What's the essence of old style?

Churchmouse

Of course it all depends how far back you want to go with your OS.............In Mrs Beeton's era many recipes started with take 2 dozen eggs and 2 pints of cream .... :rotfl:

As for gadgetry, while I don't have a dishwasher, I imagine you'd die in the attempt to wrestle one off any that do have one

rachbc

on the gadets front I find there are lots of gadgets used and mentions on here - bread machines, slow cooker, pressure cooker, remouska etc that for lots of people form the backbone of os cooking

cooking-mama

rachbc,I do depend heavily on my gadgets..breadmaker went bust recently(but ive been baking bread in my Remoska)saving up for a kenwood Bm 450 tho,mainly so the bread can be baking overnight.Most of my soup is made in the slow cooker,and my pressure cooker is invaluable...my OH cannot cook,and ive never mastered the batch cooking/ freezing thing,so 3 days a week when im working from 12md.,till 10pm,i make the family meal in my pressure cookers,only takes an average of 20mins in the morning,i still have time left to let it cool and refrigerate,plus i can take my portion to work with me(saving me spending in staff dining room,tho that might stop,cos our staff fridges are being removed:mad:)Unfortunately there are days when i dont have time before work...this is when my girls are subjected to OH's freezer/processed meals of breaded fish portions/tinned peas,Pizza/bagged salad(This from a man who thought a well balanced meal for toddlers was oven chips with chicken nuggets AND fish fingers :eek:--apparantly he was brought up on frozen turkey burgers and pizza,his mum declared he didnt like,cabbage/turnip/broccoli etc etc,all things he eats and enjoys regulary---crikey,I even had to teach him how to boil potatoes. (shame on his mum,and dad(who didnt cook either)),
Thankfully as my girls are getting older,they are able to rustle up there own meals at short notice,some tuna and pasta or baked potato n cheese,between watching me cook and home economics at school they certainly know the basics,but its a bit Can cook Wont cook!!Eldest is actualy quite a good cook,but at almost 18,she NEVER has the time;)
Today,im gonna try and bake a lasagne in either my slow cooker or remoska(my main Oven is useless,cant afford to replace it,but find my gadgets more versatile anyway)

toddles*

Churchmouse wrote: »

while I don't have a dishwasher, I imagine you'd die in the attempt to wrestle one off any that do have one

PMSL,:rotfl: that is definatley me. Ive had my Dishwasher for about 6months now and you would have to prise it from my cold dead hands before I stopped using it lol.

I did watch this bit on the "one show" that said Dishwashers are more economical than hand washing, use less water and save lots energy. so I think cant be that bad.

Norman_Bean

maman wrote: »

I don't necessarily agree with this. I've always used a shopping list and a rough meal plan as a way of saving time (and money). It saves time wandering round the supermarket just putting things in the trolley, it saves time wondering what to have for dinner and whether you need to stop off at the shop and buy extra bits for a meal etc etc

Totally agree with this Maman

For me being OS is about not being wasteful - peeps didn't waste things in the old days so I try to reuse and recycle as much as possible from food scraps to bits of foil and yoghurt pots (but of course I make my own yoghurt now I'm OS! )

Norm x

Primrose

I think the art of Old Style cooking is to cook in a way which provides better value for money. This will include batch cooking and making large portions so that some can be frozen to save the fuel of cooking it from scratch a second time. It also includes making a basic sauce in bulk , e.g. bolognese, which can be split and converted into different type meals, i.e chile con carne, savoury mince with vegetables, cottage pie, etc. . Another Old style method of cooking is to double the portions of certain foods being cooked like potatoes, so they can be used up in a different way the next day, i.e mashed potatoes turned into Colcannon or corned beef hash.

And don't let's forget the Stock Pot, where carcasses of chickens and other bones are converted into stock, into which all kinds of odds and ends of vegetables can be turned into soup.
Other ruses are to use pulses like lentils to bulk out sauces, reduce the cost of meat and add protein, and adding dry mustard powder to cheesy sauces or scones to add some "zing" if you have to use cheaper mild cheese rather than expensive matured cheddar.

I think that basic cookery is a life skill which everybody ought to possess. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it ought to be a compulsory GCSE subject for every child. If everybody knew how to cook good basic meals and how little they can cost, it might stop the trend of so many people filling jup their supermarket trolleys with ready prepared meals which are often more expensive and contain a load of rubbish.

JulieGeorgiana

cooking-mama wrote: »

Unfortunately there are days when i dont have time before work...this is when my girls are subjected to OH's freezer/processed meals of breaded fish portions/tinned peas,Pizza/bagged salad(This from a man who thought a well balanced meal for toddlers was oven chips with chicken nuggets AND fish fingers :eek:--apparantly he was brought up on frozen turkey burgers and pizza,his mum declared he didnt like,cabbage/turnip/broccoli etc etc,all things he eats and enjoys regulary---crikey,I even had to teach him how to boil potatoes. (shame on his mum,and dad(who didnt cook either))

My husband was the same... his mum told me he HATED tomatoes... he refused to eat them! Add to that lettuce, mushrooms, all veg but peas.... and so one and so forth...!

His mum used to make separate meals for him when she made spag bol... so he had mince and gravy!

I told him he'd eat what he was given, or he'd make his own food... but not in my kitchen as I don't waste gas making two meals!

Now he eats EVERYTHING but cucumber!

My mum never showed me how to cook... why do parents not take responsibility for enabling their children to go out into the world as healthy, sensible adults???

Katie_Pink

Hi everyone,

I've been a bit of a lurker on the OS forums for a while now and find it all really interesting so wanted to say hello. I don't think I'd really count as an OSer although I do meal plan for myself and my boyfriend and we cook from scratch the majority of the time. However, we shop in Tesco as Aldi/Lidl aren't very near to us.

We are also attempting vegetables in the garden this year and so far have had radishes!! Although the spinach and lettuce doesn't look too bad now and the potatoes look good from the outside of the bag :-).

I am trying to save a few more pennies for holidays and things so am hoping to pick up a few tips but I also love crafting etc although have ignored that passion for quite a while!

I was just wondering what main things it is that you do that makes you feel like you are Old Style?

Katie
x

oldtractor

It means doing things homemade and homegrown. make do and mend. buying second hand. having lots of fun and taking pleasure in simple things. I love my life.

Carolyntia

oldtractor wrote: »

It means doing things homemade and homegrown. make do and mend. buying second hand. having lots of fun and taking pleasure in simple things. I love my life.

Blimey oldtractor I'm beginning to think you're my long lost twin.....you always say what I'm thinking but put it so much better than I ever could