Well, there’s nothing absolutely fictional about bridies; they’re a perfectly legitimate item of Scottish cuisine {g}—but I’m Much Obliged to Theresa Carle-Sanders, professional chef and dabbler in historical foodstuffs, for her newest venture: Brianna’s Bridies, as described in DRUMS OF AUTUMN.
“Yon fellow wi’ the cast in one eye,” he said in a subdued bellow, indicating the gentleman in question by pointing with his chin. “What d’ye say to him, Brianna?”
“I’d say he looks like the Boston Strangler,” she muttered, then louder, shouting into her cousin’s ear, “He looks like an ox! No!”
“He’s strong, and he looks honest!”
Brianna thought the gentleman in question looked too stupid to be dishonest, but refrained from saying so, merely shaking her head emphatically.
Young Jamie shrugged philosophically and resumed his scrutiny of the would-be bondsmen, walking around those who took his particular interest and peering at them closely, in a way she might have thought exceedingly rude had a number of other potential employers not been doing likewise.
“Bridies! Hot bridies!” A high-pitched screech cut through the rumble and racket of the hall, and Brianna turned to see an old woman elbowing her way robustly through the crowd, a steaming tray hung round her neck and a wooden spatula in hand.
The heavenly scent of fresh hot dough and spiced meat cut through the other pungencies in the hall, noticeable as the old woman’s calling. It had been a long time since breakfast, and Brianna dug in her pocket, feeling saliva fill her mouth.
–DRUMS OF AUTUMN, 1997
Theresa’s done a wonderful rendition of bridies, with notes on a modern version (substituting vegetable shortening for the traditional suet, the latter being hard to locate in most grocery stores), including a vegetarian take for non-carnivores. Go here for pictures (including some from Theresa’s recent trip to the Highlands), cooking/baking instructions, and recipes!
Oooh! I want one! Now do I want one badly enough to make it myself…hmmm. ; ) Have a great weekend, Diana.
Now that’s truly mouthwatering! What a creative tribute to a wonderful book.
Kind of looks like a calzone. Or what they called a calzone at a Renaissance Faire I was at once.
I was going to say the same thing Sabrina. I thought Calzone too. Or after re-reading Diana’s great description we could go with historical hotpocket.
I’ve made these for years. But since I’m not so handy with the dough (mine generally shrink) I use the pilsbury pre-made dough. No shrinkage and much less time consuming!
Look kind of like Cornish pasties, which I adore, but are too much work to make in small batches!
I distinctly remembering my mouth watering during that very passage! Nice to see the visual. But darn it . . . I’m hungry now.
Looks like a fun food to have in Surrey…to bad there isn’t a way to heat them up in the suite! I’m going to make some any road. I’ve had Cornish Pasties and Jamaican Patties, I think they are all related as a “fast food” (for the consumers, not for the bakers!)
Thanks for the link and the recipe and I agree that turnips are not my favourite veg, so will only put a token amount in for DH, but he’ll probably like the meat ones better anyway.
Oh yum! “feeling saliva fill her mouth” indeed.
In my country, Argentina, it’s called empanada. Now that I think about it, I have dinner solved for tomorrow.
Hey! I am from Argentina too!! (or should I say. yo tambien soy de argentina! de que provincia sos?)
Soy de Rosario. Te estaba por escribir algo en tu comentario. Y vos de donde sos?
I think Diana started an Argentinean fan club here!
They look like something call empanadas in Guatemala, only they are filled with vanilla pudding. They also look like salvadorean pastelillos de carne, filled with meat and vegetables… I live in Los Angeles and I get to try food from all over the world.
Diana,
those look so scrumptious that my mouth is watering. I went to the site but I can’t seem to find a recipe for them, just excerpts from the book. Does she really give out the recipe? Or is it just beautiful food from fiction that she writes about?
This i one reader who wants to know,lol
Have a lovely summer and can’t wait to meet you.
Fran
Dear Fran–
Oh, yes; just scroll down the page. She explains exactly how to make them.
–Diana
Yum.
I know what’s for dinner! Summer has arrived with vengeance (92 yesterday) I spare my house the heat and cook on my outdoor oven grill, the oven should add a flavor of authenticity to the bridies…can’t wait for dinner!
Looks like and empanada…
@ Valerie – Historial Hot Pocket is genius.
Love it.
Just made them. They were good. And it was a history lesson for the kids. That’s one of the things I love best about the Outlander books: I feel like I’m learning about what it was like to live in history. The bridies were my lab experiment.
In the upper peninisula of Wisconsin, they call these “Pasties” and fill them with meat, cheese, onion, etc. ….Yum, Yum!
wisconsin doesn’t ave an upper peninsula, but michigan does…and I’ve eaten a ton of pasties in my life, (I’m from Marquette) but I’m gonna hafta try cheese in the next batch! thanks for the idea!
I had my first pasty while visiting my mom in Marquette! I found a recipe for them; my brother made them, and said they tasted just like what he’d tasted in the U.P. I ought to try it myself…could maybe leave out the veggies (except for onion) to come close to Brianna’s Bridie without using the recipe Theresa provides in the link.
They look quite similar to a pasty, pronounced as “paast-ie”, elongating the A vowel, not to be confused with pasties which is what a burlesque dancer would use to cover her nipples, usually involving some type of tassel twirling event. Having spent quite a few years living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is known for it’s Fin heritage, mining (whether it be copper or Iron or any other mineral that small sliver of earth is filled with), Pasty’s….. And possibly the out-house races if you’ve ever ventured to Trenary in the dead of winter.
Pasty’s are a lovely concoction of ground up or finely chopped beef and pork, usually mixed with some basic spices of salt & pepper, then some chopped potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, onions, and maybe some minced garlic if one could be so lucky as to have garlic, all wrapped in a deliciously flakey pie crust. Makes my mouth water just thinking of them. Not exactly the lightest of food choices but on some cold winter days it’s a good warm meal filled with tons of calories and carbs to keep you going.
mmmmm
A
Many thanks for sharing the link with everyone Diana…how wonderful to have so many Outlander fans visit Island Vittles! Theresa