Traditional Scottish Shortbread
Shortbread is a biscuit 'shortened' by the prodigious use of glorious butter. The texture of the biscuit is crisp and snappable- hence 'short'. The term 'bread' has been used interchangeably with 'cake' for many centuries (cakes, as we now know them, derive from sweetened, yeast-risen breads), and shortbread is the descendent of the short cakes baked from the the 16th century. One story has it that Scottish bakers used the name shortbread to argue the case against paying the government's tax on biscuits (shades of Jaffa cakes v the VAT man/woman. VAT is currently not paid on cakes and biscuits, as they are deemed a necessity by UK law - the law is not always as backwards as it seems! - chocolate-covered biscuits, on the other hand, are considered luxuries and therefore are taxable).
Short cakes were made from the same ingredients as we would use for a sweet shortcrust pastry (short, again refers to the texture), with the addition of a little yeast. The yeast in these early cakes could result in an uneven rise, remedied by the baker 'docking' or pricking the surface of the cake. Some modern biscuits have kept these pricked holes as decoration. Short cakes were eaten across Britain, and many local biscuits (i.e. Shrewsbury cakes, or Goosnargh cakes) are variations on the basic recipe. Shortbread, however, has a definite association with Scotland, and the best of its type has long been an export to the rest of the country, and to the rest of the world.
Shortbread Competition
Do you have a loved family recipe? Do you like to bake and try new things? If so, we would love to have you join the Shortbread Competition at the 2010 Games.
SHORTBREAD CONTEST COMPETITION RULES
Judging will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011. There will be three judges. The recipe for the shortbread is your own choice. You may enter as many batches as you wish. Good Luck.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Shortbread Competiton Coordinator Jean Gordon, caber406@earthlink.net.
- (1) Submit six (6) pieces of shortbread (per entry) for judging.
- (2) Presentation will be at your discretion--usually on a disposable dish, but feel creative.
- (3) You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry must be in its ownpresentation dish. Two entries on one presentation dish will be disqualified.
- (4) Entries must be submitted at the Society Tent by 10:30 am on Saturday, January 15, 2011.
- (5) Judges for the event will be members of the Honored Clan and dignitaries.
- (6) Decisions of the judges are final.
- (7) All entries become the property of the Scottish-American Society of Central Florida, Inc.
Shortbread Competition Judges
Larry Henderson
(President of Clan Henderson)
Larry is not only a true Florida Cracker, but also a retired Tampa Police Officer who preferred shortbread and milk rather than coffee and donuts. Larry has sampled shortbread all across Scotland and the U.S.A. He is also a shortbread judge at other games in Florida.
Chef Jerod Thate
Chef Jared is the executive chef for the Technical Education Center in Osceola County, where he teaches up-and-coming culinary artists. His career has included positions such as the Sous Chef at the Ritz Carlton Grandelakes, and as a line and pastry chef of Norman's at The Ritz Carlton, where he received the AAA Four Diamond Award, and the Mobile Four Stars Award. He has also worked at other restaurants including Timpano's Italian Chophouse and Rafferty's American Grill.
Heather McPherson
Heather McPherson is the Food Editor, restaurant reviewer and a multimedia journalist for the Orlando Sentinel. She oversees the weekly Cooking & Eating section and writes four weekly columns (food and culture, restaurant recipes and restaurant reviews) and provides daily content for orlandosentinel.com. In addition, she is a regular guest on the WOMX Morning Mix With Scott McKenzie on Mix105.1. She is a past president of the Association of Food Journalists and currently serves on the AFJ Board of Directors. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the College of Journalism and Communication at the University of Florida. Born Indianapolis, Ind., she and husband Spencer Pettit live in Mount Dora.