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

ChocClare

In re the butter - it used only to be worth making when cream was on special offer, but butter is so expensive now, it might even be cheaper, you're right.

I can't swear it makes 250g of butter though, so it's not a direct comparison - it's definitely a bit less.

Really fresh cream is more difficult to make into butter, so buying it on its sell by date is a good option, for once.

For anyone unconvinced of how easy it is, here are step-by-step instructions

redlady - congrats on your achievement! Did I miss your recipe for "shop bought" bread in the BM? Can you point me there? Come on - I shared about the butter!

redlady_1

redlady_1 wrote: »

700gms white flour, 250 milk skimmed and 250 water, pack of yeast, 1 tspn salt and 1 of sugar, about 25gms of butter. I cannot believe how light it is. I am going to try with a bit more milk to see if I can get it softer still but it now flops over when you cut it. Enjoy rach

And its even better when you have home made butter to go on it! Christ, how easy is that to make.

There you go ChocClare. It has taken a bit of messing but the milk definitely makes a difference. Enjoy and I hope it works

scottishminnie

On the make your own butter subject....

I have several large tubs of double cream in the freezer from when they were on offer. Can I defrost them and make butter?

Sorry if that's today's dumb blonde question but no harm is asking:D

silvasava

Went into Waity's this morning for my Sunday paper - noticed that 750gm of broad beans were (shock horror) 2.99!!!! AND they were in their pods so not many beans there then. I've just gone out in the garden to check on mine & value them so I know how much I'm potentially saving (how sad is that)

ChocClare

scottishminnie wrote: »

On the make your own butter subject....

I have several large tubs of double cream in the freezer from when they were on offer. Can I defrost them and make butter?

Sorry if that's today's dumb blonde question but no harm is asking:D

Yep. That's what I do.

silvasava wrote: »

Went into Waity's this morning for my Sunday paper - noticed that 750gm of broad beans were (shock horror) 2.99!!!! AND they were in their pods so not many beans there then. I've just gone out in the garden to check on mine & value them so I know how much I'm potentially saving (how sad is that)

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Not sad at all! I do that with runner beans (which are always REALLY expensive for some reason) and blackberries. Blackberries! Don't get me started: mine come from the hedgerows, I'm not paying £2.99 for a tiny punnet (yes, yes, I know cultivated blackberries are nicer but they're not THAT much nicer).

Thanks, redlady! Will give it a go...

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Just had chicken with a lemon, splash of balsamic and a bunch of fresh shallots, a handful of potatoes and the root and leaves of 3 beetroot, all grown in the garden

Still expensive, due to the £3.50 chicken from the butcher, but it at least felt like a proper meal!

Tomorrow is likely to have some form of onion greens & mizuna soup. I suspect some chilli shall be necessary to make it more palatable, more like callaloo.

There is a lot of pride in thinking that at least the vegetables were pretty much free. And that there are quite a few more meals out there for us, in the rest of the beets, the courgettes, runners, french beans, carrots, mizuna, peas, herbs and hopefully (eventually) some fruit.

Molly41

Ohh blackberries from the hedgerow have such a yummy taste. You just need to disregard the little creepy crawlies.

Thanks for the butter recipe - Im going to try it soon.

I have never eaten beetroot leaves. How do you cook them? I have some growing.

7_week_wonder

Thanks for all your good wishes. Today went perfectly - and someone was definitely looking after us with the weather. We headed off bright and early and arrived at the seaside just as the tide was going out. A walk along the headland and then a path down the cliffs took us to the rock pools where I searched for crabs when I was little.

We scattered dad's ashes on the edge of the sea and then had a wee glass of (non-alcoholice) fizz. By the time we'd sat and reminisced and then headed back up the path it was almost lunch-time, and the sun was out. So we sat on a lovely sheltered bench half way up the path with a wonderful view across the bay were I spent my early holidays and had a lovely homemade picnic.

And just to get back onto OS topic. On the way home we stopped off at a nursery which had been one of dad's favourites - and now I know why. It was fantastic - all the plants were grown on the premises and were unbelievably cheap. A litre pot containing around 25 cabbage plants was 70p! Back home with a boot full of veg plants I rescued one of my dad's old jumpers from the charity bag and felt a lovely sense of connectedness with him as I planted out brassicas and runner beans for mum. And we get to take the rest of the plants home tomorrow:D

Take care all.

candygirl

7_week_wonder wrote: »

Thanks for all your good wishes. Today went perfectly - and someone was definitely looking after us with the weather. We headed off bright and early and arrived at the seaside just as the tide was going out. A walk along the headland and then a path down the cliffs took us to the rock pools where I searched for crabs when I was little.

We scattered dad's ashes on the edge of the sea and then had a wee glass of (non-alcoholice) fizz. By the time we'd sat and reminisced and then headed back up the path it was almost lunch-time, and the sun was out. So we sat on a lovely sheltered bench half way up the path with a wonderful view across the bay were I spent my early holidays and had a lovely homemade picnic.

And just to get back onto OS topic. On the way home we stopped off at a nursery which had been one of dad's favourites - and now I know why. It was fantastic - all the plants were grown on the premises and were unbelievably cheap. A litre pot containing around 25 cabbage plants was 70p! Back home with a boot full of veg plants I rescued one of my dad's old jumpers from the charity bag and felt a lovely sense of connectedness with him as I planted out brassicas and runner beans for mum. And we get to take the rest of the plants home tomorrow:D

Take care all.

awww hugs hun:A:A:A

VJsmum

Mrs Beeton is a laugh. I have her on my kindle cos it's a free download. Absolutely no use whatsoever, except for comedy value.

£3.50 for a butchers chicken??? I pay about £7!! :eek:

On my way home after a weekend at my dad's. It isn't the same now that mum isn't there (she died 18 months ago) but today i realised that it is what it is and i will be grateful to have had this time with him in years to come. Definitely progress.

ChocClare, i am envious. I lack your courage to radically change my lifestyle.