Anglo-Saxon Oatcakes - How Not To Burn King Alfred's Cakes

[@BellePullman]

I'm in southern England, and my local bakery will label any accidentally over-cooked products as "King Alfred Loaves" (or scones etc) and sell them cheap. Doesn't happen that often but I love that bit of history!

[@TastingHistory]

That’s amazing! I love that.

[@mrsfolkartist76]

Thank you! That's very interesting!

[@PlayaSinNombre]

Brilliant!

[@mcfarofinha134]

@Andoc let me guess, this is your poor attempt at some social commentary. You bloody failed, please step away from the computer or mobile device, and get some therapy to fix your sad sad life. Maybe after that you'll have some friends.

[@shockingheaven]

Sounds great!

[@JadeIsChronicallyTired]

- Not a Professional Historian - Not a professional chef I feel deceived. If you hadn't told me I'd have thought you were a professional food historian with a culinary background! Really speaks to the care and research done for these videos, I love it!

[@Kaosbabe161]

and his style and rhetoric are so unequivocally pedantic and eloquent as well!

[@walter-vq1fw]

Also speaks to the time we live in. All this info at the tip of our fingers. Even MIT has free course ware

[@mrs.schmenkman]

Check out Townsends Channel. They specialize in 18th century because they are actually lifelong re-enactors.

[@LBrobie]

right?! now i'm even more intrigued. he said he was furloughed from his job which is why he started this channel... so, what the heck IS he?? not a chef, not a teacher... Hmmm... inquiring minds want to know!

[@pscar1]

I second the Townsend channel. If you like this one, you will like that one, too.

[@wingy200]

Toast those oats first before you mix them and you'll get that delicious caramelized flavor without flipping disasters. :D

[@TastingHistory]

Now you tell me 🤣

[@moominbum]

i pre-toast oats for english flapjacks but for this recipe i'd personally oven bake, then toast in the skillet to form the charred crust

[@ThisIsYourOnlyWarning]

Toast the oats, then oven bake

[@karenvillarosa9261]

Me too I toast my oats for an entirely different reason. Because I never liked the taste of unevenly cooked/raw oats! I can taste the slight toastiness too when it is added in any baked goods. Especially cookies.

[@comesahorseman]

Yep.When I brew oatmeal stout I toast the oats lightly before mashing them; the ale then has a slight oatmeal cookie flavor. See "Radical Brewing" by Randy Mosher.

[@PeteofHartainia]

Poor Alfred, his life was falling apart and he just wants oatmeal cookies.

[@Lara-xu3yc]

Cakes

[@kayfrenly5460]

Little known fact. Alfred was actually black. Heard the truth at a BLM peaceful protest. I think all the false depictions of him should be destroyed and replaced with accurate ones.

[@Lara-xu3yc]

@@kayfrenly5460 tried to find proof of that and there is seemingly nothing to prove it as fact

[@RandomnessCreates]

@@kayfrenly5460 So you're saying burning cookies is a Black thing?

[@DeanMetalAngel666]

@@kayfrenly5460 Whether Alfred was or wasn't black (I haven't found any evidence to it as of yet either), the only Roman Emperor that ever made an incursion into Britain which gained so much ground that they managed a campaign into Scotland was actually an African; specifically from the area of Leptis Magna in what is now Libya and he was known by the name of Septimius Severus.

[@Crusader1089]

I grew up in Wantage, the birthplace of King Alfred, and we were always taught the cakes would have been like pancakes or scones. This is probably baseless and without any historical rigour, but I thought you might like to know. Our statue of Alfred is less warlike, he holds the scrolls of the law instead of the sword, though he has an axe resting against his feet, showing his readiness to fight.

[@fiddlesticks7245]

Alfred was awesome, he spread literacy across his kingdom and brought dozens of scholars into his court to educate himself and his courtiers, learned Latin and helped translate books into the Anglo-Saxon's language, and despite all that nerd stuff he smashed the danes and forced their leader to convert. Cool dude

[@lukasmakarios4998]

I would LOVE to see that statue. King Alfred is my favourite of England's monarchs.

[@charles_xcx]

Fascinating!

[@connordickerson6815]

@@fiddlesticks7245 an amazing man who truly earned the title of great, one of the best kings england has even had over a span of more then 1000 year's!!

[@mouseketeery]

@@lukasmakarios4998 A (very!) late reply, but just Google "Statue of King Alfred Wantage" - lots of pics in good light. A nice plaque too.

[@lisaoniahll7762]

I am a professional historian and a trained chef and found this completely delightful! Thank you.

[@candyclaws7693]

you are doing my dream job, how does one accomplish that?

[@hangarrat]

As someone from the Midlands, I did not expect to see our flat oatcakes featured in a US historical cooking show! Good work sir, I’ll have to give this recipe a try.

[@TastingHistory]

I tried them once when I was in shropshire (or possibly it was the Lake District). If you have a good recipe for them, I’d love to take a gander.

[@ellehan3003]

The best oat cakes are from stoke on Trent. I always just put cheese in theyre delicious

[@casinodelonge]

@@ellehan3003 bacon and cheese outcakes, yum, I believe there is a narrowboat that plies the canals of the area dispensing fresh oatcakes.

[@casinodelonge]

@@TastingHistory Hopefully it was Staffordshire!!

[@jeanettegant4945]

Staffordshire oatcakes for wrapping bacon and cheese, mmmm. Can we still get them?

[@Arihanta1112]

The Garum video was the first one I've watched. I'm glad the algorithm brought your channel to me.

[@TastingHistory]

I’m so glad it did too! 😁

[@DH-xw6jp]

Same, been bingeing them all

[@aidanfarnan4683]

Likewise

[@fishsauce2221]

@@jxslayz6663 If you made a previous comment than it's been deleted.

[@fishsauce2221]

Me too. Garum reminded me of Swedish Surströmming. Warning: Do not open the can inside. Always open it outside away from anything living. It taste okay if you can get passed the smell. Lets just say there's a reason snaps is served along side surströmming. It's so you can get drunk enough to not care about the smell. Iceland have their version of fermented fish too. Fermented shark. Here's a detail you didn't want to know nor ask for: I sadly don't need to imagine how it is to make out with someone who have just eaten some. Making out with a corpse comes to mind. (The smell from the mouth). When I realized my terrible mistake I took another snaps, okay it was more than one, and went lower with my mouth. It was going there sooner or later anyways. Lesson learned: Always keep track of who is eating surströmming. During the surströmming eating festival I can't believe I married her. I scream WHY?! in my head when she turn to face me with that breath. In my opinion: If you really hate someone then send them a can of surströmming and tell them to open it inside their home.

[@Obregon-]

Learning about king Alfred was even more interesting than the cakes. Thanks for the video

[@TastingHistory]

Then my work here is done 😁. My goal is to make history interesting, so thank you.

[@Elleoaqua]

@@TastingHistory I love Bernard Cornwell's King Alfred in the Last Kingdom Series

[@kathleensiegrist1457]

The Last Kingdom Rocks!! Love it! King Alfred was a very interesting person

[@stumccabe]

Alfred truly deserves the title "the Great". His care for his people and his devotion to learning and education was astonishingly ahead of his time, apart from everything else he accomplished.

[@woodsplitter3274]

The only British ruler with such a sobriquet.

[@thenablade858]

@@woodsplitter3274 Cnut too. He was the Danish king of England. Alongside Alfred, I would say he was the greatest ruler of the Anglo-Saxon era (England also had a Dutch king William III, husband of Mary II, and he wasn’t bad either).

[@dmckim3174]

I would suggest that you continue to keep the "whoops" moments in. It shows the complications that tend to happen, informs those that are going to make a recipe and adds a little comedy.

[@TastingHistory]

There are plenty of whoops moments in my cooking 🤣

[@celticlass8573]

@@TastingHistory That's how we learn...AND how we make pleasant discoveries! Like how I expect clotted cream came into existence--you KNOW someone put out new cream in the sun one hot day, just for a second, then remembered it many hours later, ran back out, and was all, "Something's happened...let's taste it!"

[@Trismegustis]

@@TastingHistory I like that you're human. You get little moments of human connection with King Alfred, and we get those same moments with you. Brings us together, I think.

[@nancyware7282]

@@celticlass8573 "Something's happened... Let's taste it! You know we have only one cow and cannot afford to waste one drop of milk or one smear of cream, much less the entire bowlful! So go on then, eat it up!"

[@nancyware7282]

@@TastingHistory Leaving in the "whoops" moments shows us just how we can go wrong, and hopefully avoid doing do. But don't worry, we'll find our own ways to go "whoops" LOL

[@mhale1982]

I made these today. They're tasty as hell. I'm not surprised the old lady gave Alfred hell for letting them burn. Like an incredibly buttery oatmeal cookie.

[@kck9742]

I'm definitely going to try these -- always trying to find easy, portable, but healthy breakfasts for workday mornings.

[@billclinton2677]

God, I love this channel.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@BFGUITAR]

@@TastingHistory Same! I have really gotten into make historical foods. If you really want a cool food to delve in to, check out "cholent" or "hamin" or "t'bit" (all the same thing, depending on location). It's a style of cooking done by Jews on the Sabbath. Because you cannot make a fire to cook your food on the Sabbath, towns would have a central ovens that everyone would use starting Friday night and would keep hot until the next day. Pots of food from different families would be left in the oven until lunch when it would be picked up for a slow cooked, hot lunch meal. And even until today, people still eat this stuff (although they make it at home). The dish is probably thousands of years old!

[@caxe7]

same here!!!! Ive just found this channel and have been bingieng it all day

[@RodCornholio]

@@TastingHistory What's your tech setup? Camera, lighting, and sound. You'll be getting a bunch of these questions, so is there a link to the answer?

[@amihanathabagat]

Me too, love you, Max Miller!

[@goatkidmom]

I made these. Tips: These stir up up very easily; quick to make, just use a spoon. I needed ¾ c. flour. If you're used to frying crumbly mixtures, you know to drop them by large rounded spoonfuls into the melted butter in the frying pan, then flatten them out a little. Keep a close eye on them, they scorch incredibly fast. A little bit of blackening actually does make them taste better. Put the extras in the fridge and they will firm up and be useful for breakfast in the morning.

[@BlackDogDenton]

As Englishman it makes me happy to hear you say it's your favourite period of history. It's certainly part of mine, from the fall of the Western Roman Empire until the rise of the Medieval kingdoms. Love it.

[@kck9742]

I love the Alfred story... it shows him (or intends to show him) as a respectful guy who's humble enough to apologize for screwing up something that was probably considered women's work. I'm always looking for tasty, portable breakfasts for work mornings, and I definitely think these would be great!

[@celticlass8573]

I'm going to make them too. I love Scottish oat cakes (dipped in tea), so I'm looking forward to it. Plus they'll be cheap to make!

[@CailinRuaAnChead]

This is basically a flapjack, and they are excellent breakfast food

[@celticlass8573]

@@CailinRuaAnChead What's a flapjack? Is it a pancake? I've heard the term a few times, but it's not a thing here.

[@CailinRuaAnChead]

@@celticlass8573 its basically this recipe but pressed into a deep square/ rectangular baking tray and baked. Then cut into squares or bars. They're really good. Sometimes they're topped with a layer of chocolate or have coco mixed in before they're baked

[@celticlass8573]

@@CailinRuaAnChead Oooooooh! That sounds delicious!

[@Meghan.E.Costello]

I saw Oatcakes in the title and had to watch. I absolutely love oatcakes and have a very old recipe that's been handed down through my mother's family for generations. One big difference between mine and the recipe that's being used, is that we use lard rather then butter. Lard was just easier to come by in the Scottish Highlands. These are perfect for tea time with honey or jams! I really recommend that everyone should at least try them once.

[@runenummedal6957]

I'm Norwegian, and my mother has been making a very very similar kind of oat cake for Christmas for as long as I can remember. Family tradition. Can't remember seeing them anywhere else though. She got the recipe from her mother, but I'm not sure how far back in the family it goes. But apparently the tradition of baking similar oat cakes goes back more than a thousand years! That's fascinating! I love the continuity of such things! And at some obscure point in time my family turned it into a Christmas tradition 😎

[@SingingSealRiana]

@@runenummedal6957 I know that as a scandinavian chrismas tradition, though I do not know from where . . .

[@carolynlindblad3140]

@@runenummedal6957 I'm an American who is the descendant of Swedish immigrants that emigrated to Sweden 20 years ago. When I was a young woman I happened upon a cookbook from the 1960's for Scandinavian recipes (from Minnesota, where many Scanis settled at the time). It is filled with similar recipes and things that I think our ancestors had as their daily meals- though I confess to never being tempted to make cooked sheep's head. I'll stick to lussebullar and klenätter. I also eat sill and strömming but never ever never surströmming or rakfisk. I once ate lutfisk as a child by accident and never ever never again.

[@JD-vv2qp]

I'm British, and it's really weird seeing food that I eat fairly regularly being described as "historical", hahahaha. My family makes something very, very similar called a flapjack- we do it as a tray-bake and cut them into bars to take to work. We'll often use golden syrup instead of honey, and I like mine with chopped nuts 👌

[@matthewnunya8483]

😂😂 if it makes you feel any better i had to look up golden syrup........if i get to trying this recipe i made add some maple syrup instead

[@StacyL.]

In the United States, a flapjack is another name for a pancake 🥞

[@clockworkmonsters8590]

@@matthewnunya8483 If you do use maple syrup, bare in mind that typically, both golden syrup and honey are quite a bit thicker and more potent in terms of sickly sweetness, so they might not hold together as well without the stickiness of something thicker

[@jeanettegant4945]

Can't find Lyle's Golden Syrup in France, so I live a sad life sans flapjacks.

[@JD-vv2qp]

@@jeanettegant4945 I've often seen it called Inverted Sugar Syrup- you might be able to find it under that name

[@NecromancyForKids]

"Clearly if you had not become a saint, you had done something wrong" Yes, that is indeed how it usually goes.

[@TakeUpYourCross]

Yes, quite.

[@merindymorgenson3184]

Maybe a lot of things 😂

[@lhfirex]

My favorite Saint is St. Pauli Girl.

[@chrism7395]

I was told that the reason Cornwall has so many unofficial Saints (nearly 60 of them) is that the local people really engaged with the concept of Saints (possibly repurposing existing local myths) that they assumed that every passing Christian missionary must be a Saint or they wouldn't have come to the area. No doubt the missionaries didn't correct them as it made their job easier!

[@StonedtotheBones13]

I like your name

[@RhapsodyOfJoy]

Mr. Miller, your channel is a real gem. You're quite the scholar, one can tell you've done a really good job researching your subject matter. And your style is really nice: entertaining and informative in equal measures. Also, your music choices are great. Thank you so much, sir. Keep it up 🙏

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you. I do only put music in that I love 😁

[@laudysmartinez1475]

I love how you're always so forgiving and real you are, it really inspires me to try these recipes without the need to make them "historically accurate" or "perfect".

[@lachimiste1]

This is so neat! I caught the genealogy bug a few years ago, and so I know that Aelfred Aethling, also known as Alfred the Great, is my great^34-grandfather. So this is actually a bit of family history!

[@dosanbey9437]

I see someone already mentioned toasting your oats first. Also in the USA there is Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal which is GROUND in a stone mill, not ROLLED and is more authentic to those times than the flat rolled oats which came a lot later. Toast the oatmeal in a dry skillet stirring constantly until you can see the color start to darken and smell the nut like aroma, remove form the skillet, let cool and store in an air tight container or in the fridge. Believe me you won't want to eat those pasty rolled oats again unless they are also toasted. In Europe (and the US) there is McCann's, and another one whose name escapes me at the moment, which also produce STEEL CUT oats and are also good. By the way while not oatcake related but just a little bit of curious info: people also toasted bread because they found it lasted longer than fresh bread which could get moldy rather quickly. In Crete they even have a special DRIED BREAD which keeps forever. Which as far as I know you can't eat as is but is meant to be crumbled into soups and stews.

[@mistersilly9012]

additionally, rolled oats are pre-steamed and probably too modern to be traditional. i do wonder this factor explains the difficulty of keeping the cakes intact. and also whether maybe it was normal to add a little water

[@ryanlehnhoff654]

I LOVE that your channel showed up in my KZbin recommendations! I started with the Roman loaf bread, and 7 episodes later, I figure I should leave a comment in appreciation. I, too, love food and history, but I also love your storytime-like delivery, and the occasional "oops!" moments that make your content so joy-inducing and relatable. Your show is a welcome island of fun and curiosity surrounding food, and I actually caught myself smiling while watching these! I haven't had a good smile watching many cooking/food shows on network TV channels in years. Keep up the great work, Max; I look forward to many more of your episodes. Cheers!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you, Ryan! 😁

[@carolharris2357]

I know, why wasn't it in my recommendations before?

[@LarryJohnVA]

Historically speaking, I've always had an interest in history, but have not been all that fond of 'cooking' videos. However, from the first of your videos I watched (after it was suggested by KZbin just a week or two ago), I've been hooked! Your videos are of great quality, featuring interesting/unusual foods, plus the fascinating, well-researched related history. And although I don't know how most of those foreign names or words are supposed to be pronounced, you surely sound like you're saying them correctly! (I do know the British names, having visited aunts & uncles there numerous times in the 1970s & 1980s, and you're spot on with them--a rarity among other American presenters.) Looking forward to many more great videos, although I'm still working my way through your extensive back catalogue! Cheers from Virginia! 🙂

[@achillea3147]

Maybe I'm showing my age, but am I the only person who's noticed that there's a different pokemon in the background in different videos?

[@empneoskia]

Nope, spotted that too. Magikarp > Eevee 4 lyfe

[@deathpig.9847]

Ha only a dumb millennial would notice different Pokemon and know eevee by na... No u

[@KelseyDrummer]

Omg I feel like a knob, I completely missed that!

[@korinnab.2318]

I did!

[@Adamswoodworking]

Achillea yah saw that a while back hahaha

[@DrawerOfTheFallen]

We have a similar recipe, we do call it Knursp (like the pokémon-treat. My sister and I were the coolest kids in class since we called them Knursp instead of selfmade cereal bars. For 5 minutes.) Oats, chopped nuts (we use mostly walnuts, sometimes cashew and almonds), dried fruit (we prefer dates and cranberries, also chopped/minced) and fresh banana. Munch the banana and add all the other ingredients until you have a sticky and thick mass. We use an icecream-portioner (the thing which is used to shape icecream to balls) and fill it tightly inside. Then we can just push the integrated lever in this thing and have pretty perfect half globes and put them on baking sheets. Toss them in the oven for 15-20 Minutes, around 160-180°C or until they are as brown as you like them. Take them off the fire and with or without cooling, depending on your preference, serve them forth. ♥

[@msjazzmeblues]

The account of King Alfred, the swineherd's wife, and the oatcakes was in my sixth-grade ancient history textbook, and I've been a fan of Alfred ever since! He wasn't a great fry cook, but he was a great leader who supported the use and teaching of the English language and also of Latin which endured the Danish and the Norman French conquerors to produce Chaucer and Shakespeare and make English the most often spoken first or second language on the planet. There's another crackerjack of a story (possibly apocryphal, of course), that as the Danes were pursuing Alfred's scattered army, he was almost discovered in the marsh, escaping capture by breaking off a hollow reed, submerging himself, and breathing through it until his pursuers left the area.

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

Spanish became also the most widely spoken language at the same time, and for the same reasons. Conquests.

[@stephennelson4954]

I would highly advise you look up some etymological channels because I learned so much more about my birth language (Americanized English) than I thought possible. For example one of the reasons why English is so enduring is because of the usage of loan words like Hurricane, schadenfreude, faux pas, kitschy, alter ego, etc.

[@iforbach4003]

@@stephennelson4954 do you have any channel recommendations for that? I love that kind of thing.

[@stephennelson4954]

@@iforbach4003 I can't remember the specific name but there is a channel that's done a five part series on the basics of the English language.

[@iforbach4003]

@@stephennelson4954 no worries I think I know which one it is. Thanks.

[@alexpatyababa5221]

I tracked my family name back to its Anglo Saxon roots, found out my oldest known ancestor is Adam Prescot* DeParres, (* anglo-saxon for "priest cottage") my maiden name being "Parr" I am fascinated with the history and culture of my oldest known ancestors! You got me pumped about history!! Great work on these videos, your excitement is contagious :)

[@williamjordan5554]

DeParres sounds like a Norman French name. They took over England in 1066. Names like Roger, Richard, William, Montgomery, Leroy, even Disney were Norman French names.

[@shane8037]

@@williamjordan5554 She's talking about Prescot, not the French name.

[@teresahiggs4896]

My MIL traced my paternal family and she got as far as William Disney came to Pennsylvania from Great Britain in the 1600’s ( I can’t remember the exact date ) . I’d love to know more about where he came from . I found the name Disney is from “de Isney,” And Isney is a village in Normandy , known for fine dairy products. . So I don’t know if my ancestor was British of French decent or French just passing through Britain on the way to America. I’d love to know. But I love historical recipes and making historical,foods.

[@brianaschmidt910]

Catherine Parr?

[@bpuppin]

OK, the real question everyone wants to know is: HOW MANY POKEMON PLUSHIES DO YOU HAVE??

[@healinggrounds19]

@@scottgoodman8993 rude

[@nancyware7282]

I saw that he was putting out different plushies, but I didn't know they were Pokemons.

[@gigidodson]

A lot.

[@TheCrazyb56]

He was asked in the recent Townsend's livestream and he said he didn't know but it at least was over a hundred plushies. They may not all be pokemon though I can't remember.

[@robertgromiart1179]

I think it's very telling that this video only has seven dislikes. What a delightful little channel with such sincerely engaging and comfortable content. I hope you enjoy yourself making these as much as it seems you do, and I hope that you don't stop until there's simply no food left.

[@taste_is_sweet]

I just made these today, using date paste instead of the honey and chopped fruit, and coconut oil and vegetable shortening instead of the butter. They were fantastic! Wonderfully sweet and rich. My husband already asked me to make them again. Thank you! (Thank you especially for putting the amounts of ingredients in grams! Made it super easy with my kitchen scale.)

[@annawaite5527]

I made these today, taking advice from other commenters to toast the oats first so I could have toasty oat flavor but bake them in the oven. They turned out delicious! Like my own round granola bars. Dried cherries are a delightful flavor to go with the oats and mild amount of honey.

[@spodosol]

This is a brilliant idea to make history accessible and you do a wonderful job with the narrative. I hope you'e surrounded by folks that enjoy your experiments in the kitchen!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! They at least put up with the experiments 🤣

[@SombreroPharoah]

@@TastingHistory One historical tid that could help future recipes from Brit Isles esp, is we did have spices you needn't substitute or negate region/era. I work as a Herbalist, Forager and with it learnt a ton of botanical history and Lore. They would have cinnamon. Or atleast a herb the same. Wood Avens Roots. Wash, dry, voila Cinnamon with airs of Clove. So that flavour wasn't alien to our Isles, but actually a very common one and not just for nobles either. It was even used medicinally for the same reasons cinnamon and cloves are, including even chewing for toothache, oft with a pinch of Dwale leaf for extra pain relief and mild narcotic effect.

[@JC-om7nr]

These turned out great. I cooked mine on a griddle and used dried cherries instead of apricots. Thanks for the recipe 👍

[@oohforf6375]

This makes me want to load up Crusader Kings 2 with a plate of steaming oatcakes beside me!

[@TastingHistory]

What else do you have to do during quarantine?

[@oohforf6375]

@@TastingHistory Hah well I work at a grocery store so I'm an essential worker, but that means I can easily get the ingredients for these recipes with no lineups!

[@HuevoBendito]

If my high Intrigue runs have taught me anything, think I will play CKII with... gingersnaps.

[@wingy200]

Why is my brother sleeping with my wife and my(?) daughter while trying to kidnap me and sacrifice me to Satan? Oh well. These oat cakes are the bomb!

[@Azaghal1988]

@@wingy200 i see you know the game well!

[@merindymorgenson3184]

King Alfred is clearly a born educator! That excitement over learning!

[@emilio9831]

I'd love to have dinner at this mans house and learn the history of the dish that sits infront of me. Hats off to you my good sir.

[@amradio3778]

I just wrapped up AC Valhalla, and, minor spoilers, was geeking out when they actually referenced and used the cake story in game. I never would have known otherwise, thanks Max!

[@wickermanout]

I feel like cooking it over ashes gives it a very nice smokey flavour. Back home it was pretty common to see people selling chipa and tortillas santiagueñas on the street - the tortillas are made with flour and fat, not butter, and are cooked over embers, and this gives the bread a really nice smokey edge to it that you wouldn't get with a bake/skillet. Awesome video btw, I am going to try this tomorrow since I have some scottish oats at home!

[@danielflynn9141]

I made these last night. I used black currants for the fruit, which grow all over Britain. I also used cinnamon because, why not? Despite the huge quantity of honey in these, which I assumed would hold everything together like glue, they were really difficult to form into little patties. Ultimately, I had to form them into balls, let them bake for a while, then flatten them out as they warmed up. Warming them up seemed to make them stickier and hold better. I used spelt flour instead of oat or white flour. In the end they taste wonderful and are better than most oatmeal cookies I've had. They're also pretty healthy all things considered.

[@tombackhouse9121]

My favourite period is the Anglo Saxon period too! I don't know whether you've spent much time up north, but the kingdom of Northumbria is worth a visit next time you're in England :) Also, Alfred is my favourite king! A true statesman, a wise scholar, a great warrior but not a warmonger, pious and loyal to his subects! Mind you, people who commission their own biographies often seem to be...

[@TastingHistory]

While I’ve spent time in the north, I haven’t since I really started to study the Anglo Saxons. I need to get back there and will appreciate it so much more than I did in the past.

[@LisaMarli]

Skillet for the win. Yeah, you can't tune out, but watch carefully. And you burn a lot of oak cakes learning the combination of setting of your stove and time. You might want to back down the heat one notch so the cakes don't burn so fast. SCA on a gas camp stove on a griddle. I let others figure out how to do it in ashes. Though Townsend cooks them that way. He's hardcore.

[@AbigailMaureenVI]

That is exactly why I like baking; you put everything together and then let the oven do the work for you! This is also one of my favorite periods of the history of the English isles. Vikings, Saxons, and Normans, Oh My!

[@TastingHistory]

It makes me grateful I have an oven instead of a hearth 😆

[@AbigailMaureenVI]

@@TastingHistory They should saint the inventor of the convection oven haha

[@DATA-qt3nb]

Love your channel man, you didnt over cook then just made them "King Alfred Style"

[@TastingHistory]

😁

[@agfonten]

I made them and they're delicious!!! I used medium low heat on my gas stove for better control!

[@TastingHistory]

I think you are probably right to use the lower temperature. Glad they turned out well!

[@spodosol]

I have made these several times, a favorite here now! Delicious and gluten free. :) You can make them with many kinds of flour, but I find that I need to add 1-1/2c oat flour instead of 1/2c flour to form patties. I could be doing something wrong, of course, but with the extra flour, they are still delicious. I add dates and walnuts instead of apricots.

[@maethydd]

Just a random voice from Hastings (yes, THAT Hastings) chiming in to thank you for this vid! Missed these cakes since I moved abroad - going to follow this recipe and get back to my roots. Ta!

[@mikamagnol8931]

Wtf. 2 or so days ago I commented on another video stating that my current favorite KZbin channel (this one, obviously) and my current favorite game (CK3) were in one place for a vid and it made me so happy. AND NOW MY FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL TIME HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE MIX. I'm gonna cry.

[@reginamb]

I grew up in a very rural part of eastern Kentucky. My family made a very similar oat cake but used ground oats, whole oats, honey, butter and dried apples (that we dried ourselves on the windowsill). My family’s ancestors are all from England and Ireland. Our parents did one of those DNA kits and it turns out we don’t have even a drop of genetics that deviate from those regions even though my family migrated to America in the 1600s. My family has a lot of traditions passed down that I thought were uniquely “weird things my family does” till I met my Welsh friend in college and found out that our traditions are very similar.

[@ayesha36]

I love that you mentioned Bernard Cromwell in the description too as well as the show. They're both great!

[@TastingHistory]

The books are so good!

[@Greye13]

Lol, I knew you were going to like the charred ones better. They look great, though it looks like they need a bit more moisture to hold them together better. That's also probably why they're hard to flip. Not too much though. That is also my favorite time period in history. It's absolutely fascinating with so many different cultures coming together for the first time and all of the changes and new things taking place because of those cultural 'minglings'. Fantastic video, Max, keep up the great work you're doing. You have a terrific channel. :)

[@WastedPo]

This is so fascinating. It's really amazing how easily accessible history can be when you present it in such an engaging way and put it in the context of food - a subject I *do* find inherently interesting.

[@nemoonbekend2483]

Just stumbled into your channel by chance (possibly fleeing from some Danes). Enjoyed the video and appreciate the book links. Am now subscribed. Look forward to browsing through your content and will probably make some oatcakes soon.

[@TastingHistory]

So glad you got away from the bloody Danes. Look out for Normans next. Thank you for subscribing! Hope you enjoy the rest of the videos.

[@scouttyra]

As someone from the south of Sweden (Scania) I can relate to that. Although at points it was from the Swedes, but as I now live in more northern parts, it's mainly the Danes. That damn Christian the Tyrant (Christian II of Denmark).

[@Felthias]

You have such an amazing way of teaching history and cooking at the same time, while constantly being highly entertaining and amusing. "The woman in the story wouldnt actually have had cinnamon....but its good soooooo.."

[@Taivos615]

man this is really cool. I just finished watching The Last Kingdom and I can totally imagine Alfred and Ealhswith sharing some Oatcakes

[@TastingHistory]

I miss Alfred on the show. Once I’m done with season 4, I’ll have to go back to the beginning.

[@mariaap1032]

@@TastingHistory Me too 😅

[@dianethornhill3651]

I have an oatcake recipe sent to me by a friend from Killybegs, Ireland. I’ve been making them for 20 years. They are wonderful!!

[@sheenachristina2385]

Finding this channel has made my SCAdian heart happy.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! I’ll end up having to join one of these days.

[@mandystory4275]

I'm so glad I found this channel.

[@Oatmeal_Mann]

While you were telling the story I was thinking and zoned out. I'm convinced that I must be descended from King Alfred haha.

[@modelnut617]

So disappointed that this recipe did not make it into your cookbook. This is my favorite recipe from this page. I have made it several times since I first saw this video.

[@traceyaswanson]

I very quickly gave up on flipping them because they just weren't holding together (part of the problem was probably that I had to swap granulated sugar for honey), so I ended up pressing the whole thing into a cast iron pan, cooking it for a bit over the burner, and then putting it under the broiler. Both sides got toasted and it was buttery enough that once it was cooled I was able to get big chunks out of the pan without too much hassle.

[@Wago1995]

I am from a borough called Wareham in the south England! Great videos, keep up the great content

[@TastingHistory]

I know Wareham! Went through there on my way to Corfe Castle. Such a lovely area.

[@aphixteawalker1360]

I love this channel so much!! I shall continue to binge your episodes until I run out. Props to you for this great content.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you. Working on more for you to binge 😁

[@prathification]

This is the type of content I crave in our very troubled times...not news, not commentary...just some dude talking about recipes from a different time. Its very calming...so thanks

[@SaberViper]

There's a story by the author Guy Gavriel Kay called "Last light of the Sun" that is essentially about King Albert but set in a low fantasy setting (ie there are some fantastical elements).

[@SonofSethoitae]

Historical fantasy is Guy Gavriel Kay's bread and butter, fortunately he's very good at it

[@slwrabbits]

Oh, I didn't know there was an historical figure behind that one! Cool.

[@amymarshall-comperatore381]

This was my first introduction to your channel. I will be back loved this.

[@stannypk5k9]

This is great! Exactly the content I searched for on this platform. Keep up the good work and please do more Dark-Age medieval videos. By the way, I recommend reading a book called 'Anglo-Saxon Food and Drink' by Ann Hagen. It's a fantastic source of insightful information regarding the way Anglo-Saxons or Dark Age Europeans fed themselves at the time. Recipes for dishes are scant but the book is filled with great descriptions, context and a lot of references from hundreds of Old English texts. I highly recommend.

[@insomania1840]

Wow, I wake up and you’ve gained around 10,000 subscribers since I subscribed barely half a day ago! I stand by what I said, this channel will become huge.

[@wierdlygruesome]

Found this by accident and love this channel. Reminds me of the colonial cookimg show . Great reference for ren fair cooking

[@jonvalentine8109]

this chap is such a good presenter. Funny and light hearted and just great.

[@randomsandwichian]

Fancy that, the word Borough, or German Burg came in the form of fortified settlements, then later becoming its own district. Who knew I'd learn the origin of words from a medieval cook channel!

[@mojonojo3]

Just a little bit of history for you - the cakes burnt at Athelney were made of Flour from king-O-Mill in Somerset. The mill is on the family farm.

[@inyxblackstone4756]

Just made these! Like Max, I kinda burned the first couple. But I turned down the heat a bit, and they came out fine after that. I barely got to try them, though! My son was gobbling them up almost before they'd had a chance to cool! Lol But I did get two of them, and they are GOOD! We still have a little of the dough left. I'm gonna stash it in the fridge and fry up more for breakfast, tomorrow. I'll update on how they turn out!

[@inyxblackstone4756]

Update time! I had to allow the dough to warm to just under room temperature, but the cakes held up to the skillet much better than yesterday, as well as being a bit less crumbly. I think that from now on, if I decide to prep these ahead of time, I'll be shaping the cakes, then layering them in parchment paper before chilling. They were still delicious, though! So these are sure to become a regular rotation on our breakfast roster.

[@starmeyer8935]

really REALLY good! I chickened out and baked them (14-15 minutes turned out to be better in my oven) and - since the dough wasn't hanging together - I added one egg, but otherwise I followed the recipe, exactly, including delaying the adding of the regular flour. I'm definitely making these, again, they are super super good. And so fun to think of them as linking me to my Anglo-Saxon past. Thanks!

[@TheAegine]

Hi Max!! I just made this today and they are amazing! I used dried cherries like you suggested and I wouldn’t have it any other way - they add such a tartness to the mellow sweetness of the honey and butter that is a perfect match. Looking forward to more of your stuff!

[@NoNo-jn5sh]

This is such an underrated channel I stg

[@RegencyYarl]

*eats oatcakes* DESTINY IS ALL.

[@TastingHistory]

Wyrd bið ful aræd

[@Jilleyful]

I've been binge watching your videos for a couple of days, now, always intending to subscribe, but I haven't got to it, because I always get sidetracked by the suggested videos on the side. Today, however, your endearing man-crush on Alfred the Great sealed the deal, and I subbed right then and there, when you said how much you adore him! Lol in case you can't tell, I'm loving your content! Keep up the light hearted, instructive entertainment!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 🙏

[@CraftyInTheory]

YAY for people that show the oops that turns out good! I've only ever had these baked, so I will have to try the skillet method for sure.

[@TastingHistory]

It’s worth it and you’ll probably have an easier time of it than I did 😆

[@kxd2591]

Thanks so much for posting. I'm going to try that oatcake in a skillet. For some time now I've been making what I call "oatmeal pie". I eat it for breakfast with tea or eat is as a snack or a late night meal when the munchies hit. I mix two cups of oatmeal (5 minute, 1 minute, or old fashioned oatmeal) using whatever kind I have on hand with cinnamon, a little salt, dried cranberries(optional), and flaxseed(optional) and then add apple cider until a little soggy. Allow to stand 20-30 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Then add more apple cider until the mixture is soggy again (with experience you will learn to know how much you like). Pour this out into a 9" (22.86 cm) pie pan (tapered or sloping sides), and place in a 350F oven (I use a toaster over, bottom rack) for 45-60 minutes. For a softer pie use 45 minutes, for a firmer pie use 60. You can also cover the top of the tin with tinfoil. This will give another texture to the pie. Many options, most will work well. I cut my pie into six pieces. In the morning, when my tea is ready, I just pop one of these into the micro wave for 30 seconds. A very fast, tasty, and healthy breakfast. You might also look at another oat cake: "Journey of the Journey Cake" (KZbin).

[@telkins3388]

Moral of the story: they burn. Ha! Well now I'm going to have to try baking followed by a toss in the skillet to crisp - best of both worlds.

[@TastingHistory]

That’s actually a really good idea!

[@pendlera2959]

@@TastingHistory Maybe try cooking them with some oil or butter to spread the heat out a bit more.

[@ScienceSideUp]

I decreased the amount of oats from 2 1/2 to 2 cups and they held together and flipped beautifully. This was my first recipe of yours to try and it was a lot of fun!

[@vicorkit]

This is fantastic stuff, love this channel! More power to you - I'm off to make oat cakes and butter beer like the merry english peasant that I am

[@CassieLino]

Im just leaving a comment because I want your channel to grow ^_^ one of the best channels I've ever come across, you deserve major recognition

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! Every little bit helps.

[@Tomartyr]

Alfred just sucked at flipping them and didn't want to embarrass himself but knew it would look better if he was too busy thinking about king stuff.

[@vickykeitley4217]

Thank you for such a brilliant recipe! My children loved them and I showed them your video before serving the oatcakes. Thank you for making homeschooling that much easier!

[@lamoon1525]

I am a good cook, and experienced. I watched this w extreme interest. I'm going to give it a shot, but I think I'm going to put a thin scrim of butter or lard in the bottom of the frying pan, and see if that doesn't do the trick. I'll let you know, although your doing it dry, may be far more authentic, neither do I have a fireplace where I can lay down ash...

[@Azzarth]

Hey buddy, I just wanted to say thank you for the history lessons, but also on the way you present your information mixed with the self promotion. I understand it completely growing up in the time of youtube, but I've found it really hard to show my southern old fashioned family videos from the past that involve "Here's this sponsor, and hit this button, and hit this other button, and heres my patreon, and another button, and my merch, and some other things, and some other things, and back to the show" you've got a great balance of self-worth and affinity for the viewer and I hope you keep it up. I feel you've found a really great balance of finding value out of your work and making that same quality non-intrusive. I'm looking forward to many more episodes and I hope you find yourself well!

[@eugenio5774]

after seeing this, I am now petitioning for a collaboration with Jamie from The British History Podcast. I beg you do a collaboration because this is awesome

[@connorgolden4]

God I love this channel. It was basically by accident that I searched garrum and saw your video. Thank god I did because now I can enjoy bother history and cooking at the same time!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! So glad you’re enjoying.

[@kimhollie9429]

As always, another wonderful video. I love learning about the history of the dish. You do such an awesome job! Patiently waiting for the next one.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you! I’m trying to get onto a Tuesday schedule, so Sally Lunn Buns should be up in a few days. 😁

[@kimhollie9429]

@@TastingHistory, Yay! Can't wait!

[@mole62ssf]

Oh those look delicious. As with the first one (garum), I cheer your combination of education, lore, and humor. I echo Willow's comment from a month back regarding the quality of production and presentation, both of which merit high marks. Another subscriber joins the ranks. I don't wish to lose track of your videos.

[@gobanito]

I told an Anglo Saxon girl "Ic wille þin swetmetas bitan" She slapped me.

[@hectorpascal]

but then she said : "Hwæt dest þu for gamne? Hæfst þu bur?" :))

[@siesiehaycraft4699]

I'm binging this whole series because I love everything about it! Honestly I've been meaning to watch for awhile and I'm glad I've finally had the chance!

[@Nell-r0se]

Love the random eevee in the background

[@zestymoo]

I see Eevee! I read "Anglo-Saxon Outtakes" and wasn't sure what to expect.

[@Nikita1884]

I like the 'woops!' moments. It makes it OK to not be perfect. I'm going to have to try these once I can get to a store again and SHOP!! lol I have a question for you... Do you watch (Netflix) or read the Outlander series? There is an accompanying cook book on all the food found therein ;-) Very interesting!!

[@TastingHistory]

It’s definitely okay to not be perfect as long as you’re having fun 😁. I read the first book but have yet to see the series. I‘ve meant to so perhaps during quarantine would be a good time to get to it.

[@Minyassa]

Well, now I adore King Alfred too. I've often struggled with the popular "what if" question about what historical figure I'd like to meet but now I have a good answer. I also have a new breakfast food, thanks.

[@russianrouletteloser]

Great British Bake Off has such interesting historical foods! I’d love to hear about the history of a Bedfordshire Clanger

[@TastingHistory]

The early episodes (before they started airing in the US) had wonderful historical chats about the foods they baked. It was actually the inspiration for my show! I was so sad when they stopped doing them.

[@barrie888]

your enthusiasm is great , tks