On the very left a glimpse of the pine shelves put up by Mr Hairy Suit which are now home to various bits of kitchenalia. And a slightly creepy Beatrix Potter plastic bunny containing sweet smelling bubble bath.
In the middle, the top half of a 1960's dresser, recently painted white. It holds a tidy mess of baking books, odd plates, baking dishes and, on the top, two teapots, one willow pattern milk jug and matching gravy boat. At the back, a collection of bowls.
On the very left, three recipe books and a red casserole pot.
The bottom half of the dresser, which originally belonged to an elderly lady neighbour who died in 1997 aged 95, holds essentials....Retro wireless. Biscuit tin, cake tin full of Bakewell Maids, fruit bowl, tea, coffee, old time teapot on heavy tile pot stand. And to boil the water a gorgeous kettle with the best spout I've ever seen. Never a dribble.
An airer on which no clothes are ever aired. Hanging from its slats are some of my tools, and hanging from cup hooks behind the airer various saucepans and frying pans. Mostly old, some new, all loved and all well seasoned! The yellow thing sitting aloft the airer is a cake guard decorated with fat bright yellow bees.
This table has seen some action.
The fact that it's very old hasn't made a jot of difference. It not only serves its true purpose of holding plates of food it also serves as a altar on which divine tasting homemade bread is presented.
Ok. The bread, as I said, tasted lovely this morning. served with a full English Breakfast of eggs, beans, bacon, chipolatas, American Hash Browns (ooops) and thick slices of fried Black Pudding. Cor! The thick slices of buttered doorsteps did the grub justice. Everybody happy!
To the right is a wooden cat which usually holds toast (or letters). In the middle a cut-glass milk jug and hiding behind the jug a small sugar glass bowl holding sugar cubes (complete with tongs). Fresh flowers in green jug and silk snowdrops in clay bowl complete the joy. The tablecloth is a bit of net curtain.
And this is where I, and others sit when digesting sausages and having conversation.
The grey armchair from 1985 is, I thought recently, looking its age, so I covered most of it with two patchwork type pillowcases bought for 50p (pair) The cushions though were £1 each. They depict fowl. One hen, one cock. On the windowsill, another old item, an Argos lamp and sitting alongside it, a Jasper Conran handbag. The handbag was dearer!
Some time soon my made-to-measure kitchen units will be installed by Mr Hairy, I can't thank him enough for all the time and energy he's put into me.
Of course a picture of the aforementioned units will adorn the pages of this here blog, this here homage to wot's possible with only a few quid to spend.
For tea tonight:
Pork Chops with apple and herb stuffing balls. Stuffing from a packet and made prettier by rolling into a fun shaped balls and roasting alongside the chops.
Jacket baked mini potatoes. Skewered so they cook faster.
Braised celery and carrots. Love this combination. Four sticks of celery and four small carrots braised in vegetable stock. Gorgeously tasty and simple too.
Gravy. With a spoonful of redcurrant jelly stirred in.
For pud:
Bakewell Maids with vanilla ice cream. Loved by all, these little topless tarts are a bit fiddly to make but are well worth the effort. Making pastry is always nerve shredding especially because one needs to avoid the soggy bottom thing. But I always roll the pastry paper- thin so it cooks in time with the almondy cake filling.
Being economically minded I scraped out the last slithers of three different jams for these Bakewell Maids. So it was a fun game wondering who'd get strawberry conserve who'd get blackcurrant and who'd get diabetic raspberry jelly!
