Steve Maskery
Established Member
As you may know, I like being in the kitchen as much as I like being in the workshop. I also grew up in Stoke, but, fortunately, managed to escape at 18, though after a brief dalliance with Middle Classness, I have ended up in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, so Frying Pan and Fire spring to mind.
There is a local North Staffordshire staple called Oatcakes. They are not a cake, but a cross between a pancake (as they are cooked flat), a crumpet (as they are leavened), and porridge, (as they are made with oats as well as flour).
This is the way I make them.
I make them in a cast iron pan. It's an excellent pan, but it does have steep sides, which makes flipping them over a bit of a challenge.
Last weekend I went over to Rowsley to buy some flour. They had some nice, but plain, flat cast iron griddles for sale, ideal for oatcakes or crêpes or anything of that kind. But at £35, a bit pricey. How badly did I want it? Let me think about it.
Then I remembered that, after posting my Instructables post, someone sent me a link to a Stokie Griddle. I lost the email. But I thought I'd look it up.
I found an article in the local paper, The Sentinel, about this griddle. They said it was £25. Very good, for something that is small batch produced. There was an email address, so I wrote.
Ah, said the designer. The Sentinel got it wrong. £25 is the difference between the basic one (£75) and a personalised one (£100). Ah. That's me out, then. I mentioned that I was a Creator myself and I understood the economics of small batch production c.f. mass production. Maybe come birthday time. I sent her a link to my Wardrobe build.
There is another way of looking at this, suggests the Designer. She has a router, but is not comfortable using it. Could I give her some guidance in exchange for a griddle? GAME ON!
So next week she is coming up for the day, I shall give her a primer and some excellent soup, and I shall get a high-quality griddle in exchange.
This is how life should be lived.
There is a local North Staffordshire staple called Oatcakes. They are not a cake, but a cross between a pancake (as they are cooked flat), a crumpet (as they are leavened), and porridge, (as they are made with oats as well as flour).
This is the way I make them.
I make them in a cast iron pan. It's an excellent pan, but it does have steep sides, which makes flipping them over a bit of a challenge.
Last weekend I went over to Rowsley to buy some flour. They had some nice, but plain, flat cast iron griddles for sale, ideal for oatcakes or crêpes or anything of that kind. But at £35, a bit pricey. How badly did I want it? Let me think about it.
Then I remembered that, after posting my Instructables post, someone sent me a link to a Stokie Griddle. I lost the email. But I thought I'd look it up.
I found an article in the local paper, The Sentinel, about this griddle. They said it was £25. Very good, for something that is small batch produced. There was an email address, so I wrote.
Ah, said the designer. The Sentinel got it wrong. £25 is the difference between the basic one (£75) and a personalised one (£100). Ah. That's me out, then. I mentioned that I was a Creator myself and I understood the economics of small batch production c.f. mass production. Maybe come birthday time. I sent her a link to my Wardrobe build.
There is another way of looking at this, suggests the Designer. She has a router, but is not comfortable using it. Could I give her some guidance in exchange for a griddle? GAME ON!
So next week she is coming up for the day, I shall give her a primer and some excellent soup, and I shall get a high-quality griddle in exchange.
This is how life should be lived.
