Hodge Podge
This is the best dish for the first vegetables of summer.
Tag: Nova Scotia
Grandma’s Strawberry Shortcake
A strawberry shortcake with a different type of base – absolutely the best!
Bannock/Biscuits
This one is from my grandmother. Nova Scotia, and particularly Cape Breton, is known for Scottish heritage. My grandmother spoke Gaelic and made bannock. Not the same bannock made by some Indigenous peoples (which is often fried), this is essentially a big cake-like version of a scone, baked in a pan.
The bannock recipe, with some sugar added, is the basis for Grandma’s strawberry shortcake too – and it’s way better than any other base I’ve tried.
This is the same recipe to make biscuits (or tea biscuits), which is what Nova Scotians call scones.
Ingredients
4 cups flour 10 tsp baking powder 1 teas salt 3/4 cup shortening or lard 2 cups milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening or lard. Add milk. For bannock: Spread dough into a greased 9x13" pan Bake for 20 minutes, or until tester comes out clean For biscuits: Fold the dough over a few times to create layers Roll out with flour Cut into biscuits Bake for 10-12 minutes
Variations
Before adding the milk, add one or more of: Grated firm/hard cheese (cheddar, parmesan, gruyere) Crumbled bacon Ham, cut in small pieces Cut green onion Fresh herbs (chives, parsley, basil) Cinnamon and sugar Lemon zest and sugar
I use this recipe all the time – a quick batch of warm biscuits with some soup is a great rainy day meal.
Cut bannock into squares and use similarly, with some jam or cheese.
With cinnamon and sugar, it makes a nice sweetish pastry. With ham, cheese, and chives, it’s a hearty lunch addition. Great for using that last bit of ham, bacon, or other lunch meats.
(Photos to come! This is such a regular recipe for me, that I forget to take pictures!)
The verdict
Yep, this is a solid recipe. Grandma knew what she was about.
Lobster Newburg
Super easy to make, this dish features in two historic cookbooks, but I’ve given my family recipe for it here!
Grandma’s strawberry shortcake
This is one of my favourite desserts, perfect for strawberry season. My grandmother and mother both made this, and I make it nearly every year too. An old-fashioned Nova Scotian treat!
Definitely hold out for the local strawberries to fill this dessert.
One of the differences to typical recipes is that this uses a sweetened bannock base rather than angel food cake.
Ingredients
Bannock base: 4 cups flour 10 teas baking powder 1 teas salt 3/4 cup lard or shortening 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups milk Filling: strawberries white sugar Topping: whipping cream white sugar vanilla
Instructions
With a pastry blender, combine first 5 ingredients. Add milk. Place in greased and floured pan (9x13). Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. Slice strawberries. Sprinkle with white sugar, stir and let sit (about 1/2 cup sugar to 2 quarts strawberries). Whip heavy cream, and add a few teaspoons of sugar and a little vanilla. Cut cake into squares, and slice each in half (like a bread roll). On the bottom half of the cake, put strawberries and whipped cream. Cover with top half of cake and top with more strawberries and whipped cream.
The Verdict
So simple, and so delicious. Definitely try it out!
We’ve added blueberries to our shortcake – what would you add? Tell us in the comments!