Regional and local recipes

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Parkin looks almost like a brownie in my experience, usually baked in a fairly shallow tin and dark with treacle
Very dense though

Here’s James Martin’s version, with a decent picture
https://www.itv.com/saturdaymorning/saturday-morning-recipes/parkin

I’m with Binky and scullion on the jam first, much neater

[Binky Profile]

No, our Parkin was twice the thickness of James Martins. It was a ginger cake with treacle and oats, nothing special. We also had soup, and taties baked in the ashes. In my life I've eaten at high-end restaurants, been fed by excellent home cooks, but there is something special about a nippy November night, sparklers, and Parkin.

[Renee Profile]

I always thought that Parkin was made with oatmeal.

[Amyw Profile]

I do not spread I dollop

[cherrytree Profile]

Very sensible too. I hope you are feeling better today.

[Amyw Profile]

Thank you feeling positive and work finished two hours early which is always a bonus

[dennispc Profile]

but how do you spread the jam on the cream? ...

Us in Somerset never have a problem. just the same as putting it on butter. Proper clotted cream is thick

[Renee Profile]

Agreed there Petronius! I used to put Cornish clotted cream on each half and then jam on top. I never put them back together again.

[dennispc Profile]

Why on earth would anyone do anything else Renée?!

Amyw's got it right - just dollop.

[jeral Profile]

My mum would say about scones that the plan is to leave teethmarks in the cream, not squelch it out and lick round the edges. With age comes wisdom.

[Renee Profile]

Absolutely, says one who knows from all my years of
experience!

[jeral Profile]

Me too but I'm still a big kid and lick round the edges Angel's wings (palmiers) used to be best for squelching as it was whipped cream,

[Joanbunting Profile]

A couple of years ago I had some guests over for a "proper" afternoon tea - ex-pat Brits and a couple of close french friends who have enjoyed such meals in the past.

I even got some Cornish clotted cream and, of course, served scones with hm jam and cream. The really curious thing was that the French friends who had met scones before approached then correctly. Halved, jam first dollop of cream added. One of the Brits had not the faintest clue what to do with such a combination and attempted to make a sort of sandwich with distastrous results to his pristine shirt - even though embroidered napkins were supplied! I have to say he was a Londoner and he said his wife had never made scones in her life.

[Binky Profile]

Ha ha. We have come back from town, after shopping, and also stopped for lunch at the Tiptree Tea Rooms in town. We had prawn marie rose sandwiches, and a cream tea (you get two scones, so good value).

I cut my scone, put on the jam and then some Roddas clotted cream - and then reassembled the two bits. Trying to eat this monster scone was a bit of a challenge.

Meanwhile, OH had buttered his with cream, then added jam and proceeded to eat delicately each half of his scone. I think he was trying to pretend not to be with me, covered in crumbs and smearings of jam and cream on my face.

[Renee Profile]

Oh no!!!

Are the best scones made with buttermilk? I need to make some very soon because Colin is coming to stay towards the end of September.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I seem to remember my mum making scones as a way of using up SOURED milk...

Might be wrong.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Soured milk or buttermilk are the best to make scones with - it makes them much lighter, if you don't have any sour milk ( & why should you), just sub some lemon juice in milk until you have that sourness.

[Renee Profile]

You're probably right there Sakkarin!

Thanks Lush. That will be easy enough to do.

I am neither a scone nor a cake maker, I have to confess, due to preferring savoury foods. I used Delia's recipe for scones the last time that I made them.

I do dislike those giant scones which include a lot of baking
powder.

[cherrytree Profile]

I’ve had my annual cake stall today as part of the vide grenier. It’s always fun as we are in a most isolated part of France. There are absolutely no other foreigners around for miles and miles so we are a real curiosity.(Well we probably are anyway but never mind.)
I made scones just for people to try. Local jam from Cumbria and I used creme fraiche as a substitute for gorgeous Cornish clotted cream.
I’ve never been a wizard scone maker, but one thing I can buy is raw milk, so thanks to Natalie in her little shop I bought extra to let it go sour and voila! The scones were a great success.

[Renee Profile]

What a fabulous day you must have had cherrytree!

When we had a holiday in La Baule in Brittany when the children were small, I was surprised that we hardly saw any foreigners, except us, of course! That's the way I prefer it though, because there were no burger and chips places.