Crumpets

A few weeks ago we remembered about crumpets and since then we have been eating quite a few of them, with Warburtons being the presently preferred brand - available at both Costcutter and Waitrose, so presumably a popular item.

First time around, I went to the bother of grilling them, as I would toast. This produced a rather overcooked crumpet, rather like that served at Poundbury and noticed at reference 1. Then I discovered the merits of the pop-up toaster, which did a much more satisfactory job. Also a good deal quicker and more convenient.

Then I thought it might be a bit of fun to make some for myself. The recipe made this look like a fair bit of bother, but eventually I weakened and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could buy crumpet rings at Lakeland.

Then yesterday I had my first go, with most of the weight being accounted for by 8oz of flour and 12oz of green top milk. Unfortunately, I misread the recipe and used a teaspoon of yeast rather than a tablespoon, which meant the yeast did not froth in the proper way, even with extra time.

Fried in butter, three at a time, in our regular frying pan, ladling the mixture into the rings with our soup ladle. About three quarters full.

Cooked for between 5 and 10 minutes. Rings easily removed with the dental forceps first mentioned at reference 2. Crumpets - sporting just a few of the holes that should have covered the things - turned and cooked for another 5 minutes or so. Looked quite attractive, rather soft inside and did not taste much like crumpets, rather somewhere between the dough balls you might get in a pizza place and English-style pancakes, the sort you fry in lard and roll up with sugar and lemon juice. Maybe we get crumpets with holes next time.

PS: I feel sure that I have posted a picture of the forceps in question at some point, but cannot now trace it. Maybe the necessary search terms will come to me during the morning. Rather unusual forceps with long slender jaws, which I think my dentist told me were for extracting the incisors of children. Just the ticket for extracting the hot rings out of the frying pan.

PPS: it did, and the post in question is now at reference 3. However, memory shown to be defective once again. Not the incisors of children, rather the fragments of upper molars which sometimes snap off, in-situ, during extractions. Google suggests that it is a bit like hammers, with there being a particular sort of hammer for every conceivable job. Once upon a time, big tool shops like Buck & Ryan of Tottenham Court Road, would stock a hundred or more varieties.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/fine-dining.html.

Reference 2: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=kemptown+kit.

Reference 3: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/papier-mache.html.