Where have all the oatcakes gone? These oatcakes date from the 18th century when harsh winters saw farmers turning to grow oats in place of wheat. The tradition of mixing finely ground oats with a little wheat, water, sugar, salt and yeast (and often some bacon fat) moved from the farmhouses into the towns. Small brick bakehouses were attached to the front of houses, and oatcakes were served through the window. Hence the name of the shop, The Hole in The Wall, says Chris Bates who remembers how the air in his street was infused with the tempting smells of baking. Authors Laura Mason and Catherine Brown, in their The Taste of Britain, say that the Staffordshire and Derby cooks were secretive about their recipes and matured the batter in tubs, giving the oatcakes a little sourness. But good as they tasted, what mattered was their energy-giving properties. In 1813, the chemist and inventor Sir Humphrey Davy noted that Derbyshire miners preferred to eat oatcakes over wheat bread, "finding that this kind of nourishment enables them to support their strength and perform their labour better." So it must have been with the Staffordshire potters, and I am right with them. My work might not require much physical exertion but mid-mornings and afternoons rarely pass in my home office without my eating an oatcake or two, spread with butter. Oats are a carbohydrate that is low on the Glycemic Index, meaning they release glucose slowly in the body, giving a more continuous supply of energy. Without oatcakes, my eyes are drooping by 4pm. However, I am not talking about the soft oatcakes of the North Midlands but the crisp Scottish oatcake biscuit. For, like the Daily Telegraph's devoted letter writers, I find the pancake type difficult to buy. There is something scandalous about supermarket bakery aisles groaning with pitta bread, tortilla wraps and naan but without a single traditional oatcake in sight. Not only are they delicious - I invite you to imagine the delight of crisp bacon in the warm embrace of a fragrant and silky, freshly cooked oatcake - but they once fuelled British workers. And heaven knows, Britain could do with a bit of that. Rose Prince's oatcake recipe This is adapted from a recipe for Derbyshire Oatcakes, taken from British Food (published for the British Tourist Authority by Christopher Helm in 1976), edited by Lizzie Boyd. I have added a little bacon fat, since the suggestion of it (see article above) sounded so delicious. 15g/ ½ oz fresh yeast ½ tablespoon sugar 300g/10 ½ oz fine oatmeal 150g/5 ½ oz plain wheat flour, sifted ½ teaspoon salt 850ml/1 ½ pint warm water 1 tablespoon rendered smoked bacon fat, kept liquid and warm Put the yeast in a bowl with the sugar stir until you have a thin cream. Add half of the water, and leave in a warm place, covered with a cloth, until a froth forms on the surface of the liquid. Put the oats, wheat flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually drawing in the flour to make a smooth thick paste. Gradually beat in the remaining water and baking fat. Cover the bowl with a cloth or cling film and leave to rest for one and a half to two hours until the mixture has doubled in size. Heat a griddle or heavy based pan and brush with a little cooking oil or lard. Pour one ladleful of the mixture, about 100ml into the centre of the griddle and spread into a 5" or so disc. Cook until the underside is pale golden and bubbles appear on the surface. Flip over, cook for 30 seconds on the other side then serve. Eat with crisp bacon and/or cheese, or try with butter and golden syrup.