By Housewife – The Orkney Herald 23rd January 1924

A well-made batter forms a good food and is without doubt one of the most useful things in the culinary line that can possibly be learnt, for can it not be fried, baked, steamed or boiled all equally successfully? Just consider then its countless possibilities in both Sweet and Savoury dishes.

Four points must be borne in mind if a batter is to be anything nearing perfection:

1. The flour used must be dry and free from lumps
2. All the flour should be mixed with about half the liquid, then the mixture be well beaten with a wooden spoon until little bubbles appear on the surface
3. The remaining liquid should then be added and the batter allowed to stand for an hour or longer, and by soaking, soften the starch grains in the flour, thus causing them to cook quickly and the batter to rise properly.
4. In whatever way it is cooked it should be served as quickly as possible as it soon becomes tough.

Some out-of-the-ordinary ways of using batter

1. Pieces of cooked meat (and left over vegetables if liked) added to it and all baked in a greased dish in a moderate oven till crisp and nicely risen.
2. Stewed figs, drained from their syrup, dipped in it, fried till crisp in hot fat, the syrup heated up and served as a sauce.
3. Some grated cheese and seasoning of salt and pepper added to it, fried like ordinary pancakes and served with grilled tomatoes.
4. Pieces of stale cake dipped in it fried a golden brown and served with caster sugar.
5. Cut in squares after baking in a Yorkshire pudding tin, and served with hot stewed fruit or a jam sauce.
6. Small balls, made of chopped cooked fish and boiled rice, flavoured with a little anchovy essence, dipped in it, and fried in deep fat.
7. A little chopped parsley, onion and cooked meat of any kind added to it, steamed in a greased basin, and served with thickened brown gravy.

Mrs Beeton’s advice on Batters: Batters are made from a basic mixture of flour, milk and egg. The flour (with salt added for flavouring) is worked to a slack consistency with the eggs and some of the liquid, so that it can be beaten more easily until smooth and viscous. The rest of the liquid is then stirred in. The mixture is left to stand for half an hour before use.