Which items from the past do you still use?

[indiapaleale]

Shortly before she died, my mum passed on to me a handwritten book called "Golden Hints On All Home Matters" written by my grandmother.  The date on the title page is 26 February 1895 a few months before she was 18. 

It has hints on everything from "How to Remove Warts", through "How to Brighten and Revive Leather Seats" to "Cockroaches Beware" interspersed with lots of recipes, most of which I use today, as they were passed down to me.  I don't use the book as it is in a very fragile state.  It is a hard-backed exercise book, but all the pages are loose and most of them wearing away around the edges.  I have no idea how to preserve it.

Lizzie

Oh Lizzie........how wonderful to have that treasure.....you are so lucky.

I have my grandma's green glass rolling pin. When Ma gave it to me it had a shoe lace tied around one end and this is how grandma hung it on a nail on the pantry door. Ma told me to be sure and keep the shoelace. Boo Hoo......the shoe lace disintergrated about 10 years ago.......Sorry Ma! The rolling pin is now at least 110 years old. 
Indi

[millymcb]

I wonder if the recipes in old cook books would work with today's food... I have a feeling that the ingredients we have these days are not as good as the old days (like lots of things) - or are more health conscious. And ingredients like flour seem different - I know when I make pancakes I have to put a lot more flour in to go with my half pint of milk than I ever used to...


What do you all think of my theory?

Milly

[Springbok]

Hi Milly,
I have had much better results with buying flour (on line) from a flour mill in
the Cotswolds.

http://www.fwpmatthews.co.uk/

Depends how much you which to buy at a time, but they do smaller quantities.and I think you can mix and match (not sure ) as I only get bread flour.

So pleased that Mutton is now being sold. At our local farmers market, I used to buy one ladys fabulous beef burgers. She farmed all beef and lamb products. This month I went to stock up, only to find that they had got out of Beef. and now produce only lamb. The latest Foot and Mouth was the last straw, as their farm is only just outside the last exclusion area, as we are .

Spring

[LizzieW]

MillyB - Some of the recipes in my gran's book feed very large families.          However, I have adjusted them to suit me.  I do use farm eggs and fresh farm milk so maybe that helps.

Others are for rabbit, which I have a thing about, although I did eat it once in France.  The only reason I'm squeamish about it is that when I was a young teenager, I saw rabbits that had died from myxamatosis and that put me off eating them.

Spring - We had some mutton the other week.  Jody Schrechter (the ex racing driver) has an organic farm a few miles from us and we bought it from him.  It was delicious. 

Lizzie

[Rabbit B]

I wonder if the recipes in old cook books would work with today's food... I have a feeling that the ingredients we have these days are not as good as the old days (like lots of things) - or are more health conscious. And ingredients like flour seem different - I know when I make pancakes I have to put a lot more flour in to go with my half pint of milk than I ever used to...


What do you all think of my theory?

Milly

Hi Milly,

I use my GGMother's recipes with modern ingredients.  They all work a treat!  Organic flour and eggs are the way to go!  I use it always!  Makes brilliant bread too!

I am a huge fan of Farmers markets too Springbok, and go to ours every month for my stock of meat!  Lovely organic minced beef, makes wonderful beefburgers.  I just fancied one the other night an knocked them up in no time.  Lovely bun Slice of cheese and all the other trimmings.  Worked a treat!

I love Rabbit, but have eaten so many in the course of my life that I cannot face another!  They were our staple diet during the war and when the children were growing up!  Never made pets of the meat rabbits though.  Or the pigs!   I would not be able to eat anything I was friends with!

Rabbit B   

[jc26red]

This one is
The Complete Illustrated Cookery

over two thousand recipes and hints on-
housework, kitchen equipment, marketing, vegetable cookery, invalid cookery, pickles and preserves, beverages, carving,  table service

Edited by 'Chef'
Associated Newspapers Ltd
1934

Quite fun to read.

My mum has the same recipe book and I also love it, very easy to follow and the recipes are the classics and not mucked about by the so called "celeb" chefs!
My SIL borrowed it years ago and then "forgot" to return it  eventually it turned up when brother and SIL went their separate ways  4 years ago and it was returned to mum   

Jenny

The thing I miss most is the smell of my nan's kitchen there was always a lovely smell of homemade baking.  Perhaps I should do more baking o give my granddaughter the same lovely warm memory

[Rabbit B]

This one is
The Complete Illustrated Cookery

over two thousand recipes and hints on-
housework, kitchen equipment, marketing, vegetable cookery, invalid cookery, pickles and preserves, beverages, carving,  table service

Edited by 'Chef'
Associated Newspapers Ltd
1934

Quite fun to read.

My mum has the same recipe book and I also love it, very easy to follow and the recipes are the classics and not mucked about by the so called "celeb" chefs!
My SIL borrowed it years ago and then "forgot" to return it  eventually it turned up when brother and SIL went their separate ways  4 years ago and it was returned to mum   

Jenny

The thing I miss most is the smell of my nan's kitchen there was always a lovely smell of homemade baking.  Perhaps I should do more baking o give my granddaughter the same lovely warm memory

Hi Jenny,

Get a breadmaker, I have a P***s*c, lovely smells brilliant bread and there is always home baking going on!  It is cheaper too

Rabbit B 

[LoneyBones]

Just reading thru' these again and noticed Lydart mentioned a brooch. I have a brooch that belonged to my G-grandmother, it has 'Edith' engraved on it and was given to my mother who was also Edith. Tomorrow I'm going to wear it so I can then say I still use it. I do still wear my mum's wedding ring tho', that's from 1936 and I also wear a gold locket that my dad gave to her when I was born. (that was 1945)
Leonie.

[jc26red]

Can I just move round your house Rabbit? you don't live very far away 

Jenny