with venison, and they make a wonderful addition!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  5. Wonderful recipe -- and I love all your photos.

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  6. Oh we have got to try these... a different take on the usual!!! My kids have been raised on oatmeal porridge... and hopefully there will eventually be five fine men amongst them and three gals who will feed their kids on oatmeal. I once met a lady who worked in a garden shop with all her kids underfoot and I, with just one little guy at the time, asked how on earth she fed them and she replied: "Porridge and lots of it!!!" Now fifteen years later lots of folk ask us the same question - a little deja vu!!!

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  7. thank you . thank you. thank you...i made the oatmeal bars last night. my husband works in construction out side/ i sent him off to work this morning with a bunch of these oatbars.
    thank you..they are great..sandy toronto canada

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  8. I might give the recipe to my wife, but then again... ;)

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  9. thank you..p.s. brought some into work this a.m.
    all the ladies here love these oatcakes.
    mrs sandy w. toronto

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  10. Oh yum, don't these look tasty! This looks like a recipe I must try one of these days :)

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