Grandma’s Larder

Jojo_the_Tightfisted · 19 July 2018 at 6:38PM

My Granddad's post war maisonette had a larder in the kitchen, complete with the marble shelf that always had real butter in a glass dish and a pint of Gold Top standing on it, along with an umbrella net for covering the remains of a roast until Monday - and an enamelled colander in cream with green edging.

Underneath that shelf there would be a sack of potatoes, onions and the cleaning equipment (blocks of green soap, the mop, a galvanised bucket and dustpan, etc) - except for the tins of Brasso and Beeswax, sat proudly on the first wooden shelf. I was too small to see high enough for the other items, such as tinned or dried goods, tea and the like, but I suppose they were on the next shelf up.

Thinking back, even though this was the early 1980s, he had nothing modern in there - no fridge, no washing machine (so he must have done all his washing in the Belfast sink and then dried it on the ceiling mounted rack), a dresser with crockery on, the teapot permanently on a teatowel covered tray with the sugar bowl - and the hot water was still provided by a coal fired range.

The place was always immaculately clean, never dusty despite the coal fire and range, and smelled - peaceful.

I miss being there.

Thorhalla · 19 July 2018 at 6:50PM

As kids, we used to have to have a wash in the scullery when staying with my grandparents! (The bath was kept hanging on a hook in the coal shed). There was a big, cold porcelain sink which my grandma always told me I should be able to hoist each foot in to because I did ballet! My hair would be washed over the scullery sink using a jug and water from the rain butt. And this was only the 1980s/90s! When they eventually had to accept an indoor bathroom, no one was allowed to use the toilet because it was for ‘show’!

VfM4meplse · 19 July 2018 at 8:21PM

Thorhalla wrote: »

When they eventually had to accept an indoor bathroom, no one was allowed to use the toilet because it was for !!!8216;show!!!8217;!

OMG!!! :eek:

There's OS and then there's OS :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

DWhite · 19 July 2018 at 9:35PM

My parent's have what we always called the pantry. It's a large cupboard in the kitchen that extends to go under the stairs. It has a smaller cupboard at the back of it that has the gas meter and some bits that are stored in there (not been in there in 20 years so no idea what!).
Then the rest has a few small dodgy shelves - probably been there as long as the house (nearly 40 years). Mostly now there's a few tins, flour, cordials and carrier bags in there. It's just my parents in the house now so not so much need for food storage.

Over the years it had a bin, sacks of potatoes that were delivered by the greengrocer, big bags of dog food. Sundries such as light bulbs, candles etc and tins, cordials, oils etc.
I sort of resented it for a while, the kitchen is very small and the neighbours who's houses I'd go in as the kids were the same age as me had knocked there's out to have more space and more open plan.
Now I'm looking at buying my first home I'm looknig to see if there's cupboards under stairs/pantries/utility rooms or space to create one! You don't see how these things are so useful until they're not there.

DWhite · 19 July 2018 at 9:40PM

Re: the marble shelves. Did they work? As in keep the food cool enough to be safe? I quite like the idea of one when I have a house. But I'm not convinced in a summer like we're having it would work.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted · 19 July 2018 at 11:45PM

They worked pretty well - they were usually on the North side of the house, uninsulated, in homes that might only have a single fire, so were much cooler than we are used to now, and the marble shelf was even cooler than the rest.

I'd use one without concern for all but fresh raw meat/fish.

PollyWollyDoodle · 20 July 2018 at 12:02AM

I've remembered something from my childhood - we had a fridge (1960s) but my parents still had, and used for storage, something called a 'meat safe'. It was a small square cupboard, I think it hung on the wall, and it had zinc mesh sides and front - presumably so you could keep meat in it without any flies getting to it.

TravellingAbuela · 20 July 2018 at 7:33AM

PWD We had a meat safe too when I was a child. The pantry ran the length of the kitchen and the meat safe was at the end under the stairs. It had marble shelves and a mesh door. It was used for milk, eggs, butter and cheese too, not just meat. No fridges in those days! The pantry was not used as a pantry though, it was my dad's dark room where he developed his photos! I'd love to go back in that house now to see if the pantry is still there or if the wall was knocked down and it's now one huge kitchen!

[Deleted User] · 20 July 2018 at 8:32AM

I love this thread, I'm back 66 years to being 4 again and standing in my Aunt's country pub kitchen in her larder and seeing the crocks of salted beans, the cold roast under the fly screen on the cold shelf and the jars of fruit up high alongside the side of bacon hung in it's cheesecloth covering and the fly paper trap hanging down from the ceiling, thank you!

[Deleted User] · 20 July 2018 at 9:39AM

I am wondering if I could have a pantry built onto the house I am buying. It is pre 1930 and has faces on NSEW. I just might just look into it, they are marvellous places for food storage and a modern pantry could be built to be vermin proof. Looking at the floor plan and I think I could and these days, it would add value