The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a local food hero.

Throughout the Potteries, and even beyond, it has achieved iconic status, with more than forty traditional oatcake-makers still in business today. True, it has come a long way from its origins as humble, cheap and filling sustenance for the poor.

All manner of exotic fillings are added to the modern oatcake, though the purists will tell you that cheese and bacon are the original and best, and anything else is wrong! Pamela Sambrook, Potteries born and bred, has a passion for the oatcake, both as a consumer and as a historian, and her book tells the social history of this unique, much-loved product. She explains how they are made using specifically designed implements, talks to those who remember the old traditions, and gives recipes for making oatcakes at home, along with suggested fillings.

For anyone who enjoys oatcakes, or who has an interest in the history of Staffordshire, or of British food, this well-written, attractive book is a must.