Eggs are good for you - again

[TPeers]

It's interesting Sue,

Historically, the reason women didn't have paid jobs once married was that the work of running a house and family was supposed to take too much time and effort to allow them to work outside the home.

Modern 'labour saving' devices are ment () to free enough time for the householder to be able to do other things such as work.

To an extent this is true, but a book, or series of books, which take us firmly back to make-do-and-mend, seasonal cookery based on only local produce which can by its very nature be quite limited in availability seems to me, while admirable, to be short sighted.

I agree that whipping up a sponge cake is just as quick by hand as it is by machine but making a raised crust pie is a long winded process - and while locally grown crops are good for any number of reasons, who wants to live for three months on cabbages and leeks because that's all one could grow! The supermarket and grocer still have a place and a function!

Please understand, I'm amused at the concept in this modern time, not trying to knock the idea on the head.

Terry

[Two_Sheds]

Grow a bit of your own, make what you can from scratch ... every little helps, as they say

[scared55]

... every little helps, as they say

That's what Tesco says, anyway.

KK

[Winged one]

I have always preferred to make as much as I can from scratch - fresh veg and a tin of tomatoes with dried herbs makes a much nicer bolognaise (in my opinion anyway) than any I've found in a jar. I don't have a large freezer (will hopefully remedy that soon), but I try to always make a double batch of a freezable dinner on Sundays - 1 for Monday and 1 for the freezer. Things like spag bol, chilli, lasagne, shepherd's pie, fish pie (smoked fish, brocolli, white sauce under mash topping), lamb rogan josh. Or if I do macaroni cheese (where i add everything but the kitchen sink in terms of veggies and some grilled bacon as well), I'll often do double that as well cos it freezes and can be rebaked.

But there are times when that is not possible. I found I was not as good once the toddler arrived and even less good this year (was growing rather than cooking my own!). So jars are a convenience in the cupboard. But I always try to add in plenty of fresh veg, as local as possible but at least veg. As well as whatever meat/fish we are having that night (I almost never get away with no meat - hence the bacon in macaroni cheese for OH!).

It's also a question of time management. On Sunday afternoons, I tend to be making a sunday roast in the kitchen anyway. So an extra pot on the go is no hassle. During the week, I try to prep stuff the night before (once the toddler is in bed) and that way it's easier to cook from scratch when we get in, or have things in the freezer that only need reheating. Luckily my oven is prgrammable, so I put together a casserole in the evening (raw meat, veggies and sauce) to keep in the fridge overnight, put in the oven the following morning and it is ready when we get in at dinnertime.

I also firmly believe that one of the reasons we are eating more is that everything is so tasteless. I don't buy low fat cheese even though I am on a diet - it tastes eugh in my opinon. So I buy the proper mature cheeses full of flavour and hence I only need a little taste to satisfy me. I'm the same with chocolate - buy the higher cocoa content and better quality chocolate and you'll only want a little of it (rather than buying a bag of newsagent choccie bars, I tend to buy a BIG bag of Leo****s orangettes - myself and OH nibble these in the evening and the bag lasts a couple of weeks). "Real" food, that isn't full of flavourings and preservatives, tends to actually taste of something, and something different (not all the same), so leaves you feeling more satisfied afterwards.

Sorry, I didn't think this would be as long, but I sometimes get a bit wound up about this issue.

[Sue]

Terry
Yes, there really is a publishing blitz at the moment on going back to nature, eating locally/green/organic/cooking seasonally/make-do-and-mend/gardening and allotments.
A few of them reissues of pamphlets published during WWII...
And I find it all very cheering, it is a personal response to global warming in a way, helpless to do anything mega to sort it out, we can respond in a personal way.
So I find growing and cooking my own fits in with that and also my personal dislike of supermarkets and the food industry peddling trash food. There's food miles too, recycling and packaging as concerns too.
As to winter food, well, here we go, winter coming up and I'm going to give living on local produce a go. And my freezers are stuffed full so it won't be only cabbages and leeks to eat. And yes, when my crops have failed, ie tomatoes then yes I will buy them in, but will try not to when our local supply has finished.
Sue

[scared55]

... and, apart from anything else, I believe that our bodies and diets have evolved to the seasonal nature of our climate.

In the 50s, 60s and 70s we used to look forward to summer, when warming bulk wasn't as necessary in our foods, and we ate lighter salads and summer fruits. Now foods that our bodies expect in high summer are available all year round. Not only do we have nothing to look forward to, but we are also eating foods that are inappropriate to the time of year, foods that have been transported thousands of miles, often in an unripe state then artificially ripened without the benefits of direct sun!

That is just one of the reasons we aim to be as close to self-sufficiency in fruit and vegetables as we possibly can.

[TPeers]

It's one heck of a can of worms!

I'm actually fairly amused about everyone responses, I think it is really good that there are people prepared to stand up and say "I will try and make a difference". It is very refreshing to hear people who *don't* say 'they' should do something and expect a magic wand.

I probably sound mental - must be that 'turning 40' thing! Ignore me - I'll amble off and fine a glass of plonk - I'm moderately harmless!

Hummm.....

Eggs for tea....

Quiche or souffle?

[witch-1]

LOL we're having our first 'homemade' omelette tomorrow for tea! (homemade meaning by our own chooks!)