Trying to Save the Pennies by having a go

One of the things I have always done is if I cannot afford to do something is to go without.  It is the way that I have been raised.  So if you cannot pay for it you don't have it.

This has as a result led to me experimenting in different areas and having a go at making things myself, as often it is cheaper and better quality and you get more for your money.  However, I am also of the view that no matter who  you are everyone deserves to have nice food and some nice treats throughout the year and if that means me having to work for it then so be it.  If I can fill my Pantry, my Freezers, Fridges, Charcuterie Cabinet (yet to happen), my tinned and canned goods store and my wine cabinets etc. etc.  Then I am going to do this.

Over the years, I have made yogurt - which I still do to this day.  I have also made my own pates, pork pies, bacon and the Savoury Ducks. I have yet to have a go at Salami and home made sausages.  I have been talking of doing this for some time but due to circumstances have not been able to take advantage.  I am hoping that this is going to happen soon. 

I have made bread, although I am going to re-visit this once the kitchen and my work space is sorted out a bit more. I really want to get to grips with this and am determined to haul myself back into a position where this is possible. I think it is very important although like most things everything in moderation.  

You can make a quick meal from some old veggie peelings that have been turned into a home made stock, stale bread if you do not have fresh in the form of croutons which have been dehydrated either in an oven or a dehydrator. (Waste not Want not) i.e. a vegetable soup which will be quick, warming and healthy. So the ability to either grow your own veggies, and produce good sustaining food together with a decent loaf is a basic in my book.  I am not an expert, but I have a go.  Despite my experience in dabbling and that I can produce a decent loaf for the best part, I am still not happy with the results. It needs further work from me.  I also want to get to grips with Sourdough bread in particular.

I have also made Gravlax which is superb home made and much more flavour than cured bought Salmon for the pennies.  "My dabbling" attempts are items which are considered expenses which are taken into account in the monthly budget.

For 40 years on and off I  have dabbled with various forms of preserving and cooking and it has served its purpose.  I am not an expert, however I do enjoy cooking and would describe myself as a good basic cook.  The dabbling has in turn wetted my appetite to do more and as I am at home for the foreseeable future unless I am made an offer I cannot refuse I intend to do far more than I have been doing to date.  One has to keep herself occupied.  There is no reason to be bored.

My next Project, which is a follow on to the citric vinegars I make for cleaning is to have a go at making my own apple cider vinegar commonly known as ACV.  I have never done this before and I believe that cider apple vinegar has its place in the home.

This is the tutorial I am going to follow which is in two parts:

English Country Life ACV Tutorial Part 1

English Country Life ACV Tutorial Part 2

I recommend this blog which is on You Tube and the presenters Hugh and Fiona demystify a lot of the techy bits that are often confusing.  They also cover a diverse range of items to have a go at making yourself.  I personally find their tutorials extremely helpful and they deal with the issues as well as resolving them.

When I was growing up my dad used to dose himself every morning with a drink made from cider apple vinegar and honey i.e. teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon of honey in a tumbler topped up with warm water and then drunk before you have anything to eat in a morning.  He used to swear by it and it worked for him.

Vinegar has been used as the basis for a lot of things over the years, but I think as generations have come and passed a lot of vital knowledge has been lost in the way that we used such staples in our lives and in our homes.  That has happened with preservation of any kind in any event.

I have read on farm-steading blogs  Justin Rhodes where a dose of ACV is given in animal's drinking waters and I have also read of a cow being treated for mastitis with ACV naturally and it being cleared up in a couple of days.  Chickens in particular it helps with in their drinking water.  So I think there is something to be had and of benefit to us all generally by using ACV.

Please see the link here ACV Disinfectant.  

Apparently ACV if mixed with a small amount of bleach and hot water makes a very effective sanitiser and cleaner.  Perhaps we should all be getting back to using natural cleaners that leave no harm to our environment.

New things for me to do and the way I am thinking is that I want to go the more natural way of dealing with things.  I do have criteria though in that anything I use needs to be included as a way of life rather than as a fad and it needs to be of little impact on the environment and not saving up issues to bite our proverbial backsides at a later date i.e. the over-use of antibiotics has resulted in some bacteria becoming immune to the cure.  Not a good situation.

The ACV is therefore my next project.  I can source reduced apples from my veg shop.  I shall however still continue to make the citrus vinegars as I find them very effective and very pleasant smelling.

Yesterday by chance I found some spray cleaning bottles that you can fill yourself with your own home made cleaning preparations (just remember to label the bottles up with contents) in Lakeland.  They are £2.99 each but are the larger sized bottles so I shall be nabbing a couple of those in due course.

Catch you later.

Pattypan

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