I hadn't realised

 ....just how much I missed my fridges and am grateful to have a replacement. I am a person that uses their kitchen equipment and it all regularly gets aired. 

Now to get back into the swing of what I actually do with the fridges.  Means am going to get my ground coffee back, and my home made yogurt.

I can now have a go at the cheesemaking and charcuterie that has been on my to do list for ever. I also intend to try my hand properly with bread making.  Particularly Sourdough. Now have to source a Stanley knife for cutting the dough to decorate. Think it will be better with a Stanley knife because of the retractable blade rather than an old fashioned razor blade and my past history of managing to get cut no matter how careful I am.  

I have also ground up some coffee beans to make a French press/Cafetiere full of proper coffee.  The remaining beans have been popped into a Kilner jar.  I have bought some of those mini marshmallows and a can of whipped cream so can fancy up a hot drink or two when I fancy one now whether that be coffee chocolate or something else.

I also keep things like butter, margarine and lard to hand in the fridge so that a bit of baking can be done every so often, often impromptu but as have had no real cool way of keeping these have not bought any for absolutely ages.

One of the problems I have with pastry making is that the pastry makes up too short and then falls to pieces when i am trying to roll this out. My mum always reckoned that her mum used to do the same.  Always tastes good enough if it manages to stay together, so I am hoping that using chilled ingredients and then chilled water will make all the difference with my pastry making experience.  The only time my hands go hot is when I am making pastry.  They are cold nearly all the time otherwise.

I am really pleased with the new fridge; it is solid and really good quality fixings.  There is a big shelf big enough for the Turkey when it arrives on 22nd December; I have a large Turkey platter that will fit in there nicely.  Underneath are two drawers, one with a ventilation vent and the cheese we have ordered will go in here wrapped in greaseproof paper.  No plastic at all.  There is then another fruit/veg drawer after that with plenty of shelving above and also a wine/drinks bottle rack. It also arrives very well packed.  I am particularly pleased that it has an alarm on the door in case the door is not closed properly and the door itself seems to be one of these that locks so it does not come open.  My previous fridges had neither of these facilities.  There are also controls for setting the fridge for going on holiday as well.

It is going to be ideal for my preserving; ideally I really could do with another one the same, as I make lots of different types of preserves some of which have to be kept in the fridge at all times.  I have in the past had one fridge predominantly for storage of such preserves and of things like butter, lard margarine etc. more of your staple items and one for fresh food and things have made from scratch.  As I say will have to see how we get on, but so far it is very much doing as it should be and I am very pleased with it.

OH has been to the tip with the aid of my s daughter today so a lot of the rubbish has gone which is another good job out of the way with.  There is still more rubbish to go which is in the garden that will go shortly.

Right am off back into the kitchen as I have been pottering doing some sorting in there this afternoon.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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