ASBO fridge freezer
Danny has secretly slapped an Anti Social Behaviour Order on our fridge freezer. Last weekend we had a bit of a fright with the vociferous beast. It was suddenly struck quite dumb. “I think that the fridge is very sick, Danny. The light goes on when I open the door but the motor does not hum.” This fridge has been an adolescent for as far back as we can remember. Moody and prone to dramatic outbursts of weeping into the space that used to hold the crisper drawers. Over the past couple of years it has been insisting that it’s a freezer...
read moreCharity shop bargains
Although my mum gave me a superb giant Le Creuset casserole a few months ago we have no medium sized casseroles for the oven. So when I spotted this wonderful old stoneware crock pot gleaming out from the Cancer Research shop window this morning, I was drawn across the road. The diminutive price tag had me standing beside the till within seconds with the coins in my hand. “Now what have we got here.” The lady counted out the change and glanced quickly up at me. “Is it only £3.50?” “Well yes.” She gave me a long look, perhaps...
read moreStick blender
Back in the eighties I was given a blender. A large device that stood on a stand with an orange plastic cap over the hole in its lid. And, to keep it company, a nifty compact electric whisk with two metal prongs for whisking stuff. “These are essential in any kitchen.” I was assured. Both rarely left the darkness of the cupboard to perform as I didn’t really cook. But I liked having them just in case I caught the cooking bug. Many years later Danny reconstituted some semi solidified paint using the electric whisk with a slow...
read moreBeware of China in your dishwasher
I have a soft spot for Graham. He fixes our cooker, washing machine and dishwasher. I trust him. He has tinkered and fixed our stuff for years. He trained as a TV repair man. Electronics were his world until everything changed. TVs got cheaper and were just jettisoned when they died. So he switched to domestic appliances. He is the best guy to know when the honeymoon warranty period is over and things start to go wrong. Today I found out that he is also the key man when things go wrong within the warranty period. Our dishwasher must be at...
read moreGuest spot: Sauce Maker by Rodney Tibbs
I recently met Rodney at a dinner party. Like us he is a foodie. He has been a journalist for over 50 years and is still a motoring correspondent. We have just discovered that we live in the same village. Sauce Maker There are some things in the kitchen that are so useful you worry that they might break and leave you floundering. In my case that thing is so rare that I wonder how other people manage without it. I am talking about the Tefal sauce maker or “Le Saucier”. I was reminded of this when I read of your efforts with Bechamel...
read moreSlow, gentle cooking with a slow cooker
“Oh I mustn’t forget to go into the garage!” Angela turned the internal key and disappeared into the darkness. “Fiona, do you happen to know where the light switch is?” I could find it blind. The first few days when I was working in their empty house the fuses tripped regularly and I was in darkness. Fine if I was near the garage, not so fun if I was upstairs. Within seconds she was carrying a large cardboard box into the hall. “It’s a slow cooker. If it works, I’ll take it to France.” Back...
read morePreserves and liqueurs: where can I buy jars and bottles?
When we started making preserves we came up against a brick wall within days. No jars. I rang my mother. “We’ve just made some wonderfully bramble jelly!” “How lovely, Darling.” “We thought that you might like some.” “Of course I would. Do you need some jars?” She knows her daughter well. Now we save all jars. Even the jars that seemingly have no future. It’s best to wash them all immediately so that when you are in the mood for running up something delicious they just need a rinse, a...
read moreMagimix and colchicums – very special birthday presents
My mother remarried when I was eight. I encouraged the union. My prospective stepfather had a car, a Riley 127, and liked Cadbury’s créme eggs. Just before our first Christmas together the vacuum cleaner blew up. Back then, this was a luxury item. “Don’t worry,” said Arthur as he tucked in his napkin, “I’ll buy you a nice new one for Christmas.” The chirpy remark was met with a sharp retort, so swift it was hard to believe it hadn’t been rehearsed. “A hoover is a household expense....
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