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This is where I note my efforts as I try to recreate some old recipes. Most are taken from my small collection of handwritten recipe books which date from the late 1700's to around 1922. I also have a collection of old tatty old recipe books, well thumbed and heavily splashed from years of use. I love all of them.

The old-fashioned very stylised handwriting writing is sometimes difficult to decipher, measurements and cooking instructions are minimal, no tin sizes given. Luckily I enjoy a challenge. Just to complicate things I cook and bake on my wood-fired Rayburn, which can be... unpredictable.

I suspect this blog is less about the food and more about my passion for these lovely old books and the wonderful women who wrote them.


Thursday, 9 March 2017

A Cottage Loaf and Wild Garlic Bread


The wild garlic is growing like crazy, time to harvest a bunch and make a loaf of wild garlic bread.

We love the subtle flavour which the chopped wild garlic gives.   I love the bread toasted and spread with a little butter, but when fresh it makes a lovely bread base for a savoury sandwich.

I confess to a slight attack of laziness, I was making a white cottage loaf so I simply doubled the quantities, normally I would make a 50/50 wholemeal garlic loaf.  


I picked a handful of the leaves, washed, dried, and chopped them.    I would normally mix them in with the flour before adding the liquid, but because I was mixing a double batch, and I didn't want wild garlic in both loaves, I kneaded them into half the dough before shaping the loaf so it didn't get distributed quite so evenly.



No special old recipe today.

My wild garlic post from last year can be found HERE.

Wild garlic scones, quiche, pesto, soups... lots of delights to come.   Enjoy the wild garlic season while it lasts, but be careful not to be greedy when you harvest it.     You want to be able to come back for more next year.





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4 comments:

  1. Meggie9 March 2017 at 17:53

    I'll be right over for a big slice, and of course, some butter. The tulips are outstanding.

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  2. Elaine9 March 2017 at 18:12

    It will be ready shortly! I couldn't resist that cheerful colour, Meggie. I like tulips, they gradually settle and drape themselves beautifully.

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  3. Deb9 March 2017 at 21:52

    Oh my goodness, Elaine. That looks delicious and I can smell it from here. And I'm hungry. lol

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elaine10 March 2017 at 07:27

    I know how much you love bread, Deb. Let me know when you'll be round, and I'll make sure I have a fresh loaf waiting.

    ReplyDelete

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