Recipe, First Nations Style Bannock

 First Nations Style Bannock-while, so called, "first Nations", people can, and often do, refer to almost anything that looks anything like bread as bannock (how would they know, after all? ) this method and recipe is commonly used--that is when they are not using Bisk-Quick.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

6 tsps. of baking powder

1 tsp. of sugar or corn syrup

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 cup lard

2 cups of water or milk

Preparation:

1. Mix all dry ingredients into a bowl.

2. Slowly mix in your lard until it looks like small coarse oatmeal.

3. Then make a small hole in the centre of the bowl, pour the milk or water mixture into the bowl gradually.

4. Mix the ingredients together. Knead for about 3 minutes. (Many First nations’ people believed, and still do, that success in bannock making depended on the kneading, which they thought was required to make it firm). First Nations peoples also tend to use far too much liquid. Actually, both of these factors serve only to excessively develop the gluten in the flour and give a tougher, heavier product with a leathery surface, more like the native flat breads, which were developed in North America.

5. Pat out with hands to 3/4 inch thickness and prick with fork.

6. It can be made oblong or round and baked in an oven @ 350 Degree.

Cool for about five minutes and enjoy.

Fry-bread which uses the same ingredients and or dough is not bannock—again bannock means a loaf.