If things get tougher?

13435373940331

Comments

  • ceridwen
    ceridwen Posts: 11,547
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    katieowl wrote: »


    I've turned the AGA - which is now costing £50- 60 a month to run - OFF for the summer - I've set up a kitchen camp in the garden, consisting of a Gas Barbeque, with a ring burner, and my twin ring camping stove....we have a couple of bottles of gas knocking about...but even when they are replaced it think it will still be cheaper than running the AGA. I've rigged up a tarpaulin cover, so I can still use it when it rains...



    Regards

    Kate

    C..r..i..k..e...y! Now that is what I call moneysaving! Whew! Wondering if you have contemplated a solar oven then? I was thinking "if the worst comes to the worst..maybe I could have a go at making one of them". I wonder if they work in this country - with our lower level of sunlight. I know Californians, for instance, use them. I have seen them mentioned on various survivalist websites and they feature on the YouTube clip about the Dervaes family I mention in my entry on my blog today. I think its always worth thinking of ways one can take oneself "Off the Grid" these days.
  • jennyjelly
    jennyjelly Posts: 1,708
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Forumite
    Wine recipe as requested, and it's really simple.

    You'll probably be best to make 2 gallons at a time, unless you want to drink the leftover half carton of grape juice - personally I'd rather drink it after it's fermented!

    Into each sterilised demijohn put 1 litre of cranberry juice and 1/2 litre grape juice (red or white, it doesn't matter). The very cheapest you can find will do.

    Dissolve 1kg sugar in 2 pints water in a pan. Turn off the heat as soon as it is clear, no need to boil. When it's cool enough so that it won't crack the glass, pour it into the demijohn, then top up to the middle of the curved 'shoulder' with cold water. Add 1 level tsp each of pectolase, citric acid and yeast nutrient and shake. Stick a bung & fermantation lock in the top and leave in a warm room for 24 hours, then add the yeast, shake again and leave it to ferment the same as with the expensive kits. Then just clear, filter etc as you would with any wine. I never bother bottling, just keep it in a spare demijohn and pour into a decanter. It doesn't hang around so chances of it going off are minimal!

    You can make this with practically any carton fruit juice, our favourites are cranberry & red grape juice for a good red, apple and white grape juice for a white. I don't recommend using orange juice, we thought it was ugh. I reckon this costs a max of 70p per bottle and it's lush.

    Good luck, and don't forget to post the results (if you are sober enough!):beer:
    Oh dear, here we go again.
  • zarazara
    zarazara Posts: 2,264 Forumite
    more things listed on freecycle
    "The purpose of Life is to spread and create Happiness" :j
  • CoD_2
    CoD_2 Posts: 275 Forumite
    Katieowl- fab idea, we have a stanley and are trying to keep it off except if i'm baking cakes/ a roast, i've found my small george and electric steamer brilliant instead, pasta and rice cooked in steamer with veg and fish, sausages/ bacon/ potatoes cooked on george. microwave is also used for quick sponges, reheating, cooking eggs, etc.

    jennyjelly love the use of cranberry juice,will try that next time. i do make orange juice wine with one carton of the value orange and then i make grape concentrate by soaking raisins in boiling water for a few hours then adding to the must, once cleared and racked it tastes like a really decent chardonnay in 3-4 weeks. not sure if the type of OJ makes a difference? i wouldn't use one with bits and prefer the longlife one as it's cheaper! :beer:
  • champys
    champys Posts: 1,101 Forumite
    Last week Mr Electricite de France paid us back 75 Euros which means our power saving efforts over last year have paid off! They look almost exactly like Kittie's posted a little earlier in this thread, with the addition of using the Remoska much more than the oven. But I fear the amount saved over last year will probably be lost again on electricity price hikes in the year to come.... still it is good to see some real results. Meal planning is also working a treat, and with jennyjelly's recipe for wine we'll have a go at making this year's plum glut into plum wine. Not that the price of wine is prohibitive yet in France, but it is heavy to bring back in your bicycle panniers :-)
    "Remember that many of the things you have now you could once only dream of" - Epicurus
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    what shines through here is the positive mental attitude and the willingness to go with the flow. We will survive and will help others to survive if we suppport each other the old fashioned way

    I was thinking about the absolute bottom line re cooking and it has to be a great pan of thick pea or lentil soup cooked in a pressure cooker, which I already own. This would do for 3 days. Bread mixed and raised by hand and baked in the remoska. I actually made bread in the remoska last night, baked for 20 minutes and it was/is truly scrumptious. We could live on that. I haven`t used the oven since I bought the remoska as it has been so successful for casseroles, cakes, bread, baked apples etc

    It will be a miracle if energy costs stay below £100 next quarter but I have my fingers crossed.
  • elona
    elona Posts: 11,806
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    What about the old idea of "hay box " cooking?

    Get a pot of stew or soup etc really hot at the start of cooking then put it in a cool box lined with polystyrene- or wrap in a blanket with a "space blanket" on top, tightly bound - eave for about six or eight hours and it should be cooked.

    It is like a non electric slow cooker.

    We have been having a couple of power cuts where we live so I have ordered a set of 10 solar lights from Woolworths (in the sale at £19.99 instead of £80!) The lights can charge up outside then be taken inside as nightlights if needed. Should be cheaper than torches and batteries and safer than candles.
    "This site is addictive!"
    Wooligan 2 squares for smoky - 3 squares for HTA
    Preemie hats - 2.
  • bellaquidsin
    bellaquidsin Posts: 1,100
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    Ooo Kittie, bread made in the Remoska, I've been wondering about that. I have the medium sized Remoska, would that be big enough? If so could you please post your instructions?

    Thanks in anticipation,
    Bella.
    A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. Luke 12 v 15
  • Sarahsaver
    Sarahsaver Posts: 8,390
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    We are growing peas, beans, spinach, peppers, chillies and herbs, tomatoes, gooseberries, redcurrants, all in a smallish inner city garden.
    I dont think i can go to 30degree washing cos my boys wet the bed and low temp washing doesnt get rid of the smell of wee :eek:
    For the same reason unless its a v hot day I can not get the undersheets dry on the line, so still use the drier for those.
    I have not noticed our food bill go up actually as we cook 99% from scratch, and get fruit from the market, like £1 for 10 peaches. Veg comes from a fortnightly veg delivery (£10) then toopped up with economy frozen peas, tinned sweetcorn, frozen spinach til the stuff in the garden is big enough!
    Local shop has milk for £1.50 6 pints, and their free range eggs are cheaper than tescos, 95p for 6.
    Member no.1 of the 'I'm not in a clique' group :rotfl:
    I have done reading too!
    To avoid all evil, to do good,
    to purify the mind- that is the
    teaching of the Buddhas.
  • Tashja
    Tashja Posts: 1,214
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Hi all

    Things are getting tougher but I am hanging on in there and getting some food stocks together :)

    At the risk of sounding slightly daft please could someone tell me what a Remoska is ??? Just looking in to various ways which I could save electricity and gas.

    T xx
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.8K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 606.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.7K Life & Family
  • 247.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards