The Selkirk Bannock, Borders
Most bannocks are unleavened breads, harking back to the days when baking was done on a stone or griddle. But the Selkirk Bannock is a radically different thing, and dare one say it far more appetising.
A much more recent creation, said to date from the 1859 opening of Robbie Douglas’s bakery on the market place in Selkirk , the Selkirk Bannock includes yeast in the dough, and plenty of butter. The cholesterol count is further increased by the usual inclusion of egg yolk in the ingredients, and more butter spread on the finished article. What sets the Selkirk Bannock apart, however, is the extravagant quantity of sultanas spread throughout the dough. And it should be sultanas not the drier raisins. Nor should dried peel be included according to traditionalists. We’re going for moist here.
Queen Victoria is known to have been a fan, eating some during a visit to Abbotsford , Sir Walter Scott ’s house, though long after the writer’s death. The 19th century marketing man can have hoped for no better endorsement. The dour Queen got it right, too. This is a simple and simply delicious treat, perfect with a cup of tea to brighten a wet afternoon.
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