School: Clochar na Trócaire, Leac an Anfa, Cathair na Mart

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1. Food in Olden Times (continued)

   

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   of a coarse long nail. The potato is rubbed up and down on the coarse surface, the grater is placed over a clean basin or pail and the pulp allowed to fall into the vessel. This watery mass is put into a clean white cloth - generally a flour bag and squeezed thoroughly. (I have seen this squeezing done in South Galway by putting the tongs across a pail and squeezing the cloth, full of pulp down on the bars.). There is left now dry pulp in the flour bag, and starchy water in the clean vessel. The water is allowed to set, it is poured off and the starch left behind is used for starching cottons linens etc.
   The dry pulp is put on the losset, a little flour shaken through and a small drop of water just enough to moisten it. It is kneaded, something like ordinary bread and shaped into a round cake salt being added beforehand. The round is cut up into triangular pieces and baked on a griddle. The bread has a dark appearance but tastes nicelt with butter.
   Potato cake is common, it is made from cooled potatoes with a little flour salt and milk and baked on griddle or pan and usually cut in triangular pieces. Oaten bread is not eaten now but the childrens parents have seen it and have eaten it. Instead a few handfuls of oatmeal are mixed with the shop flour in making the ordinary oven cakes. These have a cross cut with a knife in the top before being placed in the oven. The oaten-bread made in olden times was highly valued, people going to America used to bring an oates cakes as it kept fresh for weeks.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Maggie Gannon

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Carrowmacloughlin, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Mrs Kate Sammin

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Carrowmacloughlin, Co. Mayo