Page 31 - LOTN Spring Issue 52 2023

FAITH AND CULTURE

Geographically speaking, the Diocese of Aberdeen is one of the largest in Europe and encompasses a wide range of cooking
styles, traditions and recipes. In this new series Margaret Bradley, with the help of parishioners from around the Diocese, explores
culinary uniqueness of the Diocese. From the Parish of Our Lady and St Joseph, Kirkwall in the Orkney Isles, the second most
northerly parish in the Aberdeen Diocese, Sarah Drever shares with us her recipe for Orcadian Bere Bannocks, thick scones,
unique to Orkney, made from locally produced beremeal.

ere, a type of barley, has been grown in Orkney since sugar, butter and sometimes yogurt.
Neolithic times. Evidence of this has been found Bags of beremeal for home use can be bought in shops
Brecently during the archaeological excavations of around Orkney. Bere bannocks are baked on a traditional
Neolithic settlements on the small islands of Rousay, griddle and served hot with butter and sweet or savoury
Egilsay, Wyre, Papa Westray and Sanday which lie to accompaniments. These accompaniments could include
the north of the main island. Deep layers of bere locally produced Orkney speciality cheeses; hard or
grains were found in some of the buildings, which crumbly, either smoked or flavoured with garlic, chives,
were believed to be ancient granaries. whisky or walnut and accompanied by chutney. As a
Today, after harvesting, the bere grains are stone-ground special treat, they could be served with wedges of deep
at a local mill to produce beremeal, a cream-coloured meal fried Orkney cheese. These are made by first chilling small
or flour with a deep earthy, nutty flavour, similar to rye triangular pieces of cheese, then rolling them in beaten
flour. Originally, only beremeal was used in the baking of egg and then in breadcrumbs, and then frying them on
bere bannocks, with baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and both sides until golden brown. Drain the wedges on kitchen
buttermilk. Now ordinary flour is usually added, plus eggs, towel and serve them with an apricot or other fruit sauce.

Orcadian Bere Bannocks

250g beremeal
l250g self-raising flour
1level tsp baking soda
1 level tsp cream of tartar
25g caster Sugar
250g butter
1 large egg
Pinch of salt
Buttermilk or full cream
milk

Sieve all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut the butter
into small cubes, add to the flour mixture and rub in until Bere ready to be harvested
the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg
and mix to a stiff dough adding milk If necessary. Knead Bere has adapted to growing on soils of a low pH and to a
on a floured board and roll into a 15 cm round. Lightly short growing season with long hours of daylight, as found
grease a hot griddle and bake the bannock on each side in the high latitudes of northern Scotland. It is sown in the
until risen and lightly browned. Put the bannock on a spring and harvested in the summer. Because of its very rapid
wire rack and cover with a cloth. Cut into wedges to growth rate it is sown late but is often the first crop to be
serve. harvested. It is known locally as "the 90-day barley".

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