My Mum's Old Cookbook, Farmhouse Fare, 1963 Edition.

Hi Dear Folk,

Another wet and windy day, although yesterday was sunny but chilly.  Mr. B. did get out to do some more painting.  It was in the fifties and you can still outdoor paint at that temperature, so we're pushing on.  It seems we're going to have a hard job matching the colour.  As I bought the paint a year ago from Sears when they were closing up their hardware store, and although it's a good outdoor paint the color is much more of a yellow cream than I wanted, but I'm not going to waste it.  I honestly think it has yellowed over time, the colour of my shed which I painted last year with this paint looks just the right colour cream.  Of course he may not have mixed the second two cans the same as the first, as he did have to play around with them a bit.  I just think all the upper floor will be a slightly different colour, but you know I'm not going to worry.  

I wanted to share with you my mum's old Farmhouse Fare Cookbook.  You can still buy an updated version of this on Ebay or other platforms.  Of course it has a different cover.  My mum basically had two go to cookbooks.  One was a cookbook that I think came with an old gas stove and this one from 1963.  My sister BB gave it to me when I was there two years ago.  So I got this book and BB kept the other one.

This book was first published before Christmas in 1935, they are a collection of recipes collected by the Farmer's Weekly and these must have been gathered all throughout the Commonwealth.  It was very popular and grew in size as later editions were published.

I've been looking through at her marked recipes and thought I'd share her tried and true recipes with you.  Starting at her first ticked recipe.
 

 Which is:-

Onion Quiche

Line a sandwich tin with short-crust pastry.  Make a filling as follows:-

Make 3/4 pint thick white sauce, add a cupful of chopped boiled onions, 2 tablespoons of grated cheese, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley.  Season well.

Garnish with slices of tomato and a little grated cheese.

Bake 1/2 hour in a moderate oven.  It can be made beforehand and warmed up when required.

From Mrs. Willis, Salop

I make a quiche with milk and eggs, so it's interesting that the base of this is a white sauce.

Old recipes assume that you have a certain amount of cooking knowledge, such as how to make a white sauce.  I just was reading a blogger from France who is American and he said French recipes are not set out like American recipes, many can be just one long continuous paragraph.  As many of these are.

I love it that it tells you the name of the person who contributed and where they lived.  I didn't recognize Salop but it seems that Salop is an old name for Shropshire.

Salop is an old name for Shropshire, historically used as an abbreviated form for post or telegrams, it is thought to derive from the Anglo-French "Salopesberia". It is normally replaced by the more contemporary "Shrops" although Shropshire residents are still referred to as "Salopians".

I think I'll have fun in visiting all the recipes mum made and many of which I remember eating.  I'll have to have a go at some of them and try some new ones in the book.

I hope you enjoy them too, and travel on this little journey with me.  A journey though Mum's Cookbook.  We can't do much else travel wise.

Keep safe,

Christine

Driech Day and Pandemic Life

 Hi Dear Folk,

Cup of tea and raisin and lemon scones on a driech day.  Along with mascarpone cheese, which I think tastes most like clotted cream here in the USA, unless you want to go to a specialty store and my cherry conserve.  It is so tasty and apart from having to take out all the stones is very easy to make.

Long time no see.  It's pouring with rain today and is meant to tomorrow, I think it's the remains of hurricane Zeta that hit New Orleans.  It's been a busy day already and it's only noon.  We are eight months into this pandemic and as a couple of retired people, well I was and Mr. B. lost a contract at the beginning of the year before COVID hit and then lost his second job when COVID hit and did not return because he had too much contact with the public.  So eight months of both being home and I don't know where the time goes.

We had planned a trip to Maine in September but cancelled that, so here we are.  In September we started in earnest on getting some outside work done on the house.  Painting which we have done, and contractors will be here next week to cover some of the top soffit and roof rakes.

It's been a lot of work, but I do feel some kind of accomplishment that at sixty-six years old I can still climb up a ladder, I painted a lot of our sunroom exterior, Mr.B. did the prep work, I hate prep work, sanding and cleaning.  We are working our way across the front of the house.  Weather has been good to us up until now, and it may become too cold to paint.  Still I feel we have broken the back of it.  Our summers are just so hot and humid you almost seem on hold until the cooler summer days hit in September.

Our dear Tuppy died, our cat. We had been thinking of having her put to sleep as she was almost twenty years old and had some problems, but we were working with her medication and I cooked all her food for her.  She had always been an indoor and outdoor cat, but had taken to wandering and had become afraid of nothing, so unfortunately she was killed on the road in front of our house, our neighbor found her and picked her up for us so I didn't see it, which was very kind of him.  It's very hard to make that decision with a beloved pet.  We had spoken for a while about having her put to sleep.  With our other cat Tinkerbell she had a stroke so no decision there, it was the kindest thing to do.  In hindsight with Tuppy I think we should have had her put to sleep sooner, but Mr. B. disagrees, it's a hard call.  The Boy and the Mr. buried her together, in a corner area of our back garden, near my shed, where Baggy and Tinkerbell are buried.  There will only be three cats there as I'm not getting anymore pets, as much as I love a cat around.  All my cats seem to live to an old age.  Baggy was twenty and Tinkerbell my Himalayan was at least seventeen, I got her from the SPCA as a lost adult cat.  So I'm thinking that a cat at this point could actually outlive me.  Every time I open a tin of tuna fish or go out the back door, I think she'll be waiting there, it's so funny how the brain works.

Part of our spruce up of the house, is that Mr. B.  replaced two screens on the bedroom windows above the sunporch as Tuppy used to sprint up the pine tree, not when she was older, and would claw at the screens on Rob's bedroom windows to be let in.  And then as she got older she'd spy me in my Simla/sunroom and claw on the door screen there.  Obviously while she was still around we were not going to replace them.

This is rather a dry report of my life, but as long as you can keep mobile and ones brain is too, it's good.  Our Boy moved out a few weeks ago and just the aftermath of that is a chore.  I said to Mr. B. it's a good job he moved out now or I'd be too old to do the clean up.  He had the large bedroom which was used as a kind of audio room and TV room for him and his dad, so now we're making some changes.  The couch was listed on FBM (Facebook Marketplace) for free and went out the door the next day.  We also sold his bed on FBM, that went out the door today.  So now Mr. B. has moved his leather recliner to a central position for maximum surround sound experience, and it looks like grandpa's mission control, with all the left over cushions from the couch on it.  

We plan to move our bedroom back into the big bedroom and the medium bedroom will Mr. B's TV and audio room, of course lots of painting to do in both rooms.  So this quasi lock down thing has enabled us to focus on some much needed jobs around the house.

Some of Rob's things have left the basement, but not all.  Before he came back from college I had that basement all sorted and then he came back and stuff got dumped there, certain car work was done down there and hence was invaded and has never been the same since.  So I've been working on that and I'm still not done.

A lot of stuff is being listed on FBM.  You know the funny thing is you can never tell what will sell.  So I had fifteen plastic shoe boxes stacked, I washed them, listed them for $10, heck they only sell new for about a $1.  Do you know I had way over 200 views and at least 15 people contact me within one hour to buy them.  The thing is they could buy them on Amazon for not that much more.  All the antique furniture, that we collected in the eighties era ie. Eastlake style, clawfeet tables etc., you can't hardly give that stuff away.  But MCM (Mid Century Modern)  which of course The Boy wants for his place, well you had better be pretty quick to the draw on that.  It comes around and goes around, the thing is you have to live long enough to see it happen.

This morning the lady picked up the shoe boxes, then the bed went out the door.  Then a friend in our congregation delivered boxed food, all part of the feed America program, you know to keep the farmers working and paid, which of course they should be and I never say no because every little bit helps.  The one gallon of milk I received came all the way from Johnstown, PA.  All this while following COVID guidelines, it just makes ones head spin.

So then I felt a great need to bake, so I made raison scones and added lemon zest and juice which I'd had a hankering to do.  I used my tried and true recipe from here.  I'm looking forward to a nice pot of tea and a scone this afternoon, by the stove in my Simla Room where I hang out for now.

I have a bizarre if not funny story about a clock purchased on FBM, but will leave that for another time.  The trouble is the more you get on to sell, the more you see to buy, one needs to keep blinkers on and not to become side tracked.

As I said I don't know where the time goes, busy, busy, busy, even though I hardly leave the premises.  My creative endeavors have been on the back burner for a bit, just getting all this other stuff done.  But I have set the stage with the sorting and organizing of all my yarn stash, so I'm ready to go.

Have read some good books from the library, one of which I will give special mention to, The Convert, by Stefan Hertmans, probably I should do a review on that.  He's a Flemish author and a professor at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, in Ghent.

The Convert is based on a true account, which history only gives us the bare bones of and the author fleshes that out into a wonderful story, set in France, a thousand years ago, the time of the crusades.  I will leave it there for now, but will try and write a review.  If you like history and learning history while reading a good story, then you'll really like this.

Well will close for now friends.  Hope all is well for you.

Keep safe, Christine

My World Today and Healthcare Government Subsidies Cut

Hi Dear Folk,

Above photo taken at Longwood Gardens.

When it gets to about four PM, dinner is in the oven and I'm sitting in the Simla room, with the stove on, Tuppy basking in heat and doing a little crochet, watching Acorn TV or listening to a Podcast, then it sets in how good retirement is.  At four PM I still would be at the office with another three hours to go before I'd be home and this time of year all in the dark.

Mr. B. cleaned the Virginia creeper off the garage roof and cleaned out all the gutters.  I stood and held the ladder and cleared up the debris.  My goodness so much to clean up out there when the leaves fall.  I dusted the studio room now needs vacuuming but at least I'll be able to sit in there without a guilty conscience.  Made dinner, chicken, carrots sweet potatoes, with onion cooked with a little olive oil and baked in the oven.  Sprinkled with cheese at the end.  Was good.

Also made bread and butter pickles today, with some left over cucumbers I had that I didn't want to go to waste.  This is the type you can just keep in the fridge for a month.

I phoned about the health insurance for next year.  We've been on Obama since I left work and it was not too expensive, now for the coming year because the government subsidies have been cut back will now cost $550 for the same plan, so needless to say we'll have to cut down to an even lesser plan.

Now get this, because I'm 65 and can go on medicare next year, part way through the year, but Mr. B. is three years younger, and will have to stay on it, the health insurance that we are looking at for next year would actually more than double when I come off it, and yet they will be insuring one less person, now go figure that?  There is no figuring the health care system in the USA.

Yes I know we no longer will be penalized for not having healthcare, heaven forbid you should actually be ill, and not have health insurance, it's expensive enough when you do, but were we told subsidies would be cut so much?  Or did I miss that one?

Sunday we were invited out to a late lunch and watched Victoria and Abdul, a very good movie with Judy Dench playing the queen.

Christine

Iron Skillet Apple Bake

Hi Dear Folk,

Today is raining and windy, quite cold too, as I took the trash out.  Being lazy last night I just put the bags outside the back door and an animal had got into one of them, so needed to pick all that up.  We use plastic grocery bags that we get at the store and I have an IKEA bin in the kitchen, that they fit in well, saves buying bags and then it goes out to the big trash cans given out by the borough.

Of course you could not do this in the UK as you never get given any bags at all when you shop, you have to take your own or buy them.  I do understand that with the huge global plastic problem.  In fact I took a little nylon fold up bag with me and used it so much while I was in England.  I was glad I had remembered.

It was the type of day today to bake.  I had found two of our old cast iron skillets while routing around in the basement.  I think one was from Bob's dad, not sure where the other came from, but I do like iron skillets, something very pioneer and out on the range about them.  I cleaned them both up one needs some more cleaning, but the other Mr. B. oiled, added salt and cured in the oven.  It seals the cast iron and makes it very smooth for use.  Of course they should not have been put down in the basement because of the dampness, but it's hard when your kitchen is small.  Still resurrected now.

I decided on an apple bake all cooked in the skillet.  You can see my photos here on lilbitbrit007 Instagram, as I have maxed out my storage space on this computer and need to do some photo file storing.  So at this point I only have half my vacation photos on this computer, the rest are still on my camera card, plus anything I have taken photos of since then, including our anniversary trip to Longwood Gardens.

While looking for a skillet apple bake recipe, I somehow locked myself out of my iPad, which will now need serious attention as it's asking for passwords, which I have not had to use for years.  Please at this point just put a chip in my arm to scan and forget all these darn passwords.

I wanted to listen to Tea and Tattle podcast, but got shut out in the middle.

I did come across a recipe which I adapted and would make some more changes on, but this is it.

Iron Skillet Apple Bake
1 3/4 sticks of butter (I would cut this down to one stick of butter)
3/4 cup suger
4 to 5 whole Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into 1/8 pieces (I used five apples that I had)
For The Cake 
1 stick of butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tea sps vanilla
2 whole large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tea sps baking powder
1 tea sp salt
1/2 tea sp cinnamon
1/2 tea sp allspice (I added this as I like allspice, cloves might be a nice substitute too)
1 whole granny smith peeled diced in very small pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375f

• In a nine to ten inch cast iron skillet melt the 1 3/4 sticks of butter over a low heat.  Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the pan and stir.  Place apple slices curved side down in the pan.  Do not pack them tightly, but do not leave too large a gap.  Cook over low/medium heat on top of stove about 15 mins, while making the batter.
• In a bowl beat together one stick of butter and 2/3 cup sugar, until creamed, mix in vanilla, eggs and sour cream
• Add sifted flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice, mix.  Fold in diced apple.
• Remove skillet from heat, spoon batter over top in dollops and spread evenly as possible.  
• Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes

(Recipe called for cooling and then turning out on a serving plate, but I had too many diced apples and added these to the apples at the bottom of the pan and knew there was no way we were going to turn this out, so spooned out and served warm with vanilla ice-cream)
Delicious

When I make this again I will increase the batter by half as much as I have a ten inch skillet and I think it would take that.  Would decrease the melted butter in the skillet to one stick.

Christine

Happy Decisions

Hi Dear Folk,

It's been a week of gathering.  All of a sudden it loomed that my trip to the UK is not far off, and many things needed to be gathered together.  When I go on a trip I like to find a place where I can put all the items I will need to take.  I also make lists, it seems to calm my brain.

But first just a few things this week.  This was a dress that I thrifted last year and it was too big in the top, first I was going to put darts in, then thought to take the skirt off and make a skirt.  But after looking at it my first ideas was the best.  I put two darts in the front, two darts under each arm, and four darts in the back, two either side of the zip.  These were very small hand stitched darts and they pulled it in just the right amount.  I like it now.

The marble topped outside bar counter.

Drying out my lovely bouquet to make it live a little longer.  I love it outside.  I sit on the Pond Patio and there it sits, and brings me joy.

I worked on these IKEA cushions.  They were quite cheap and I use them on my outside sofa.  They needed a nice wash after having sat in the garage all those years.  One opened up in the washing machine, so had to gather all the stuffing and sew it up.  In fact they almost all needed some sewing and the buttons added to pull them in again as all the stitching had come undone.  That's when your glad you keep all your old buttons.

I don't think I mentioned this a few weeks ago a form was left in my front door, did I want to enter in for the Borough garden contest, and I thought I might as well, since I'm gardening in any case.  Last Wednesday was the judging, there are several categories and I won third place in the back garden category, not bad.  They will have a slide show presentation of all the gardens at their Garden Club Meeting in September, but I will be in Europe.

My Miss Tupp.

Using my new walnut spatula, we got at the Kutztown Folk Festival.

I am so excited about my trip to England and Norway, but also feeling over whelmed and when that happens I know I must not procrastinate, but just get stuck in and get things done.

First we had to make a few decisions about our cruise to Norway, did we want to buy any additional packages and did we want to take any side trips at the ports of call.  These can be quite expensive, we opted for one onboard package, which included remuneration and since we would tip in any case, it seemed to make sense to do this, some other perks come with the package.  A port of call side trip we decided to take is the Flam Railroad, all the other ports of call we will use local transport and do our own thing.

For the cruise I had to get travel insurance, it was one of the requirements.  I can't say I've ever bothered with this, I guess all these years I've being flying by the seat of my pants, so this was a new experience for me and not cheap.  I called around four different places and found what I hope is good, if I have to use it.  It seems to be much cheaper in the UK for travel insurance.  So glad that is done.

I went to my local library to pick up some travel books on Norway, there were not many for some reason, even the librarian acknowledged this.  He said he thought he had some older editions in the discard area and I said would I be able to keep them.  Next day he phoned me and said he had one on Norway and one on Scandinavia for me to keep.  That is great because I can just take out the pages I need.

Rob has bought me online two batteries and a charger for my camera.  The other thing I need to do is to order cash, sterling euros and kroner, then besides the packing, I'll have it together.  Got to work the handbag thing out.

I have a journal I bought in Bury St Edmunds at Paperchase several years ago, it has all sorts of pockets and artwork of London on the front, so I think I'm going to use this and maybe a separate one for my trip to Norway, decisions, decisions, but all fun.

Well must go lots to do.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Christine

Good Friends, Good Food

Hi Dear Folk,

Sunday we had friends over for an outside dinner/barbeque.  Graham who I've known since I was two and his wife Janine along with Jean visiting from England.  We had a fun time.  Mr. B. helped me get it together.

I prepared the lasagna and potato salad the day before, while listening to Dispatch to a Friend podcasts, it was a cool evening and seemed just right.  The scones and Italian Pie I made on Sunday morning.

Love this set of serving bowls I found at the thrift a while ago, Limoge.

I love this set of pottery old world cabin American scenes.  I bought the flowers at Produce Junction.  I made a special trip because I needed another garden umbrella and that was $25.00 there.  So while there I couldn't resist two hanging pots of red begonias at $3.50 each which is very cheap and this pot of pink mums, I love the shade of pink $3.99.  Plus I picked up a huge pineapple and some portobello mushrooms.

Set up for a nice cup of tea, also iced tea.

I needed a second table but until we sort the garage out it's almost impossible to get one out, so I decided to use my gateleg from out of the house.  I think it looks very Victorian afternoon tea sitting on the lawn.  In fact I know I've seen them used in old Victorian photos, they never had special garden furniture, except maybe for the wicker or bamboo.  I like a gateleg table and they close down so neatly, I might look out for another one to use in the garden.

These trousers/pants are part of a set I bought at the thrift, the jacket top has gold on it, but when I bought it I thought I'd be able to dress them down with a different top.  I found this top at Clothes Mentor and I liked the flower design.

Here I am showing Mr. B. my new thrifted shoes.

I made lasagna, potato salad and the Italian cold cut vege pie along with a regular salad.  Mr. B. cooked chicken on the grill.  Plain and raisin scones for desert along with strawberries, blackberries and cream.  Of course I did not take any photos of the first course set out, one forgets.  Also Janine brought lemon bars.

We were just finishing up and putting things away, when an early evening thunderstorm came through.  A nice watering for the garden.

Christine

Cooking and Cleaning

Hi Dear Folk,

I am wondering how I ever worked in a secular sense, because it has been all go.  Mr. B. and I got together to clean these kitchen windows, the whole works. screens, jams, stained glass, deep sill, etc. I can't believe it took us a couple of hours, unless we're just getting slow, which could be the case, but they did look nice when done.

I did a little rearranging of things up there, took my soup crocks off and added some pottery.  The jug and dishes I bought in Quendon, Essex.  They remind me of pottery I saw at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and that was all made within a fifty mile radius of where I live now.  Love the English oak leaves on the jug.  The jug on the far right was made on Cape Cod, MA, and of course the pottery to the far left is from Poland, I love the lady cheese dish.  It's hard to find a lovely great wedge of cheese to fill the old fashioned cheese dishes.

In the center my Made in England set of scales, I need a few more weights.  Will have to go on a little search for brass weights.  My mind still thinks in pounds and ounces as we do over here in the States, but I know Europe has moved onto grams.

Mr. B. came home with beets and all the leaves left on, they looked so green and fresh that I decided to cook them up with sausage, in olive oil.  I should have cut the stalks a little smaller.

Served with a wild rice medley and my homemade Branston Pickle.  I love Branston Pickle and you have to be an Anglophile to appreciate it, just a certain taste hard to duplicate, but I thought I'd have a go.

I made this pickle in 2013.  I went to a produce place where everything was in larger amounts, so landed up with a ton of ingredients.  Here is my 2013 post of making the Branston Pickle and the recipe.  Preserves really do keep a long while, and here I am in 2018 still eating Branston Pickle.  When I first made it, it wasn't as dark as the store bought Branston Pickle, but now with age it is, and I can say almost a dead ringer.  Success five years down the road.

Christine

My Week In Pics

Hi Dear Folk,

It's Sunday morning and everyone seems pretty worn out from a long week.  Tierney is down for the weekend and they've been busy.  They went over to the King of Prussia Mall, which is actually the largest retail mall in the States.  If I get over there once a year I would say that's the most I ever visit, not my thing and way too expensive, but interesting to wander around if you've never been, and occasionally I have got a bargain.

The other Saturday my friend and I went over to Produce Junction and I picked a few plants up besides veg and fruit.  This Bromeliad, which I actually love in the brass pot on my Indian table.  Pot might need a little cleaning, will add that to my list.

Rearranged a few things when I was cleaning out a corner of my Simla room.

A little posy of flowers from my garden, I love this old vase split in two.

It's Saturday afternoon and I'm sitting in the Simla room crocheting when my friend Janice phones, she says "Weren't you meant to be at Joni's this afternoon?"  I said "Was I?"  she said "Yes, the get together!"  I had totally forgotten.  Fortunately my friend Joni has moved into an apartment just half a block up.  In fact we've been helping her pack up and move for the last couple of months.  So I got ready and walked over.  So glad I didn't miss out on that.  Honest to goodness, don't know where my mind is.

It was very nice to be with old friends, who I have known since I first came to live in the States in 1976, we have a lot of shared history, travels and fun with each other.  Lots of laughs.  Some friends live right in the area others in Delaware and up in the Amish Country.

My friend Joni keeps everything and still had the original receipt, typed, from the travel agency for our trip to California, including four air tickets, one week's hotel room in San Francisco and rental car for two weeks, total $1,500.00, $350.00 per person. Our three week trip to CA back in August 1977, in fact the year Elvis died, we were in our hotel room when it was announced on the news.  One week in San Francisco, out to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, back to the coast and Big Sur, down to San Simeon and LA to visit friends, out to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, back to LA and home.   A potted outline of our travels.

Also she had a map of the UK with our 1978 trip all marked out where we travelled, and where we stayed. My mum had got us an old Hillman Imp to use, Joni my sister BB and I travelled up to Yorkshire, across to the Lake District, down to North Wales, back out to Bristol and down to Devon, where we met my parents at Clovelly, a prearranged meeting place.  Remember no cell phones.

Our old car had a few problems, which we had to have seen to on the way.  Sunday evening about one hour from Clovelly while I was driving, the engine blows going up a hill, I just had enough momentum to swing it into a Pub parking lot which was right there.  We asked if we could leave the car there and they said yes.

What are we going to do?  We started to hitch a lift, the one and only time I've done that, or in fact any of us.  A nice guy from the RAF base picks us up and drives us all the way to meet my parents in Clovelly, where we continued on with our holiday for another week.  Mum had got the AAA relay coverage on the car and they picked it up and took it all the way home.  Amazing when your young how you take everything in your stride.  Of course you've got mum and dad who help, lovely memories and to recall the details of our trip together, while pouring over the map.

This weekend has been sunny, but most of the week was cold and dull, but at least my cooking was bright.  Sweet potato and beets.

Shepherds pie, with a few left overs thrown in, oyster mushrooms which are very dense, I tried them for the first time this week, in a salad and the left overs went in here, along with a sweet potato topping odd veg on top and cheddar and asiago cheese.  Tasty.

Christy

Tierney

Hi Dear Folk,

Just a few photos that The Boy took.  On his last visit up to Massachusetts and Tierney's last visit down here.  We are getting a Nor Easter tomorrow and I hear there may be snow, or it could just be rain.

In Tierney's yard.

At the Farm Park.

Tierney playing chess with her older brother.

Tierney and I making the Israeli Meat Pie, lining the tin baking tray.

Tierney and I cooking in the kitchen together.

Christine

Zahav, Cooking Israeli

Hi Dear Folk,

From my Zahav cookbook, what we made last week.  Tierney and I had a cooking afternoon together, it was fun.

This is the rugelach we made, such a rich pastry, sour cream, unsalted butter and cream cheese.  We did not cook all at the same time and halved the ingredients and put them in the fridge, they refrigerate well. Could be made ahead of time and then put together and cooked.

Our meat pie came out looking the same and it's a tasty pie.  Cuts beautifully into pieces.

This Tabbouleh salad with parsley and peas is most refreshing.

Christine

Did it Snow On You Over The Weekend?

Hi Dear Folk,

I popped into a few blogs over the weekend and everyone was posting snow shots.  Yes it snowed here too on Saturday, starting at about 9:00 am and continuing for the rest of the day.  I was out in the morning by 8:00 AM all dressed for the weather, with my old down coat, very warm and including boots which had their first airing of the winter.  Home by 11:00 AM and lit the fire.  Made a pot of taco soup for Sunday, Mr. B. had made chocolate chip cookies and snuggled down to crochet.

Sunday morning we had a family breakfast as we were all in, home fries, scrambled egg and bacon, with orange juice and coffee.  A lovely quiet day well except for the boys.

The boys were up in their stereo lair, vacuuming away as new sound equipment was being installed and wires relaid and any number of goings on.  Furniture pulled out etc and I thought go for it, all that cleaning is great.  Followed by all the sound testing, not so great.  I'm sure I'm developing larger cracks in my sitting room ceiling.

I am assured that the fridge size sub woofer is soon to go after at least four years, of being not able to get into one of my closets and it's not as if we have hardly any.  It will be an adventure just pulling out what is in there, I hardly remember.  Couple of furs, old bags etc.

A pot of tea and raisin scones, a little candlelight, a cozy fire and hygge is achieved.

Christine

Classic Cartoon British Recipes

Hi Dear Folk,

I ran across these on the Persephone Blog and thought they were rather fun, all very classic Brit recipes.

Bread and butter pudding was always a staple fall back in the cupboard to come at.

And what High Tea did my mum not serve an English Trifle, never, it was always on the menu.

We always called this Plum Pudding.

Can't say cheesecake was part of my childhood.  My first memory of cheesecake, from which I still have the receipt, coffee and cheesecake eaten with my friend Jutta at a hotel on the banks of the Rhine.

Miss my mum's cooking.

Christy