Ode to oatcakes: This one might surprise... - Weight Loss Support

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Ode to oatcakes

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToadVisitor
34 Replies

This one might surprise the regulars - since my usual posts are rants on the subject of low-carb - but an uncharacteristic twinge of homesickness prompted me to google 'oatcake recipes'. I came across this, which seems like the real deal:

theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

If you live anywhere other than Staffordshire you'll have never even heard of these, which is probably just as well. They are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. In fact they might be the worst possible food I can think of for weight loss. But they are traditionally eaten with a sausage, cheese, and bacon filling, which is not only extremely tasty, it also ticks all my boxes for 'high fat' :)

In short, they're the sort of food you should revel in once or twice a year, to remind yourself that, even if British food is full of stodge, at least it's delicious stodge.

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TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToad
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34 Replies
moreless profile image
morelessAdministrator7 stone

That's not an oatcake, it's a pancake! ;)

This is an oatcake! thespruceeats.com/tradition...

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToadVisitor in reply tomoreless

oh no. What have I done? This is one of those turnips-vs-swedes things. I sense a Scotland-vs-England war about to break out. :)

But yeah, it is actually a lot like a pancake, although it has a more rubbery texture. Sounds horrific, I know. Perhaps it's an acquired taste ...

moreless profile image
morelessAdministrator7 stone in reply toTheAwfulToad

LOL! :D

Each to their own :)

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministrator2 stone in reply toTheAwfulToad

Ignore moreless, we used to buy these from our local market (Lancs, not Staffs) and they were known as oatcakes. We just had them with butter, lots of butter :)

I last had them in the café at Biddulph Grange gardens where they were served with savoury fillings. I probably just went for lots of butter, again

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToadVisitor in reply toBridgeGirl

I used to work just down the road from there. If you happen to be in the area again, The Talbot pub has some good food!

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministrator2 stone in reply toTheAwfulToad

I'll bear that in mind

slipstick profile image
slipstickMaintainer2st 7lbs in reply toTheAwfulToad

I was round that way yesterday which I why I now have half a dozen of Povey's finest!

slipstick profile image
slipstickMaintainer2st 7lbs

Now there's an odd coincidence. I bought half a dozen only yesterday, the first in months. It's a good thing my plan is only "a bit lower carbs and moderate fat". I'll probably go for a bacon, cheese and tomato filling. Bacon and sausage at once is a bit too decadent for me.

And yes they are just an occasional treat. But if you can't have the odd treat what's the point of life?

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg in reply toslipstick

Add in a few mushrooms and a bit of black pudding and I'm there with you, save me a couple and I'll be round later 😁

slipstick profile image
slipstickMaintainer2st 7lbs in reply toCp1965

Ah you're willing to save me from making a pig of myself with all 6 oatcakes. What a kind person. The mushrooms are fine but I have to draw the line at black pudding. That's great for fry-ups not oatcakes.

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61

I have a foot in both camps, currently living in Scotland but Derbyshire born with happy memories of these oatcakes, which to me are like a thinner version of a crumpet. 😂

Shield-Maiden profile image
Shield-Maiden

Nice post Toad :)

I'm from Staffs, many moons ago, but I have never eaten Oatcakes, but they sound scrumptious...maybe one day lol

Have a good weekend.

Shield :)

Let’s not even get started on the scone war between Cornwall and Devon (Although we all know it’s jam first!)

IndigoBlue61 profile image
IndigoBlue61 in reply to

Not to mention the pronunciation 😩😬🙄

in reply toIndigoBlue61

Ha! So true!

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg

Another expatriate Stokey writes; I must go back and stock up some time. Part of the blame for my former size must go to the oatcake shop on King Street, source of many a breakfast when I worked at Foley Crossing signalbox just round the corner... that, and Wright's Pies... 😁 I tend to get a load, freeze them and have a couple at a time over the space of several weeks. Yes, not very LCHF, but hey! And those hard biscuity things aren't proper oatcakes...

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToadVisitor

I seem to have kicked off a reminiscence thread :)

Wright's Pies! I'd forgotten about them.

It's true that Stoke-on-Trent isn't renowned for producing, say, catwalk models. It could be that oatcakes have something to do with that ...

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg in reply toTheAwfulToad

I lived on their products for about 4 months when unable to cook after breaking my right arm... a big contributory factor in my ensuing 20 years of morbid obesity... but there was a shop at the top of the street and it was so easy to pop up and stock up. And their sausage rolls were addictive too...!

DebbieFleming profile image
DebbieFleming7lbs in reply toTheAwfulToad

You are right. However, Robbie Williams comes from Stoke On Trent. I wonder if he eats oatcakes.

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg in reply toDebbieFleming

Personally I prefer to think of the late, great Lemmy as Stoke's greatest contribution to music... 😅

DebbieFleming profile image
DebbieFleming7lbs in reply toCp1965

Lemmy Oatcake - now there's a musical act !

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToadVisitor in reply toDebbieFleming

Apparently Robbie Williams's favourite oatcake shop in High Lane, Burslem ... google it.

Sophieturigel profile image
SophieturigelVisitor

Thanks, I’ll try the sourdough version.

LizzieG101 profile image
LizzieG101

The staffirdhire oatcakes made an appearance on BBC TV’s Antiques Road Trip with James Braxtead recently. Something of a comeback, it seems.

ljk1 profile image
ljk1

Don’t they sell a version in Sainsbury’s? Or are those not ‘proper ‘?

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg in reply toljk1

I've never seen them in my local Sainsbury's, I know Asda in Long Eaton used to sell them at one time of day and they were (if memory serves) North Staffs ones, but the ones from the "hole in the wall" in Botteslow Street (last of the traditional oatcake shops!) were always the tastiest.

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministrator2 stone in reply toljk1

Hello, are you wanting to lose weight and join this forum or are you drawn here by the chat about oatcakes? :D You're very welcome, either way.

I've never seen the Staffordshire oatcakes in the supermarket, just the biscuity ones in boxes

DebbieFleming profile image
DebbieFleming7lbs

I couldn't agree more. I live near Stoke On Trent. My very first oatcake was at a Potteries Museum cafe. The oatcake was filled with bacon and mushroom with a cheese sauce on top. Sublime.

Oatcake are made from oats. Yeah, I know, the clue is in the title. The oat straw was used to pack the finished pottery ware before it was loaded on to barges for transportation.

It takes an act of will not to buy the oatcakes from the supermarket and take them home to be eaten with savoury then sweet fillings.

Cp1965 profile image
Cp196541kg in reply toDebbieFleming

I'm overdue a return trip to the homeland to stock up! In my shift work days they were a quick and easy meal especially on late shift, couple of oatcakes, bacon, cheese and mushrooms, 10 mins or so under the grill, job done! Not so much haute cuisine as oat cuisine.

cheritorrox profile image
cheritorrox in reply toCp1965

like that one!:)

I used to have oatcakes and loved them with butter - I'm from Lancashire not Staffordshire but was living in Lincolnshire when I really got into the oatcake habit - perhaps it's a Northern thing. Probably best avoided whilst trying to lose weight but definitely on the list for a special treat.

Sonzi profile image
Sonzi

I love Staffordshire oatcakes! My 88 year old Dad is from Stoke and every time we went to visit grandparents we had them. Now I Order them online as I don’t live anywhere near staffs. I checked, There’s 81 calories per oatcake which is less than a slice of bread and they’re pretty filling! I guess it depends on how you fill them! We have to be inventive! Anyone got any ideas for low cal fillings?

BridgeGirl profile image
BridgeGirlAdministrator2 stone in reply toSonzi

Hello and welcome, Sonzi 😊

You'll get good ideas for meals on the Daily Diary, and plenty of recipes in Topics.

You'll find all our groups and activities in Pinned Posts healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... , plus a Welcome message. A good place to start is with a weekly weigh-in on the day of your choice, and the Daily Diary, where members share their meal plans.

This gives you a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true and, along with Pinned Posts, will show you how things work. Active participation can be a great boost to your own efforts so I hope you'll become an active member and we will see you joining in around the forum 😊

PS the app doesn’t give access to all parts of the forum so we advise everyone to get rid of the app and log on to the full website using the browser on their phone

cheritorrox profile image
cheritorrox

Aah the joys of freshly made oaties, still warm when got em home, add butter and cheddar for first couple then savour more with a fry up ... nostalgia indeed! x

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