Orkney on a plate

The weather has been fairly atrocious most of the day, starting with thick fog (see the extra of our morning walk) followed by an hour or so of quite warm sunshine, which then deteriorated into cold rain.

The forecast was for rain, so I had organised my week to go to Oamaru this morning. I was very surprised that one of my stops was at my "town depot" (aka S the weaver to whom I ship online shopping to save on rural delivery costs). She texted me yesterday to let me know the barley flour I ordered at the weekend had arrived. It was super-fast delivery and perfect timing.

When I cut the last Orkney cheese you may recall I had a craving for a bere bannock. I cannot get beremeal in NZ, but my wonderful source of bread flours also grows, grinds and sells barley flour. (Bere is an ancient type of barley.) So obviously I ordered a bag.

So as soon as I was home from town out came my Orkney recipe book and bannock baking began. For today is the day for cutting the most recent Orkney cheese.

Thus I was able to sit down to a mid-afternoon snack of still-warm bannock, slathered with butter and topped with freshly cut Orkney cheese. The barley flour worked perfectly. While it doesn't taste quite like bere, it is unmistakably the same type of flour.

To say I savoured it would be an understatement. I closed my eyes, listened to the rain (those of you who know Orkney will appreciate the significance of that!) and I was transported back to a warm cottage kitchen, a blazing peat fire, and the sounds of family food chat around me. What could be better?

Happily there are two and a half bannocks still to eat, as well as most of the cheese wheel, so I will revisit those memories again in the next few days.

It is fascinating that the significance of small things become greater as we age.