THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

[Deleted User]

Capella the original peasant bread was MASLIN BREAD and there is a recipe on the Lovefood site along with the history of it. It's a dark rye yeasted loaf, hope that helps xxx.

The upper classes ate MANCHET BREAD which was much whiter and more refined, slightly sweet in the style of brioche.

Cappella

Thank you both, but I've looked at the sites and I'm really looking for unleavened pan breads. Yeasted breads were certainly eaten by the nobility and possibly by fortunate serfs with access to ovens, but everyday breads, according to some historians weren't yeasted, and I'm looking for recipes that incorporates pea/bean/barley and oat flour.
Think I'll experiment ad see how I get on. If all else fails I've got an oatcake recipe to fall back on

DigForVictory

Yeast has been around a Long Time

Plus where there is beer, there is leavened bread
As well as (No connection!)

Loads of fun with sufferer cereals- oats & rye & barley & bere & emmer & spelt - all different & delicious.

Also, cut the risen dough with a cross - monks (the fat men of the medieval period, with all that food & relative wealth) were expected to leave at least a quarter to give to the poor. (Note expectation & actuality varied immensely. To be fair, so did the abbey corn supply.)

Frighten the group by pointing out horsebread (made with pea flour) was eaten when the cost of better grains like rye was not affordable? Oh yes, a knight's horse could be fed better than the peasants supporting the knight...

Mind, you'll not go far wrong with bannock just go very light on anything added like fruit, ground nuts or anything sweet. Good traditional nourishment & then modernise with raisins, serve with butter & jam etc & see why griddlescones have survived!

[Deleted User]

They baked 'small breads' too in the cooling oven somewhat akin to scones. Possibly like small soda breads which would do nicely for mopping up the pottage from the bowls wouldn't it. You could make soda farls which would work well and be fairly authentic.

Further back in history I know but when I did a Stoneage Cookery course we made griddle breads on a hot stone which were basically unsweetened scotch pancakes made with flour, egg and milk. Something like a bere bannock like they produce to this day in Orkney which you could cook in a heavy frying pan or on a bakestone/griddle would work well and you can get barley flour in a decent wholefoods shop.

[Deleted User]

Picked this up from Home Bargains, for a fiver.

Not particularly powerful, being only 2600mAh and an output of just 800mA.

However, the handy bit is, it has a built in solar panel.

It won't fully charge from solar power, but it'll take on enough charge from the sun, to make a few urgent phone calls.

mardatha

Scots didn't eat bread, we ate oatcakes.

Cappella

Many thanks everyone who sent links or ideas.
I've had a practise run today and successfully made barley bannock, and a panbread using half pea flour and half barley - nicer than I expected and very edible fresh but much less appetising later tonight. I used an old cast iron pan and found it easier than expected. Tomorrow I'm trying a rye loaf using beer as a raising agent. If it works I'll freeze it. I know I'm ok with oatcakes as MrC's grandma was from the Highlands and showed me how to make them. It will be interesting to give people tastes of different breads I think, I was just thinking of one type but I'm getting carried away now
Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

[Deleted User]

When I was baby sitting those Grandpickles I visited (as I always do) the Amnesty International Bookstore and found a paperback totally dedicated to making sourdough bread. I'm going to take advantage of the free heat and set a starter mix going which ought to give me a loaf to bake by next weekend. I've tried starters before and not been successful but with the weather being as warm as it is I ought to be in with a chance this time.

Karmacat

I'm back from holibobs as I was inside the Arctic Circle, I took a few of my own preps, even though I was on a mega cruise ship:
- two torches
- seat belt cutter (that raised a few eyebrows on the security check, but it was okay)
- whistle, signal mirror
- box of matches
- compass
- wind up radio
- seasickness pills and bands
- water purification tabs
- normal tiny first aid kit.
- also a few seeds and dried fruit, since I'm intolerant to gluten and cow dairy (and vegetarian ....). Didn't need any of it, though, they had a very varied menu.


None of the preps were needed, though I did wear the seasickness bands one night, in a 3 metre sea (because of the interaction of the waves with the ship, some waves were right outside our window, 30 feet above sea level :eek:


Now to get the garden back in order :eek:

maryb

Mrs L I went on a sourdough course last year where they gave us a pot of starter to take home. I've never actually used it ( though I feed it to keep it going as a reserve) because just about that time I managed to get my own starter going. woop woop:j:j

What made the difference was realising that you only need about a dessertspoonful of the original mix every time you feed it with 50g flour and 50ml water. I always used to keep far too much of the original and that meant it wasn't getting enough fresh food so it smelled of nail varnish

I feel really proud of managing to get my own starter going, it's my baby.;) One of these days I will christen it with a name (unless DH decides I've really lost the plot!!) Once you really get it going, you only need to feed it about once a week