Following on from yesterday's post extolling the Scots tea-table, I had to make something that might possibly grace that groaning board. There are so many good things in F. Marian McNeill's classic book The Scots Kitchen (first published in 1929 but newly - and beautifully - re-issued), recipes I've never come across before, not to mention a wealth of fascinating cultural and historical detail about food, its lore and traditions; it was hard to choose, but being short of time and using ingredients I had to hand I made a batch of Abernethy Biscuits.
I'll put the gist of the recipe below, but it's their origin which particularly interested me, and here's the author's note:
"Abernethy biscuits got their name not from the Perthshire burgh, but from a family name that derives from the place-name. The Abernethys moved from Scotland via Ireland to London, where one of the family, Dr. John Abernethy (1764-1831), became chief surgeon to St. Batholomew's Hospital and the real founder of the medical school attached to 'Bart's'. He used to take lunch at a baker's shop kept by John Caldwell (another Scottish name), where he ate ordinary 'captain's biscuits'. He suggested the addition of sugar and caraways, and the baker gave the new biscuit his patron's name."
Take 8oz. plain flour, sifted, and rub in 3 oz. butter. Add 3oz. caster sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, and a small teaspoonful of caraway seeds (this is optional, but I included them and the results are excellent). Add a beaten egg and 1 tblsp. milk and mix well without over-working. Roll out on a floured board, cut into rounds (I got 25) and bake on a greased or lined baking sheet for 10-15 mins. in a moderate oven.
Note: keep an eye on these when you take them from the oven - my family would have eaten the lot before they'd properly cooled if I hadn't stepped in and taken a firm line!
Just out of politeness, you understand.
Posted by: Mr Cornflower | 31 January 2011 at 09:23 PM
One must be firm with those family members! I love reading aboutyour baking adventures and teatime!
Posted by: lila | 01 February 2011 at 10:49 PM
They look lovely, I like the sound of the caraway seeds in there and I bet they were good warm.
Posted by: Kath | 04 February 2011 at 07:37 PM