Must eat: Oatcakes
Picture: My grandmother Elizabeth Cooper in her oatcake bakery c1955
With the pound going down and holidays in Spain now set to be much more expensive, Staffordshire is well placed to provide an alternative holiday location.
OK so we don't have the beaches of the Costa del Sol, and the Sol is quite often shrouded in cloud, but we have the arts, culture and food. The jewel in the crown of Stafforshire food is the North Staffordshire Oatcake.
The British food which lead will post Brexit Britain into the brave new world of speciality cuisine exports is not jam, marmalade or tea (presumably the Yorkshire blend, not that impoerted Indian stuff), but the North Staffordshire Oatcake.
Anyone visiting North Stafforshire has to try the the famous North Staffordshire oatcake, which any North Staffs exile will go to great lengths to import, to where ever in the world.
My maternal grandparents owned and ran an oatcake bakery. After my grandfather's death my grandma and uncle continued the business until she retired. My dad also worked for her at weekends and I went along to help when I was a schoolgirl.
So OK, I have two reasons to be biased - location and family history - but they are delicious. Try one and see!!! Even if you have coeliac disease like me you can even get them gluten free (in some places and if you eat them fresh straight from the hot plate or grilled with cheese they are pretty good, although I do still envy anyone who can eat the genuine article).
See Martin Wainwright of the Guardian on the trail of the North Staffs oatcake.
