Potato Scones

It was another lovely sunny day today, albeit with a slightly cool breeze. I found some leftover mashed potato in the fridge and I decided to make potato scones. James recommended the very simple recipe in the Glasgow Cookbook, given to me about thirty years ago by Grandma. The copy that she gave me originally belonged to James’ Aunt Agnes, who died when James was a young boy. This old fashioned and rather terrifying cook book was published in 1910 for students at the Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science, which was always affectionately known as “The Dough School”. However its popularity amongst former students and the general public resulted in the cookbook being revised and published for a wider audience, and my edition was printed in 1958.
There are no modern shortcuts to be found. Every recipe starts from the basics, and there is not much of today’s ubiquitous pasta - only macaroni gets a mention, as a supper dish. Only one curry sauce is mentioned, made with “curry powder” and it’s for using up leftover cold meats. Notable recipes include Sheep’s Head Pie, Brain Cakes, Calf’s Foot Jelly, Invalid Mutton Broth, Hare Soup, Mock Kidney Soup (why?), and of course Boiled Tongue. However as well as these post 2nd World War staples, there are strangely exotic sounding recipes such as Zingara Cutlets, Chicken Kromeskies, and Napoleon fingers. As I read through the book I became more and more fascinated as I came across recipes that I remember my Mum making during my childhood but which I have never made, like Apple Snow or Potted Hough. I think that I will give some of the less scary recipes a try.
Back to the potato scone recipe - I made a start but my first potato scone was so misshapen that James took over and produced a series of neatly shaped and delicious fresh potato scones, using the griddle that my Dad gave me in the 1980s. We all enjoyed them.