the SmockLady

or Scottish Pancakes

The following proportions will serve about four people

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats or Scottish porridge oats ((You can use quick oats, not instant oatmeal, instead of the old-fashioned rolled oats or the Scottish porridge oats and you can cut the time the oats have to soak in the buttermilk from 30 minutes to only 5 minutes. But, you sacrifice the texture. You make the call.))
• 2 cups wholemilk buttermilk ((”Bulgarian style”)) or whole sweet milk soured with the juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup*
• 1 level teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons oil

1. Preheat lightly greased electric griddle ((or as the Scots say, girdle)) to 350 degrees. Or heat a lightly greased skillet on the stove to medium heat.
2. Heat milk to lukewarm and add beaten eggs.
3. Stir in oats, golden syrup, and oil and let stand for 30 minutes to soften oats.
4. Combine dry ingredients and stir into the oat mixture until blended.
5. Spoon onto griddle.
6. Brown first side and then flip once only.
7. Remove from griddle when golden brown.

To serve, sprinkle lemon juice and sugar on bannocks, or serve with butter and jam, golden syrup or maple syrup, or warm applesauce.

*Golden Syrup is readily available in the UK but not in the US. If you are in the Southern US, a table syrup such as Yellow Label, Golden Eagle, or Blackburn-Made is a reasonable substitute. Southern table syrup is also delicious as a topping for these bannocks, but our favorite way to eat them is with the lemon juice and sugar.