On a roll: Film director Duncan Jones recreates childhood delicacy
- Published
Do you ever crave the comfort food of your childhood?
Maybe the smell of mince and tatties takes you back to your grandmother's kitchen table. Maybe only a plate of spaghetti hoops on toast with lashings of grated cheddar and a cup of fizzy juice will lift your mood.
If you grew up around Aberdeen, maybe you fancy a rowie? These buttery, salty rolls - which are also known as butteries - are unique to the north east of Scotland.
But what do you do if your local baker doesn't stock these delicacies?
If you're film producer Duncan Jones - and the son of iconic rock star David Bowie - you make your own and chart your progress on Twitter.
He took to social media on Tuesday to tell his 342,000 followers that he was making a batch of rowies for the first time.
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He shared photographs of his progress and the recipe he used, which listed ingredients including large quantities of butter, lard, salt and sugar.
And as he waited for the rolls to cook, he revealed his close links to the Granite City.
Despite being the son of a rock star, the man who was formerly known as Zowie Bowie, told followers of the fond memories of his time spent in a modest city high rise.
In one tweet, external, Mr Jones said: "Spent great swathes of my youth in a flat in Cornhill Court eating mince and tatties, drinking orange squash, coats on beds to keep warm, 'snowballs' at Christmas. :)".
In the past he has spoken warmly of his relationship with his nanny, Marion Skene, and it is believed he stayed with her family in the tower block.
Duncan Jones is the son of David Bowie and his first wife, Angie
He told one follower that he remembered learning to fish in Stonehaven, external. But he added: "Thought I was fishing, but adopted uncle just tied a fish he'd bought at the market to a line and convinced me I had caught it!"
Once the rowies were baked, he updated followers with his verdict on his creation. He tweeted: "Good! Too crisp, though. Not like ones I ate as a kid. Think the lard was wrong. Needed to be more salty."
He gave himself a 7/10 and described it as a "good first try".
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But what do the experts think of the film producer's efforts?
George Ross, the founder of JG Ross bakery in Inverurie, revealed the secret of a good rowie to BBC Radio Scotland's Kaye Adams.
He said: "The buttery consists of dough and a fat mixture. The secret is getting them integrated properly without them being over mixed. The mixing is so important."
Mr Jones' rolls "don't look all that bad", he added.
"I would think that maybe the dough was on the stiff side and it could maybe have stood another couple of minutes mixing.
"But I would give him eight out of 10."
The baker added: "The answer to this is, next time he's up, get him out to Inverurie and we'll show him how to make butteries."