As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

stiltwalker

mamaninie wrote: »

Right, I am really struggling with the wholemeal bread - my last loaf was utterly inedible. I've now acquired some non-nestle milk powder from Lidl (£1.68) and I've got Grandma247's white bread on the go, with only 1/2 tsp of salt as we are very intolerant of salt in this house Fingers crossed.....

Is it better to mix the wholemeal flour with white flour for a more edible bread? if so what proportions?

Also, how do the economics of home made bread work for you? the yeast is quite expensive and the cheapest strong bread flour I have found is Lidl or Asda for 65-68p for 1.5kg - brown is over £1 everywhere - although Sainsbos have got Allinson brands on and 2 for £2 at the moment. - so where do you get 125g packets of yeast from as a quick google told me these were available, but not on the high st - is Doves quick yeast the same as Allinson Easy Bake and where do you bulk buy the flour as I can see that is the only way to make the economics outweigh the effort and the electricity costs.

lots of questions - do your best!

You can do bread completely without salt like the Tuscan's do but beware it will stale very quickly hence all the Italian recipes involving stale bread - lol.

White will rise better than wholemeal but non of it will be as light as chorleywood method bought bread but you find after a while that eating that is like eating cotton wool! I get my flour from lembas, I have a friend that does a bulk order every few weeks, there were several suggestions earlier on the thread of places to bulk buy I think. As for yeast I use fresh and just ask at the bakery in the supermarket and get given it free - they don't advertise this you just have to ask.

As for cooking costs I tend to have the oven on anyway for dinner and cakes etc so have more than one thing in at once rather than just putting it on for the bread but if you have freezer space you could do several loaves at once and freeze some so you only have the oven on once.

Hope that helps - once you get into making bread it becomes part of your routine and it is so much nicer. It doesn't really take as long as you think, only 15 mins to mix and knead then the proving.

claudiac_2

Thanks everyone for the ideas re razor blades, I will ask the boys to have a go with the hair clipper/beard clippers since we have them in the house -had never occurred to me! Will also put the current razors into oil and see how that goes.
Wind turbines - I love them, they are so serene and majestic to look at, and I can't see why we don't have more community based ones, not sure if they would work but I would love to have a way of generating my own electricity.
Stock cupboards - have really just started building up mine this year, but I have already noticed a difference in the weekly bills, because there are things I will not need to buy again until next year. Will be looking out for Moo milk and get a few of those in, will be handy for sauces, bread making etc.
Have a lovely day everyone x

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

missychrissy wrote: »

I have 3 power stations close by and 2 wind farms.

I have heard people moan about the power stations being ugly but I think that there is a certain 'industrial splendour' about them.

However, the wind turbines are like 'fairies' on the landscape. How could anyone find them obtrusive?

I got married right next to a nuclear power station, and made sure it was part of a couple of my wedding photos. At dusk/sunset, it's beautiful. If it wasn't there, the land it's on and that surrounds it would never have become a nature reserve, site of scientific interest, RSPB protected etc. It would have become just another coastal development.

And I agree about "fairies" on the landscape.

flowertotmum

Hi all...well what a day..had to go to dentist for check ups..went on the bikes and put tots in trailer..only trouble was my bike decided to seize up..almost went in the river head first..still i got there in one piece..got to go back for a small filling next wk..neverends for me..
Right back to topic...i am in shock and tbh a little scared about the food prices..am trying to get tots,ds and hubby to eat more veggies..so if meat becomes to expensive we will have veggie meals...my little stockpile is growing nicely..i have got tuna and salmon put away..am also freezing as much of my veg as possible...still doing jams too...made some marmalade yesterday..lovely.
Hubby been to the lotties and brought some more strawberries home with a few raspberries too..they are sooo not ready..so sour it was painful yuk..harvested 3 kilos of cherries of my tree..i think that day of rain helped a little and they swelled up lovely...had to fight with the sparrows and starlings..tots helped..well stuffed their faces with ripe ones..i am going to make cherry jam with them..never made it before so hope it turns out ok..hubbs also brought home broad beans..my gosh they are lovely..had them with some butter melted over them last night with tea..wow,i can't believe i have never eaten them before now..live and learn lol...
o oh..just seen on the news thats scottish power are putting up gas 19% and electric 10%..how do they think folks are going to cope if we have another bad winter..
I want to thank kittie..you have inspired me over the last few days to get my bum in gear and get my stuff sorted..thank you.
ftm

[Deleted User]

:eek::eek::eek:

SP is putting gas up 19% from august and electric by 10%

purpleheather2810

I know ftm I've just seen Martin's posts on facebook/twitter about it. I am a SP customer! Not sure what to do...

X-posted with Kittie. Eeek!

Frugalista

unixgirluk wrote: »

After checking my cupboard, there's a tin of cherries lurking at the back that are 3 years out of date. I don't think I'll risk it.......

I would eat them without a second thought - probably make a crumble with them .

jamanda

No doubt the rest of the power companies will do the same. Will redouble efforts to get more wood and coal in.

Cabbages in the garden are ready (all together as usual), so last night I cut 3 cabbages, cooked them in my jam cauldron and froze in portions. I also froze the cabbage water for my gravy. I didn't realise you could freeze cooked cabbage until I chucked some leftovers in the freezer. Blooming convenient when you don't have much time.

Does anyone else feel that they spend all summer getting ready for winter?

[Deleted User]

Its going to be the last straw for some, the final nail. How the bloomin heck are the poor and struggling going to cope? People were freezing last winter and what else can they do? Lots of people took all the precautions re living in one room, insulation etc but just think gas bill plus 1/5 more than what it was

Right girl, positive thinking again and no point in clutching at straws. They won`t beat us down. :eek: oh just thought, gas is the main fuel for a lot of manufacturing so the cost spiral will carry on. Deep breath everyone

On a different topic, I have started to sort out my freezer and taken out enough stuff, including beef stocks to make a big casserole, which will last 3 days. Normally we would eat on 2 days and freeze 1/3 but not any more. Day 1 will be fresh casserole, day 2 casserole with dumplings and dat 3 will be piecrust on top

Rice quinoa and oats came today and are piled up on the stairs ready for several trips to the wardrobe. The rate things are going up it will be oats and cabbage for lunch

Its time to harvest stuff if you can, I did herbs today but only tied them in upside down bunches and strung them up along the curtain rails in 2 sunny bedrooms

[Deleted User]

tinned cherries and banana make a lovely crumble. 3 years is nothing for a tin