My Great-Grandma, Bessie Pearl Davies
It is hot here in New York. I think unseasonably (if you misread that unreasonably, then yes, that too!) - there wasn't much of a Spring, just a jump into 30+ degree days. I don't mind it except for the fact that I am not getting much done - I got out the paints to work on a project I want to finish up last night, but I could not get myself in the zone. I was just too sweaty! So, I thought I would cook today - even if it is hot, I am not going to ruin anything by cooking in the heat, right?
How did the DO IT back in the day? I mean, seriously, they had to stoke FIRES if they wanted to cook anything. In the outback in BP's case. I remember Grandma sweating over the oven in summer, putting those little food covers over everything to stop the blowflies from enjoying our dinner.... - imagine having a wood-burning stove? Sheesh! Apparently Bessie Pearl was very pedantic with her oven - she used to POLISH it. Yes, this is remembered by living family! I do clean our stove top, - we were lucky enough to be the recipients of a new oven when we moved into our apartment, so it is nice to keep it looking clean and white - but polish it? Clean the inside? Puh, no way! I love getting back to the old ways of doing things, learning about the old recipes and cleaning products and using natural ingredients in a lot of things. I don't have a microwave, nor a dishwasher, or even a vacuum cleaner, no mixer & no food processor - but I am SO glad I have a fridge and a gas oven. And I ain't gonna polish it.
How did the DO IT back in the day? I mean, seriously, they had to stoke FIRES if they wanted to cook anything. In the outback in BP's case. I remember Grandma sweating over the oven in summer, putting those little food covers over everything to stop the blowflies from enjoying our dinner.... - imagine having a wood-burning stove? Sheesh! Apparently Bessie Pearl was very pedantic with her oven - she used to POLISH it. Yes, this is remembered by living family! I do clean our stove top, - we were lucky enough to be the recipients of a new oven when we moved into our apartment, so it is nice to keep it looking clean and white - but polish it? Clean the inside? Puh, no way! I love getting back to the old ways of doing things, learning about the old recipes and cleaning products and using natural ingredients in a lot of things. I don't have a microwave, nor a dishwasher, or even a vacuum cleaner, no mixer & no food processor - but I am SO glad I have a fridge and a gas oven. And I ain't gonna polish it.
I still haven't made that coffee cake for my sister's birthday. If I don't hurry up I will be making it for mine! It is going to be cooler this week, so hopefully I'll get to it!
Delicious Pudding for Summer
2 Tbs Maizena (corn starch - this was / is the brand!)
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Rind and Juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons
~ mix juice of lemon with maizena & cold water (I didn't do this correctly, as I wasn't paying attention! So, just use a little cold water, so that you can dissolve the corn starch - like you would do with flour so it doesn't get lumpy! As soon as I put a drop of corn starch in the boiling water, I realised my mistake! I also put the lemon juice in to boil.... definitely was NOT paying attention!)
~ boil water, sugar & grated rind of lemon
~when boiled add maizena and stir, put beaten whites of 2 eggs and set to cool (let cool until room temperature and then chill for at least 2 hours)
~use yolks for custard boiled or baked (I am not trying custard today.... I don't think!)
Woah! Super Sweet! Perhaps a little too sweet for me, I am going to add less sugar next time so I can get the full zing! of the lemon!
Woah! Super Sweet! Perhaps a little too sweet for me, I am going to add less sugar next time so I can get the full zing! of the lemon!
O.M.G. I remember them!! I haven't thought of summer puddings since I was a little girl. I used to love it when Grandma & Mum made them. B.P.D used to make them in dainty little etched burgandy port glasses. Think I might have a couple still floating around in the back of a cupboard somewhere.
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