DELICIOUS COMFORT FOOD

          It’s been a long time since I blogged a recipe, but this week, since I feel in need of comfort, here’s one for good, simple, comfort food.

          My friends say I’m hardy and never catch colds or ‘flu – but the truth is, I work mostly from home, so I’m simply not exposed to lurgies as much as others.  This term I’ve been going regularly not only into De Montfort University, but also a primary school – and as a result I have the swollen glands, sore throat, thick head, streaming nose and feverishness that I’ve dodged in the past.

          So, feeling miserable, I’ve turned to one of my mother’s comfort-foods.  She called them ‘Scotch Pancakes’, not knowing (and not caring) that ‘scotch’ is a drink.  They’re also called Drop Scones (and, okay, Scots’ Pancakes.)

Here’s what you need to make them:

5oz, 150g or 1 and a quarter cups plain flour

2oz, 60g or quarter cup caster sugar

5ml or 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda,

Pinch salt

1 large egg, beaten

6 fl. Oz, 170ml, or three-quarters of a cup milk (or plain yoghurt)

Dried fruit (optional)

Almond extract, cinnamon, or whiskey as flavouring (optional)

Oil for frying.

          My mother weighed everything, but I’ve started using cup measurements recently – and not only found it less fuss and easier, but I think the results were better.  I’ve also found that I like the pancakes better made with plain yoghurt; but Mom always made them with milk - and we enjoyed them!

          Anyroad up, chucks, put the flour, sugar, bicarb and salt in a bowl and mix.

          Put the yoghurt, or milk, in a jug; add the egg, and beat together.

          Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix.  The batter should be thick, but fluid.  If it’s too stiff, add more yoghurt, milk or water.  (I added whisky and water this morning).

          You can whisk it together by hand – Mom always did – but I’ve found that using an electric whisk helps to make the pancakes lighter.

          At this stage, add flavourings, if you wish.  Mom always added dried fruit (though most recipes I’ve seen in books don’t).  I’ve added drops of vanilla or almond essence, with very yummy results.  This morning I added cinnamon, sultanas and whisky.  I’ll tell you how that worked out when I’ve eaten them.

          As I write, the mixture is in the fridge.  You can fry and eat them immediately, as Mom did.  Well, she fried them and we ate them.  We stood in a row in the kitchen and ate them as fast as she put them on the plate.

          However, leaving the mix a few hours gives the bicarb time to work, and the fruit to plump up.

          To cook them, heat oil or butter, or a mix of thereof (which burns less easily) in a frying pan.  When hot, drop tablespoonfuls of the mix into the pan, so that you have a few small pancakes .  When the surface is covered in little bubbles, flip them and cook the other side. Place them on a warm plate.

          If you don’t want to use all the mix at once, cover and replace in the fridge for later.

           They can be eaten plain, with fresh fruit, or spread with butter and jam –depending on how much comfort you’re in need of! 

Blot lovesAwards

          THE LEIBSTER AWARD.  Blot, as you can see, is very proud of his Leibster Award.

          And I am about to award my second one.  It goes to – Lucy Coats. 

          Lucy knows a lot about writing – she’s worked as an editor in London and New York, besides having written more than 25 books of her own; and she’s been short-listed for the Blue Peter Book Award.

Lucy Coats

          I know Lucy best as the person who led a fascinating workshop at the last SAS conference, taking several of us on ‘a guided shamanic spirit journey’.  I’m pretty sceptical, but was deeply impressed by the vividness of the landscapes I ‘saw’ during this journey.  It may simply be a difference of terminology: where Lucy talks about spirit journeys, I talk about the subconscious – but I will readily admit that ‘the subconscious’ is as mysterious as any spirit-journey, and possibly less well explored, since shamans have been spirit-travelling for hundreds of years.

          In any case, I would certainly like to learn more from Lucy, and I think her blog deserves far more followers.

          If you know of a blog with fewer than 200 followers, which deserves a Leibster – let me know!

          LATE BREAKING NEWS.  I can report that Scots Pancakes flavoured with cinnamon and whisky are very good!