Radiorails
master brummie
There is an ancient brass fork hanging from the mantelpiece here. The fireplace is what is known as a Devon style. i.e. built of brick rather than tiled.
I suspect there are many places in the UK without mains gas Maurice. Kingswear in Devon is one place.Alan,
Like many members, we had the old style black lead iron fireplace until the late 1950s when we had it replaced by the, then in fashion, filed job, but still retaining the open fire. By 1961, I'd moved south to Dorset and in 1966, my widowed mother re-married & with her new husband she moved to Dorset the following year. Here in Crete we have the usual iron wood-burning stove, which has never been lit because we have central heating! Toast is usually done under the electric grill because there is no piped gas on Crete. Not the same though as instead of a crispy outside face and a soft inside, the whole slice becomes crispy as it is a much slower process.
Maurice
i have bottled propane and a calor cooker. oil heating. and a blowlamp for my toast.I suspect there are many places in the UK without mains gas Maurice. Kingswear in Devon is one place.
Yes, Alan, an open fire gives the toast a special sort of flavour. I remember my father making a toasting fork from the binding wire (before the advent of today's plastic strapping) that he put around the packing cases for pen nibs & accessories that was his job to make. We had that toasting fork until we left Brum in the early 1960s, and it did an excellent job. It was about six inches longer than the bought ones, so however fierce the fire, you never got your hands burned.
Maurice
Roasting spuds on the open fire, in the ashes, with best Danish butter!!!! on a cold, dark dank, winter night, No bloody central heating those days. Close the doors and put your woollies on BURRRRR!!! Of course, turn up the wireless and listen to the Armed Forces network and all the big bands from the USA!!! Did we have fun then, YOU BET Happy timesOOOh yes I can still remember the smell and taste of toast done on the toasting fork in front of our open fire.
Wendy
In Parker, Colorado USA that I have in now for 40 years lived there, we have several English shops that do sell Pork pies Sausages Wheatabix etc, a bit pricey but well worth it once in a whileAlan alas I live in America and have for 40 years so there are no frozen packs of bubble and squeak here, in fact when I want a little fun I will ask some one if they enjoy spotted d##k, the one thing I miss more than most is a pork pie and me mum's chips.
We have one here (Sarasota FL) its called Scotts corner same problem a little pricey, but the pork pies are not nice alas, there is a English guy in New York who makes great pies and ships.In Parker, Colorado USA that I have in now for 40 years lived there, we have several English shops that do sell Pork pies Sausages Wheatabix etc, a bit pricey but well worth it once in a while
I agree nothing can beat the pure taste that you get in England. Fish and chips nowhere near the same. But anything is better than American fast food!!!We have one here (Sarasota FL) its called Scotts corner same problem a little pricey, but the pork pies are not nice alas, there is a English guy in New York who makes great pies and ships.
My mom was a pastry cook at IMI and she made steamed spotted thingamejig and it was delicious. She also made it with sultanas but not sure what that one was called. I loved it with treacle the best. I hate sweet things these days though. I still cook bubble and squeak the traditional way.In Parker, Colorado USA that I have in now for 40 years lived there, we have several English shops that do sell Pork pies Sausages Wheatabix etc, a bit pricey but well worth it once in a while
Well it was about 20s ago that I last went down to Affpuddle and watched them harvesting watercress, Pete, great stuff though.
Maurice
Yes you can get pork pies here in Australia but they are not the same as a good british pork pie. In fact when mum and dad came to visit years ago dad tried one, he was not happy he fed it to the seagullsWe have one here (Sarasota FL) its called Scotts corner same problem a little pricey, but the pork pies are not nice alas, there is a English guy in New York who makes great pies and ships.
as mentioned, before, being poor Brummies, dripping and brown sauce sarnies, fried bread with eggs and beans, fried bread sarnies. Paul
My Granddad in Smethwick, grew watercress in a wooden box on the window sell, also grew horseradish in the garden. Had an allotment also that he grew all the veggies in no canned stuff those days. Spent hours shelling the bloody peas!!I fondly remember mum serving watercress in a salad when we were kids and I loved the peppery taste, have trouble finding it in the shops here and if I do it costs an arm and a leg so I have tried a few times growing it without much success but at the moment I have a pot of it growing quite well , cant wait to have enough to eat
My Granddad in Smethwick, grew watercress in a wooden box on the window sell, also grew horseradish in the garden. Had an allotment also that he grew all the veggies in no canned stuff those days. Spent hours shelling the bloody peas!!
Wendylee,
Yes, watercress is one thing I can't get here in Crete - only three small rivers in the whole darn island! I have seen the umpteen videos on YouTube about growing the stuff and am tempted to have a go. I hope it turns out well for you as watercress is a great source of iron, and it would get me off these iron supplements!
Watercress with fresh bread and butter, or else as watercress soup - you can't beat either.
Love fresh parsnips too, but we only see them here during the two weeks before Christmas. Tried growing them, but no luck - they just end up dumpy little things.
Maurice
Thanks for the info I used to go help weed them out. After the war, I think they started?They still have allotment in Birmingham, there is a waiting list for them
Bob, why not try making your own pork pies? Using Paul Hollywood's recipe I have successfully made lots, including putting the all important jelly in. As good as shop bought pies and more satisfying knowing they're home made.We have one here (Sarasota FL) its called Scotts corner same problem a little pricey, but the pork pies are not nice alas, there is a English guy in New York who makes great pies and ships.