Aberdeen

I spent half of the week in somewhat sunny Aberdeen this week. It was actually really nice in Aberdeen as the days I was there were somewhat sunny and warm. I love the sun in Aberdeen because it makes all of the buildings sparkle a little (they are all made of granite.) What seemed weird though is that it gets dark really late at night. Even though the sun goes down, it doesn't get really dark until like 1:30 AM or 2:00 AM in the morning. And then it is light again around 3:45 AM.

Another quirky thing I found was a bakery open all night. I am sure there are places like this in New York and even Houston, but in Europe I have found very little stays open all night and I have never seen a bakery open past mid-afternoon. After arriving in Aberdeen at 9:30 PM, checking into my hotel and calling the family, I asked the front desk if there was anywhere open where I could get some dinner (since I hadn't eaten since lunch.) They told me about the bakery across the street and said it was open all night for the cabbies. Sure enough it was and I had a bacon roll - mmmm.

I also had a "buttery". I think that it how it is spelled. Say it with a Scottish accent and you will see what it sounds like anyway. It is a sweet, buttery, salty pastry. It is sorta like croissant texture, only round and more condensed. You can only find it in Aberdeen. No-one in Aberdeen will give me the recipe - but here is what I found on Google written with a Scottish accent:

Butteries are named after their high lard content. They are also known as morning rolls and rowies and are a traditional Aberdeen roll. The best way to describe their look and taste is a saltier, flatter and greasier Croissant. Which doesnae sound nice, but rowies are really delicious and filling for breakfast. Aberdeen butteries can be eaten cold and many shops, garages etc sell them pre buttered for anyone snatching an on the go breakfast.

Ingredients For Aberdeen Butteries:

250g butter
125g lard
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
500g flour
2 teaspoons of dried yeast
450ml warm water
Pinch of salt

Baking Directions For Aberdeen Butteries:

1. Make a paste from the yeast, sugar and a wee bit of the warm water and set aside.
2. Mix the flour and the salt together. Once the yeast has bubbled up add this and mix well to a dough and leave to rise.
3. Cream the butter and lard and divide into three portions.
4. Once the dough has doubled in size give it a good knead then roll into a rectangle about 1cm thick.
5. Then spread one portion of the butter mixture over two thirds of the dough.
6. Fold the remaining third of the dough over onto the butter mixture and fold the other bit over - giving three layers. Roll this back to the original size.
7. Allow to cool for 40 minutes.
8. Repeat stages 5-7 twice more.
9. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and shape each to a rough circle and place on baking trays.
10. Set aside to rise for about 45 minutes then bake at 200c for 15 minutes.

There - now you can enjoy too of you are that ambitious.