School: An Craoslach (roll number 10062)

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1. Food

   

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   In olden times people had not as good a variety of food as in the present days. There was no tea at all. They usually had porridge or potatoes for breakfast. It was chiefly on porridge and potatoes they lived . The bread they used was often made of raw potatoes grated and baked on a griddle. This bread was known as "Boxty."
   The raw potatoes were washed, (and) usually very large ones were picked and then grated on a grater. The grater was like a sheet of tin with a lot of holes pierced in it by means of a nail.
   Some people nailed this tin on a flat board, keeping the rough side out. Others made a box like affair with four sides. but having no bottom.
   On this they nailed the grater and it was now ready for use.
   There seems to have been many ways of making this "boxty." After the potatoes were grated into a basin (of hot water) they were put into a clean cloth.
   This was then dipped into a basin of hot water and lifted out again. The mixture was squeezed lightly and put out on a bake board. The potatoes were now like a thick paste. Some flour, baking-soda and salt were added and the dough rolled out in a round flat cake- cut into four parts called "farls." The farls were cooked on a greased

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Dorothy Wilkinson

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Masiness, Co. Donegal

   Informant

   Antony Wilkinson

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Masiness, Co. Donegal