Staffordshire Oatcakes.

[Crocus]

At the moment we are watching Rick Stein's Food Heroes. He visited Stoke-on-Trent, and went to a shop which makes these Staffordshire Oatcakes. You will of course know the best about these Oatcakes, but apparently it's made by only 6 villages in the immediate surrounding area of Stoke-on-Trent. Could you perhaps enlighten me about this please, those of you who perhaps live nearby or know about this? I find it so interesting. To be quite honest, I'm almost in tears every morning when watching this wonderful series of Rick Stein. It makes me miss the UK even more. xxxx

[sunflower]

Hubby's sister who lives in Staffs makes oat cakes for breakfast each morning. I'm sure she frys them, and apart from the oats I do'nt know what other ingredients she uses. When we were visiting the oat cakes were quite substantial...filling, but then they have to be. My sister in law lives on the highest point in England in Staffs. In winter the weather is treacherous. Before the age of large domestic freezers, both my sisters in law who live on the mountain there used to have helicopter food drops towards the end of winter because they used to get completely cut off. Hubby's sisters are quite a bit older than him and during the summer as a young boy would spend his holidays in their homes. He used to think they had their own sweet shop because there was a huge cupboard filled with sweets and chocolate ready for the winter. His cousins, when cut off by the snow would then buy the sweets with their pocket money....something for them to look forward to in the real 'bleak mid winter' Their cellars were filled with tins and tins of food and huge sacks of potatoes. Oat cakes were a warm, staple and substantial health food.

[franbee]

We had oatcakes in a cafe in Leek, Staffordshire. They were very thin like a pancake but with a texture. I had melted cheese and tomato with mine, folded inside.

[Crocus]

Oh I remember Leek. We drove through this town on our way somewhere - can't remember whereto anymore. I think we stopped at a hardware shop as well. And ended up in a traffic jam as there some roadworks ahead. xx Thanks for explaining Sunflower and Franbee! xxx

[JG]

I live in South Staffs and am not a 'native' so can't claim to be an expert, but oatcakes are very much still part of life in North Staffs. There's been some publicity about a little oatcake shop that's in an area planned for redevelopment and there's been an outcry (perhaps that should be 'oat'cry!) about plans to demolish it. I think it's been saved.
We organised a play in our village hall in July, by a small, student company, funded by a rural development fund. It was based on an Arnold Bennett story and we were expected to provide oatcakes with cheese and bacon as part of the afternoon. However, as we were short of hands, and thought it would be difficult to warm them, insert the filling and serve, so we chickened out and served a Wright's pie instead. Wrights Pies are an old Stoke on Trent family firm. We sold Titanic beer too, from Burslem.
I find them rather salty, as I don't add salt to anything at home, but I love the 'oaty' savoury taste. They are very thin and flat as they are made from a sort of batter.

[buecherwurm]

When visiting friends in Newcastle-under-Lyme I had oatcakes one Sunday morning. My friend went to a shop which was well known for their oatcakes. He had to stand in line for quite some time but finally brought home a big stack of warm oatcakes which his wife filled with all kinds of goodies.
If you google "oatcakes, newcastle under lyme" all kind of information pops up, including a page "Castle oatcakes". There you can actually see how they are cooked.
On the BBC site www.bbc.co.uk/stoke I found the following recipe by Eileen Burton:
1 lb 4 oz of medium coarse oatmeal
12 oz strong plain white flour
3 tbsps dried skimmed milk
4 tsps quick act. dried yeast
2 tsps sugar
Place all ingredients into large bowl and make well in centre. Add 1 3/4 pints of warm water. Mix well. Mixture should be like pancake batter. Now cover and place in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
After standing, uncover and mix well. Add more warm water if necessary, possibly about a pint to make into a "loose" batter again. Now add 2 tsps salt.
Heat a bakestone or frying pan and use about a tsp. of oil for each oatcake. Once heated turn down heat slightly, cook on both sides until mixture is set.
Cool on racks. These are now ready to do as you want with, either with bacon and eggs etc. or wrap cheese in them and warm in microwave or under grill. You can also freeze them.
A longer version of this recipe can be found on the bbc page

[eleanor2]

i was going past the oatcake shop in stoke on the bus a while back.they were filming then.it is my reglar oatcake shop i go into every week.meant to ask them what it was aout but forgot.wll ask them if it was the rickstein programme.most people in staffs still eat oatcakes.i buy a dozen every week.grandson loves them.we have them mostly with melted cheeseon.they are deliscious with bacon mushrooms and cheese.in the old days a few old people i know speak of thier mums making them and the children taking a basket full round neighbours selling them to regular customers.my mum in laws mum used to make them from home for selling.they are quick,tasty and nutricious.

[eleanor2]

just a little note.those of us from staffordshire.if we go to visit friends or relatives who have moved away we dont take flowers when we visit we take a dozen oatcakes.thats all dragonfly asks for when we visit her.

[Firefly]

I like the sound of these oatcakes - will definitely make some.