The oat cake has been the mainstay of Scottish breads for centuries, going back at least as far as the Roman invasion and likely before. It is traditionally made almost entirely of oats, the only cereal grain that thrives in northern Scotland. Oats made up the Scottish staple diet of porridge and oat cakes, a dietary pattern that flourished across the north of England. The oat cake is a flatbread, like a pancake, made from oatmeal and sometimes flour as well, and cooked on a griddle or baked in an oven. (You may also be familiar with its cousin, the Johnnycake, which is made of cornmeal and was often cooked on a board, shovel, or even stones, just as it had been done in Scotland long before.) This version is baked.

Mix the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a stiff dough forms. Roll ⅛ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-inch rounds or squares. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375° until set and barely brown (12-15 minutes). Serve warm or freeze.

Potatoes were grown in every garden and were served at every meal. This modern recipe includes celery, but at Hill Top Farm, it would likely have been made with celeriac, which was grown as a root vegetable and valued for its celery-like taste. Also called celery root or turnip-rooted or knob celery, it contains much less starch than other root vegetables and was an important addition to soups and stews.

In a large, heavy saucepan, brown the sausage and chop into small pieces. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain off the fat. Set aside. Melt the butter in the saucepan. Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic. Add the broth, water, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain. Mash about half the potatoes in the pan. Leave the remaining in chunks. Add the sausage and stir until heated. Just before serving, add the milk, stirring constantly. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

Heat the sugar, butter, honey, and water in a large pan. When the butter has melted, beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the sugar and egg mixture in three additions, beating well after each. Put into a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350º for about 40 minutes. Frost while warm.

HONEY FROSTING

Mix the honey and water, then stir in the sugar. Pour over the warm cake.

When Beatrix Potter bought Hill Top Farm in 1905, there were already a number of apple trees on the place. She wrote to Millie Warne the next fall that she was busy with gardening chores, which included “putting liquid manure on the apple trees.” In a letter dated October 6, she drew a picture of herself shoveling manure with a long-handled scoop. “The apples on the old trees prove to be very good cookers,” she added. “We have had some for dinner.” Miss Potter might have liked them baked in this traditional apple pudding.

SYRUP

APPLE BATTER

To prepare the syrup: In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, and butter. Stir in the water; cook over low heat until thickened. Pour the mixture into a lightly buttered 10-by-6-inch baking dish. To prepare the batter: In a bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and brown sugar. Blend in the melted butter and milk, stirring just until dampened. Stir in the sliced apples mixed with brown sugar. Pour the apple batter over the syrup in the baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.