Memorygirls Make Do and Mend for 2008 Thread

hkinsella · 27 June 2008 at 10:15PM

Sorry, just had a look at your photo's the baby blanket with the diamond design is brilliant, wondered if u had the pattern to hand, got a step daughter who would love one in pink and think i might have a go.

Ches · 27 June 2008 at 10:44PM

I was so angry when this thread was taken out of OS and rightly or wronly I posted to say so. I felt it was such a shame to bury it in a corner where it was unlikey to be viewed by many people as I thought it very inspiring and deserved a place in the 'main stream' part of the forum. Anyway, I am really glad to read that Martin put a link in to direct people here. Best of luck Memory Girl you have certainly got yourself a fan club now and deservedly so. BTW I had a sneaky peep at the rest of your photos and I have assumed the beautiful children on there are yours.

mary43 · 28 June 2008 at 1:21PM

Ches -have to admit I felt much the same when the thread was moved but at least now other people get the chance to benefit from Memorygirls tales and big 'Thanks' to Martin:T for mentioning it in the e mail..............bless her, Memorygirls done far more than I would ever have hoped I could do.
We can all learn a lot from her I'm sure

(Still waiting for her to commit to putting it all into a book........it's such a joy to read)

memorygirl · 28 June 2008 at 8:21PM

hkinsella wrote: »

Sorry, just had a look at your photo's the baby blanket with the diamond design is brilliant, wondered if u had the pattern to hand, got a step daughter who would love one in pink and think i might have a go.

Oooh!! A pattern??

I copied it from an Amish quilt I saw once - called "around the world". If I get time later I will try and write up the instructions - or maybe try and find a link on a quilting website.

It was made using some scraps of fabric and some old pillowcases - cut into strips, sewn together lengthwise into a piece of fabric, then cut crosswise with a roller cutter to make the squares. You then jiggle the pattern by unpicking seams to stagger the shading IYSWIM.

If all that seems double dutch - have a look at the quilt anyways and I'll have a stab at writing up proper directions and dimensions onto some kind of worksheet to email you.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll270/Memorygirl110669/RTWbabyquilt001.jpg

Memorygirl

memorygirl · 28 June 2008 at 8:39PM

Ches wrote: »

BTW I had a sneaky peep at the rest of your photos and I have assumed the beautiful children on there are yours.

Yes - they are mine -ALL MINE, MINE I tell you!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl: OOh - came over all Baby Jane there for a minute.

My DS (& - nearly 8 he says) told me in the car that he remembers being in heaven with DS (10 - nearly 11 weeks) and that they were bestest friends. That is why the baby chose to come and be part of our family. When I asked him how come he chose to be part of our family - he thought a little bit and then piped up " cos you always make me pancakes when my friends come to visit"........................ and the way to a man's heart !!!!!

Got a present from my Mum. LOOK …………………….

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll270/Memorygirl110669/6limes001.jpg

Yup …. It’s official …. My family is crazy –:D . Mum got these for me because they were on offer at 9p each. So she went absolutely mad and bought me a whole 6 of them.

So when life hands you limes ………………………you make margaritas – right???

Well obviously the old, size 12, pert bottomed, non- bfeeding high-heeled wearing Memorygirl would (and probably drink them all herself in the sunny garden too). Instead I am going to be a sensible girl and make something yummy to pack away for the darker, colder weather. Although in Scotland that can also apply to June – :rotfl: :rotfl:

If you love Indian foods as much as I do – all those pulses and soothing carbs that are also MEGA cheap to cook at home then you will know that what really sets your taste buds tingling is a spicy pickle. A little dab of something at the side of the plate that really makes you feel you are eating authentic Indian food.

So I am going to make………………… Mango chutney!!!!!!!!!! Nah!! Lime pickle it is – but be warned this one is HOT and very SOUR. :eek:

Actually I quite like this in the summer with a cold meat or cheese salad (like a rocket-fuelled Branston pickle) or with plain rice and yoghurt in the summer (very soothing on one of those days when it is too hot to cook for one and your taste-buds are a bit jaded)

This is a family recipe – just not my family’s. LOL. It was taught to me by the grandma of a friend in London (where I used to live). The family came from Kerala – and my friend was too busy studying to be a high-powered corporate lawyer (all high heels and power suits) to spend time with Grandma to learn – so I did – and now apparently I am the only one in the “family” who can make it quite like she can????:cool:

Geetha’s Grandmas Lime Pickle

Take 6 limes – wash them in hot water to get rid of any wax and allow to dry out in the sun!!! (or a paper towel will do if the weather doesn’t want to play)

Take 2 and juice (if you heat them for 30 seconds in a microwave and then roll them firmly around your chopping board before cutting and juicing you get much more juice). After juicing I chop the skins into 1cm dice and add them to the recipe as well – well waste not… want not!!

Take the remaining 4 and cut into 8 wedges – then cut each wedge in half to make 16 half-segments per lime.

In a non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic not aluminium) mix the segmented limes, the lime juice and 4tbsp of salt. Make sure the limes are well coated and then cover either with a plate or some Clingfilm and set aside for 4 days. Make sure you leave them somewhere obvious otherwise you wont find them again for a fortnight. Apparently the salt and lime start to “cook” the lime skins and eventually they become soft and gelatinous and very yummy so don’t be scared when the limes start to change colour into a browny/ beigey/yellow.

Now I know at this stage you will want to grab a bottle of tequila and get slamming – but please resist. :beer:

On day 5 –did I happen to mention that this recipe actually takes about a week to do? This is really NOT Fast Food!!:rolleyes:

On day 5 take a small frying pan and dry roast (that is without adding any oil) 1tsp of cumin seeds and 1tsp of mustard seeds. When these just start to colour a little take off the heat and grind up – either in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. Add a large pinch of turmeric and 5tsp of chilli powder (told you this pickle packs a punch).

Sprinkle the spices over the limes and stir until everything is coated well. Cover again and set aside for another three days.

On day 8 heat 4dsp of vegetable oil until it begins to shimmer in the pan. Pull off the heat and throw in another 1 dsp of mustard seeds. Swill them around the pot until they begin to pop and then when they are still hot pour them over the lime mixture and stir well.

This is what the Indian Chef’s call a tarka – yup – just like the otter!!

Thoroughly wash a jar with a screw-top lid in very hot water (I use a 400g mayonnaise jar for this quantity). To be sure that the jar is sterile I like to dry mine in a low oven and then wait until it is cool enough to handle.

Put the lime mix into the jar – squashing the limes down so that there are no air pockets. When it is full, pour a little of the spicy oil mix over the top to ensure all the limes are covered and then screw the lid on firmly. You may find you have a little mix left over so now is the time to treat yourself to a taste

.

I store mine in the fridge – in fact the jar that is almost finished is about 6 months old now (at least I remember making it one snowy afternoon during the Christmas break), so it keeps really well.

A little goes a long way – but if you have a family who all like to dabble in a little spice you may need to double the quantities - or make it more often.

PS Makes a great Christmas present as it goes really well with leftover turkey and ham too. Or is June too early to be thinking about Christmas presents????

Memorygirl

PS Just costed this out and and I make it about 62 pence for a huge jar - how MSE is that???

Ches · 28 June 2008 at 10:22PM

Thanks for the recipe. My OH loves this stuff so I will defineately be trying this one.

Miserjunkie · 28 June 2008 at 11:52PM

Hi MemoryGirl

Felt compelled to post, even though I've only sat on the fence previously by reading the weekly MSE Newsletter and just popping in to read the odd thread or two for advice. Thanks Martin for bringing Memorygirl's thread to the masses.

I've sat here for the last hour reading your thread, with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. What a thrilling and inspirational thread. As Ginger would say "Girl Power". Look forward to your future exploits!! Good Luck.

JB

Barks100 · 29 June 2008 at 10:15AM

Hi MemoryGirl

Reallyenjoying the thread. You are such an inspiration to us all. You are so positive even when things are not going right for you. Keep up the thread as it's a real pleasure to read what you have to say. So readable!:j

MadMac_2 · 29 June 2008 at 12:23PM

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made elderflower wine on the last of his recent River Cottage series and made it look so easy, I'll definitely be keeping a eye out for elderflowers in the countryside.

Picked up some very reduced strawberries last night and have spent the morning making strawberry jam. A few presents sorted for this month then - and only £1 spent!

KTjazz · 29 June 2008 at 1:23PM

I've been lurking, reading this thread (another brought in due to the email)

I've been inspired though.

I've looked out my knitting needles! With a view to finishing off all the little projects I have started over the last couple of years!

Thank you memory girl!

ps. what is the title of your book?

KTjazz

Memorygirls Make Do and Mend for 2008 Thread

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