Brose Day and later that day, Bannock Night, were food-related traditions held in Scotland on the same day as Shrove Tuesday.
Bannock
Béaltaine Bannock
Béaltaine Bannock was a form of bread. There were various traditions and forms of it being made up until the end of the 1800s. It was a bannock that was usually round, though sometimes it was triangular. While making it, no metal implements were to be used. Some traditions held that the bannock dough had…
Beremeal Bannock
A beremeal bannock is made from a mixture of wheat flour and flour ground from an old variety of barley. It is leavened with baking powder or baking soda.
Bride’s Bannock
Bride’s Bannock is a bannock that ends up similar to shortbread. It is made from flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, and caraway seeds. All ingredients are mixed, with just enough milk to form a dough. The dough is then formed into a ¾ inch (2 cm) thick circle. It is then baked on a girdle…
Cod Liver Bannock
Cod Liver Bannock is made from oatmeal and minced-cod liver, and steamed. It is particularly made on the Isle of Barra, a small Scots-Gaelic speaking island off the west coast of Scotland. Cooking Tips For each Cod Liver Bannock: Soak 1 cod’s liver overnight in cold water. Drain, chop finely and discard any stringy bits….
Cryin’ Bannock
In some areas of Scotland, a woman’s going into labour (confinement) was called a “cryin” (likely for obvious reasons.) When a child was born, a special bannock called a “Cryin’ Bannock” or a “Cryin’ Kebback” would be made from oatmeal, milk and sugar. The Cryin’ Bannock could be given either to guests at the home,…
Fallaid Bannock
“Faillad bannock” in Scottish means basically “leftover bannock.” If you left an uneaten bannock in the house overnight, that would grant admission to the Faeires into your house. You could prevent Faeires admission by breaking a piece off of the Fallaid Bannock, by putting a coal on top of it, or by making the bannock…
Fife Bannock
Fife Bannock is made in Fife, an area on the east coast of Scotland. In Fife, bannock is more likely to be made with wheat flour, and another grain that has been finely ground, as opposed to some other parts of Scotland, which is likely to have more oats in it. Cooking Tips Sample recipe…
Hogmanay Bannock
Hogmanay Bannock was made for Hogmanay (Scottish New Year), in the form of a small bannock made with oats and caraway seeds, with a hole in the centre and notched edges. One would be made for each child. Children got them in the morning, and had to eat them all as to leave any was…
Lammas Bannock
A Lammas Bannock was made from the grains that had been newly harvested. Later Lammas Bannock became a loaf of actual bread made from the first grains harvested. Lammas Bannock would be either given as a gift to the local clergy, or taken to Church to be blessed and brought home to have as part…
Marymas Bannock
Marymas Bannock was originally known as Lammas Bannock. Lammas Bannock eventually was assimilated into Christianity, and Marymas Bannock was made in honour of the Virgin Mary on the 15th August, the Feast Day of Mary (“Feill Moire” in Scottish.) The Marymas Bannock would be made from grain gathered that day, and would be cooked over…
Mashlum Bannock
Mashlum is a Scottish expression for a mixture made with a mixture of flours, rather than entirely from one grain, such as oatmeal, barley or wheat. In English, we’d just say “mixed grain.” Literature & Lore “Tell you guid bluid o’ auld Boconnock’s I’ll be his debt twa mashlum bonnocks…” — Robert Burns. “The Author’s…
Michaelmas Bannock
Michaelmas Bannock was baked in northern Scotland and in Ireland on St Michael’s day (in some traditions, it was made the night before.) Many of the activities that had been done at Lughnasadh — sports, games and horse races — migrated to this day. The Michaelmas Bannock was given a special name, the “struan”, and…
Pease Bannock
Pease Bannock is made using dried field peas ground into a meal. Pease Bannock was often made near the border between Scotland and England. It would be made in an oval shape, and called a “fadge.” Often ground bean meal was mixed in as well. Pease Bannock was made to be about 2 inches (5…
Pitcaithly Bannock
Pitcaithly Bannock is actually more what we would think of as shortbread. It is made as a large, round circle, from a mixture of wheat and rice flours, sugar, and butter, along with chopped almonds, and candied citrus peel. You mix the flours and sugar, rub the butter in, then mix in the nuts and…
Salt Bannock
Salt Bannock was a bannock made from whatever meal was available with the addition of a whole lot of salt. You were supposed to eat Salt Bannock, then go to bed without saying another word before drinking or going to sleep. You would then have dreams about what would come in the future. Young single…
Samhain Bannock
Samhain Bannock started off as a plain bannock made at Hallowe’en. It would be left outside the door along with milk for the dead, or it could be included amongst food set on a table inside for your ancestors who had passed to the “Summerlands” and wanted to join others at the table. This was…
Sautie Bannock
Sautie bannock was made for Bannock Nicht (aka Shrove Tuesday) from oats, egg, and salt, with the liquid for the mixture being either beef broth or milk. Only one person made the sautie bannock, and she was not allowed to speak. The other girls would try to tease her into speaking. A ring would be…
Selkirk Bannock
Selkirk bannock is a round Scottish bread made with wheat flour, butter, and a generous amount of sultana raisins.
Silverweed Bannock
Silverweed Bannock was made from the boiled roots of Silverweed Cinquefoil. Because Silverweed was known to be a favourite Fairy food, this particular type of bannock might have been one you particularly did not want to leave in the house overnight as the “Fallaid Bannock.”
St Bride’s Bannock
St Bride’s Bannock was baked for the first day of spring and was called “bonnach Bride” — “Bride’s Bannock.” The first day of spring was called various names including: Imbolc, Imbolg, Là Fhéill Bhrìghde, Feast-Day of Bride and St Brigid’s Day. St. Bride’s Bannock were given out to small girls who went around town with…
St Columba’s Bannock
St Columba’s Bannock was a special bannock made for St Columba’s Day, which is celebrated on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday.) The night before, the bannock would be made out of oats or rye with a silver coin in it, and cooked on a fire made from wood from oak, rowan or yew…
Teethin’ Bannock
Teethin’ Bannock was a large bannock made of oatmeal and butter or cream, for young children whose teeth were coming in. Teethin’ Bannock was baked with neighbours present, but the person making it had to remain silent. Sometimes a large teething ring was baked into it, then it was given to the child to play…
Yetholm Bannock
As with Pithcaily Bannock, Yetholm Bannock is actually a shortbread, but one with candied (aka crystallized) ginger pieces in it. You make plain shortbread from wheat flour (with no oatmeal) and add 1 egg yolk for added richness, plus 1 generous tablespoon of chopped candied ginger. You shape the dough in an oblong form, then…