Bannock

Bannock is not a native creation but rather a European one. It could be prepared by mixing ingredients in the top of the flour sack while traveling and would often be made with barley.

Bannock was cooked in different ways. It can be wrapped around sticks and cooked over and open fire, or fried in lard. It can be baked in an oven or by making your own little oven using rocks to hold a pie pan inside a pot over a fire.

Shirley Serviss, an Albertan poet, wrote the following poem in her book "Reading Between the Lines: Piecing together the life of Elizabeth Boyd McDougall".

How to make bannock
without a baking board
or rolling pin

Mix flour with salt and water
baking powder if you have it.

Knead with hands until the size
of frying pan. Hand to husband
to hold by the fire until firm
enough to stand against a stick.
Turn to brown on all sides.

Serve with tea, bacon and butter
if you have any bacon or butter.
Otherwise eat with tea
meal after meal.

Make more each evening
when you set up camp in case
you don't see deer or ducks
to kill for meat. 

Today's recipes are a variation on the historic ones. One possible recipe is:

4 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup oil or lard
4 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Optional ingredients: sugar to taste, berries, etc.