Griddle a heavy metal plate heated over the fire and used for cooking small items of food. In Scotland, this is known as a ‘girdle’. A heavy frying pan can be used instead. Foods cooked this way include various griddle breads, bannocks, oatcakes, pancakes, and scones. The method is successful with flour derived from grains other than wheat (barley, oats, and buckwheat; potatoes can also be used); leavening is not always necessary for mixtures used on griddles; and the method requires little or no fat to grease the surface—Marian McNeill (1929) observed that ‘the girdle is floured for dough and greased for batter’. An improvised cover also extends the possibilities for baking on a griddle.
