really old style living?

mardatha

BB I made yoghurt and I hate the stuff ! Just wanted to see if it worked!

penny39

No..me too!! So glad this thread is back, having pre-Christmas panic this morning & nipped on to here for some inspiration & tips. Thankyou xx

born_blonde

By the way should you have time take a look at the cast iron stoves on ebay. Quite a few were cheap/collection only jobs and I was very tempted.

Might go back to the charity shop today.....

annie123

mardatha wrote: »

Am I the only one who thought for a minute there that annie was into 1940s sex? (mind boggled there!)

:rotfl::eek::rotfl::eek::rotfl::eek::rotfl: Those GI's looked quite nice in their uniforms

redlady_1

Mardie...are you using logs or coal on your stove? It makes a difference as to how you need to alter the vents. I saw a lovely hybrid stove thing by Esse called the Ironheart I think. If only I could have a chimney in my kitchen.

Does the book have any new tips in it? I think there will be frugal times ahead for me - like a new fridge freezer, washer dryer and the bloody bread maker has gone pear shaped!

modern_millie_2

Hi all, I've mostly been lurking lately but have a bit more time atm and I love this thread. It's ringing bells with me, mainly because we seem to spend so much on getting people to fix stuff - esp. the boiler and the car - but also things like the lawnmower which is going to cost £45 for servicing. I don't remember my mum and dad having these sort of bills, probably my dad did some of the work himself, but also they were believers in having simple technology. We want to move to a smaller house next year, partly to cut our bils, so I'm thinking old fashioned push mower if we have a smaller garden, hopefully woodburner as we have waste wood from OHs craft business - in any event, keep things as simple as possible. Also want to be in or close to town, to cut down on car journeys.

We recently invested in one of those big flasks, this is working really well for cutting down on boiling the kettle - cutting down on the tea is not an option!

Wartime cookery books - I have The Wartime Kitchen by Marguerite Patten, series of 3 books, the most useful I think is called We'll Eat Again, some good recipes using little or no meat, also low sugar cakes etc. Some of the recipes are slightly weird though - curried cod anyone?

Re shopping - gives me a headache these days - I'm like you Ginny, always trying to work out the best deals. I like Mr L best as the pricing is most straightforward and there's not too much choice!

mardatha

Use only coal Red, wood is a killer for the chimney and it isnt hot enough. yes we checked the throat, there's one for smokeless eggs and one for house coal and for wood you take it out altogether
The books doesnt seem to have anything new in it - but I've got a lot of books on wartime and so maybe other people would find it more exciting than I am .
I just this minute decided to have a "really old style" xmas. It used to be a very rare holiday in a hard-working year really, didnt it? People worked hard long hours and had little time off and so made the most of it. (Although in Scotland it was not a holiday, I can mind my dad saying it never used to be a holiday, just New Year).
So, thinking back to the Victorian Farm christmas, it was mainly about food
So maybe a chance to make all the (nice fattening) things that we've been depriving ourselves of all year ... And home made choc, in wee petit-fours cases in pretty boxes & baskets for the family. Hand knitted things, cos I canny sew. Good home made jams and pickles and cakes and buns and bread and even soup.
Lets sort out a real OS christmas and pass round ideas, eh? Best site on the planet for good ideas this one!:T :T:T

mardatha

Lets have a CHRISTMAS DINNER RECIPE competition ! :D

Carrot and Lentil Soup
Curried Cod and Woolton Pie
Sugarless Fatless Custardless Sponge and Custard
Very Weak Tea

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

redlady_1

Do you have vents at the top and bottom of the stove - or is it a cooking/kitchen stove?

I go back up north for christmas and normally come back with £50 worth of meat as a present. Not to mention all the leftovers from my nan (her gammon is lush!) This year I want to make hob nobs/cc cookies etc and put them in cellophane wrapped with pretty ribbons.

I have never tried goose but fancy it. I flipping hate turkey and sprouts _pale_ so nan cooks a joint of beef just for me. Spoilt? You bet I am!!! Sprouts are my Kale.

pennib

Sugar in Mr.T and L'les is 82p at the mo. They are the only big shops available to us (apart from co-op) Sugar over a £ doesn't seem right. Will have to start growing my own sugar beet.:D