Our Step Up Challenge recipe of the week is the Dorset Knob

Bridport in Dorset is a small market town with a rather interesting history and one of the destinations along our Bones route for the Step Up Challenge.

The town has a long standing history of  rope and net making dating back some 800 years. Bridport is situated just 1.5 miles from the coastline, very handy for the nearby fish village and harbour of West Bay.

The area has a rich arts scene, with many great artists living in the area. There is a thriving Arts Centre hosting theatre, music, dance, comedy and film. The town also features in books written by the well-known novelist Thomas Hardy.

The Dorset Knob

Which brings us quite nicely onto this week’s recipe, the Dorset Knob which were a fond favourite of Thomas Hardy, and arguably many of the rest of the residents of the area today.

The well-known traditional treat has been made in the area and sold commercially for over 150 years by Moores of Morecombelake. They are usually paired Blue Vinny cheese as a savoury snack or alternatively with honey and cream (known in the area as thunder and lightning), for those with more of a sweet tooth. Try your hand at making these using the following link.

Interestingly, they were made the official and compulsory bread companion of soup during world war two rationing, likely due to their small size and the fact that they can keep for long periods of time, ideal to reduce wastage for those wanting to bake a large batch and eat them spaced out over time.

The bread based biscuits have also been used in a rather peculiar ways over the years, they feature in competitive ‘knob throwing’ events that take place in the county annually, other attractions include knob eating, and painting contests as well as a knob & spoon race! A truly is a well-loved treat in the area.