As anticipation builds towards OT and the need for stottie power increases correspondingly, I thought I should share with you a site I stumbled across today (www.northofengland.com). Ray Moore of Peterborough sounds a bit of a legend. Perhaps someone out there could volunteer to co-ordinate mass stottie making so that it's not just Min whirling one around his head bringing us luck this year ??

>>>A recurring request coming into Leighton from our "Virtual Communities" in the North East is that of helping people (usually ex-pats spread around the globe) find the recipe for stotties - OK some say stotty, stotty bread or stottie cake - but it's all the same (or is it?)

We got involved in the search last year when an exiled South Shields lad put a plea on one of our guestbooks and the local press picked up on it (see story). Sadly all the replies went direct to his email address, which no longer exists.

So - can you help? If you know how to bake this unique staple of the North East diet let us have your recipe and we'll put it up on this page for the world to see

NEW We've discovered a book of recipes - which includes stotties, it's called "Stotties, Stews and More". What's more you can buy it from our friends at Books-Online.com. Take me to that book

We have had a recipe sent to us - take a look on our recipe page

We had this message from Geoff Cowens: "I don't actually know how to do the business, but you may be interested to that another former South Shields exile called Ray Moore has dedicated the last two years to perfecting the bread of heaven. Ray is now living in Peterborough and has a small bakery, which he only operates at weekends . I have personally sampled his wares and can definitely say that they are the perfect article, very much like the taste and consistency of those sold by Greggs the baker in the North East. Ray often makes sandwiches with his delicious bread and distributes then free of charge in the Pubs around Peterborough town centre, the locals go wild for that unique taste and always ask for more. Its Rays intention to, one day, open his own sandwich business but hasn't got the funds to get started. Unfortunately Ray is not on the net and can only be contacted by post. I'm sure he would like to hear from you but I don't want to give his address over the net. However you may contact me (also a South Shields exile) and I will forward your comments or mail to him". Contact Geoff on Geoffcowens@clara.co.uk

Another request has come in to us, this from Nick Thompson in Leicester. "Do you know the recipe for ........ wait for it .... PANACALTIE? That's how you say it - is that how you spell it? Probably not, but I'd like to make it for my lass"

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2000

Answers

Divvent tell Min or Softie theyll be knocking stotties up every cup game this season ... magic thought but : - )

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2000

Just opened me bait box. Me Ma made me sarnies the day (it's grand stayin'at hyem fer a bit) and aah've got corned beef and onions in me stottie buns. Aah tell yiz, they're smashin'.

Stottie sarnies and a view of the Angel. Isn't life grand!

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2000

too late Sting mate - got the recipe from:

http://www.northofengland.com/stotties/recipe.htm

and i'll be baking away the day before the cup matches....

woo-hoooo

actually, if no-one's using my ST while i'm away, are the any volunteers nearby who'd put a Greggs stottie on the seat d'you reckon? ; o )

min

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2000