Thus far, I’ve only encountered these in a pack of four assorted tarts, so am not entirely sure they are specific to Scotland. Vague snippets of information on the internet seem to support the theory, but until I see them more widely available, I’m going to reserve judgement.
While idling round the supermarket, I noticed a packet of large (maybe 15cm in diameter), flat, raisin-studded pancakes. Upon studying the label, I saw these were called “Fruit Crumpets”. Adjacent was a fruit-free version called simply “Crumpets”.
After spying these little yellow-domed tarts in a bakery window, I fell instantly to speculating what they were. My boyfriend’s niece was able to interpret my vague but enthusiastic description of them to be pineapple fancies aka pineapple cakes aka pineapple tarts.
I recently moved to Ayrshire in Scotland. Having only been north of the border a handful of times before, my food encounters here were limited.
I knew about haggis, neeps and tatties, I’d heard about cranachan, and I’d eaten unlimited amounts of shortbread, but while strolling past a local bakery, I glanced in the window to see a number of unfamiliar items.
I only caught a glimpse, and one of them made me think of a yellow marshmallow peep chick. Walking on a bit further, I pondered what it could have been. A meringue-topped cake? A lemon tart of some sort? A version of that odd ice-cream cone filled with marshmallow one sometimes finds? Continue reading Scottish Bakery Treats: Introduction
Towards the end of 2010, I temporarily moved to the Jericho area of Oxford. Migrating from a 3-bedroom house in a village to a no-bedroom studio flat in the city meant my boyfriend and I now lived in close proximity to many eateries, as well as to each other.
To stave off cabin fever we took to venturing out more for meals. Sunday lunch started to become a regular fixture, as did Saturday breakfasts or brunches. Lying in bed, we would weigh up laziness versus hunger, until hunger inevitably won. Sometimes this would mean a brief trot for one martyr down the road to Gluttons deli to snag a Chelsea bun, but occasionally we would rise from underneath the duvet and head out for food. Continue reading Oxford Breakfasts