the oatmeal molasses cottage loaf

It is uncertain in my family whether the oatmeal molasses bread came from the Scottish Isle of Skye or the old Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

Kate MacDonald, my namesake and great great aunt hailed from the Scottish Isle and story has it that her husband would attend every dinner wearing the Macdonald clan tartan kilt playing the bagpipes.  I always appreciated the story seeing as a middle name MacDonald brought on a lot of unwanted teasing as a child.  I stressed that in fact my name was spelled MAC and Scottish and not MC and in anyway related to the McDonald fast food chain or the clown.  So at times my mum called me sweetly Katie Mac while other times my sister called me  unsweetly Kate McNugget.  It was devastating as a child but as Ive aged I have found comfort in the thought of bagpipes and oatmeal bread from an island called sky.

Of course the other possibility is that the oatmeal bread recipe was scalped from the old Fanny Farmer cookbook.   A gift from my father to my mother when they called each other Bear and Sweetpea. It now resides squished in between the many torn and used cook books on my mothers kitchen shelf.

We have made this bread in my family for as long as I remember.  As Ive mentioned to many of you before it is the quintessential cottage quick loaf.  Three hours from start to finish and as delicious straight out of the oven as it is toast or sandwich staples.  The molasses makes it rich, the honey makes it sweet and as for the oats, they just make it down right wholesome.

As my introduction to you I offer you this recipe.  A family bread for beginner bakers to experienced bakers alike.  It takes the intimidation out of making bread with its simplicity. It  fills kitchens with good smells, mouthes with sweet tastes and hearts with warm joy.

Follow video for tutorial on how to mix, shape and bake bread. Turn oven on to 350 degrees and make sure it is up to temp before you put loaves in the oven. Bake until browned on top and with a tap of the underside of the loaf it sounds and feels hollow. This can be roughly 20-30 minutes

Ingredient List

2 cups rolled oats

4 cups boiling water

1/2 cup warm water

2 tablespoons yeast

Pinch of sugar

2 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup honey

10-11 cups flour

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