really old style living?

Bitsy_Beans

zarazara wrote: »

theres plenty to do at home though,make do and mend,repair things instead of buying new,patchwork quilting,baking jam making. Herbs and salad can be grown in pots on the window still and if your keen to have a go at veg growing you could get your name on an allotment list.

I already have salad in pots, a veggie patch, toms, carrots, raspberry canes and in autumn want to get an apple tree. Allotment no good as have young kids and local allotments not secure so couldn't trust them to stay put (that's assuming I would be lucky not to have to wait a few years for a plot). I would love more space but sadly my suburban garden has to compete with kids toys too! I try and make do and mend but not too hot with sewing and the like lol!!!
As for baking it's my therapy

ceridwen

A linkie for a blog of interest here that I've just found:

http://www.sustainableeats.com/

Winged_one

I was thinking about this afterwards. I actually do a lot of bulk buying, but I am very urban based so wouldn't be cut off from folk. I tend to buy spices and rice from the asian supermarket, I just did a BIG supermarket shop up north over the weekend (so that's rice, tins tomatoes, sauces, tins fish, loadsa stuff sorted for at least 3 months) - stuff like that.

If we lived more remotely, I would be quite happy to buy lots of storecupboard items on a big shopping trip a ocuple of times a year (one of my long term dreams is island living - and I know I'd have to do bulk to get that, but OH won't hear of it yet!!). I tend to buy a lot in bulk-ish when offers are on anyway, so I would make sure I do a trip coming up to Christmas and find the best proper bulk buying places. And I'd make sure I have my storage space properly set up for it too (I have the plans for a basement or proper pantry - including large lockable bins for big packets, with the smaller jars I currently use in the kitchen for everyday amounts). We used to buy apples in bulk (2 boxes of eaters and 1 of cookers at a go) from a fruit farm about 45`minutes away when I was growing up, and I am happy to do that again if I find good suppliers (we live too far from there now).

And if you are living closer to the land, there are more possibilities too for HG and foraged foods. I have an impressive jam-cupboard already this season (3 types there already and I still have at least 3 more to put in this year), and I have the supplies gathered for my alcofrolic beverages (I don't have wine-making equipment, but I do make a couple of things like sloe gin, raspberry vodka, blackcurrant liquer, limoncello etc). And perhaps a few non-alco versions of blackcurrant cordial etc this year too!!

zarazara

I have the supplies gathered for my alcofrolic beverages (I don't have wine-making equipment, but I do make a couple of things like sloe gin, raspberry vodka, blackcurrant liquer, limoncello etc). And perhaps a few non-alco versions of blackcurrant cordial etc this year too!![/QUOTE]
I already make sloe gin but have never made the other things. Could you post the recipes please?

zarazara

after being inspired by this thread I have made some yoghurt. Total success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made it in a food flask,large necked. Added a tablespoon of milk powder to make it thicker too. Will be having some for pudding later with honey and toasted oats, along with stewed apples and cinnamon and raisins. Also delicious with raspberrys but I've got non.

mardatha

Oh great posts today !! I can't make yoghurt till I get an easiyo or a flask but I will, and post what happens:)
WingedOne, I too have always wanted to live on an island, I have a thing about islands First one I fell in love with was one of the Aran islands off Galway. Then also my own islands like Mull and Skye.
My husband wont let me do a bulk shop, he says there's no need because we can go anytime. But what if something happened & we couldn't ? I was lucky in the snow last year, that I had a good stash in the house, because we had deep snow lying for 5 weeks. (I do tend to cast that up just a weeeee bit lol)
And I too would LOVE to see recipes for sloe gin etc.

Winged_one

My recipes are really only methods. Apparently the general recipe is equal weights of fruit and sugar, mixed together in a bottle/jar, and covered with alcohol. Shake regularly (once every day or 2) for a couple of weeks, put aside in a coll, dark cupabord, and leave as long as possible (at least 2 months but the longer the better).

The only difference is the limoncello - I got both my recipes from the "Grow your Own" website - the Grapevine forum (there's an alcohol sub-board there in "Kitchen matters" or some similar type category). "Pigletwillie's" pukka 80 day recipe if the main one I use - which involves something like 15 lemons to 750ml of vodka - add zest (and juice) to the voddie and leave for 40 days, then add a sugar syrup and leave another 40 days. Then strain off the peel, chill (very well) and enjoy.

There is another lad on there who had a version ready in about 4.5 hours - boil together the lemons and sugar, pour into vodka, freeze for 4 hours and drink.

I prefer the pukka version, but the other works too. Sorry, I can't get into the 'Vine at work, but from memory that's it (and if I didn't answer now, I'd forget to answer at all). If I find my specific recipes, I'll post them later.

mardatha

Oh I didnt know it was so easy ... no secret still under the floorboards or in the cowshed ? lol!

mardatha

:rotfl: Reading over the recipes I copied down for making yoghurt, I seem to have written -
"when using HRT milk, no need to boil"
:rotfl: Hot Flush Yoghurt !

psso

mardatha wrote: »

:rotfl: Reading over the recipes I copied down for making yoghurt, I seem to have written -
"when using HRT milk, no need to boil"
:rotfl: Hot Flush Yoghurt !

:rotfl: Oooh that`s a good one.:T

Re. sharing gardens. My late DH did this with our neighbour across the road. A single lady of advancing years who hated to see her garden full of long grass and weeds. DH cultivated it and put in tatties and lots of other veg and when things were ready to harvest he gave her what she needed and we used the rest. Worked well.

Raspberry vodka - friend of ours put 1lb of sugar, 1lb rasps in one of those sweetie jars, like Roses come in, covered with vodka and shook daily till dissolved. Left for as long as possible, strained it and rebottled it. It was lovely .
Think he did the same with sloes and gin but I didn`t try that one as I don`t like gin.