The Old Ways

[NH Homesteader]

I know a lot of people who can. Mostly for novelty though, specialty items, jams etc. But I've come to realize that my particular area of the country, while there are not as many farms as other areas, is full of people who want clean, happy and healthy food. And most of them, since we are 20 minutes from an Ivy League school and big name medical center, are willing to pay for it! There is a growing culture of raising your own meat, most of the people I know have chickens...

That being said, none of them DEPEND on it. It isn't a way of life for most of them. Yet. But I see promise! I am actually very fortunate to live here, snow aside! Lol

 

[Hinotori]

We took 16 jars of smoked tuna to Mom and Dad at Thanksgiving. Mom hid them in her room. They weren't going to share any with my brothers.

I took down the jam the previous visit. They don't share that either.

Both brothers like the end products but don't know how and don't want to put in the time.

 

[Beekissed]

So - dad puts salt and pepper in his buttermilk and I remember my grandpa pouring his coffee into his saucer to cool it off. Anybody else remember some of those old ways that are disappearing?

I salt my buttermilk, though Dad and my grandmother both used pepper and salt. Grandma always crumbled cornbread in hers too and then ate it with a spoon. I still eat mine with a spoon, though no cornbread be in it. It just became a habit when I was little and now that's the way it tastes best to me. Don't know why that is.

It's getting hard to even FIND buttermilk in the stores. The containers grow smaller each year. Used to a person could buy a gallon of buttermilk just like you could buy a gallon of regular milk.

Speaking of microwave... I've read both sides of the coin and that microwave food basicly renders it dead of all good bacteria and significantly lowers nutritional value. The other side of the coin is that's all hogwash.

You know the internet is full of opinions and I believe very little what I read on the internet (except here - you all are great). But what say you about microwaving? Good / Bad / don't know?

I wanted to add a little side note... Since switching to mostly fermented foods and growing / raising / butchering my own. For the first time in years my twice annually blood tests came back all good. It sure is refreshing to hear my doctor say "keep up what your are doing - your as healthy as a bull ox"

Microwaving....bad..but we still use it to do quick reheats on left overs on occasion. I don't heat water in it or cook food in it, though.

 

[Hinotori]

I have an electric water kettle. It's probably the most used appliance in the house. Quicker than using the stove and a good one will keep the water hot for a long time after it flips off.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Just chiming in...
I also salt my watermelon and cantaloupe. My mom always salted and peppered her tomatoes, dad sprinkled sugar on top instead of salt. My husband adds salt and pepper to his; I still sprinkle sugar.
I really like aprons but so often don't put on on. But I'll often tuck a towel in my waistline to have it handy. The kids know when we pull out the aprons, we're cooking up something good.
As far as the microwave, we have one but don't use it often. It's handy for small amounts of food. We also use an electric water kettle, and like @Hinotori, it's probably one of the most used items in my kitchen. As far as whether or not the microwave is safe, I don't worry about it. We are sooo surrounded with things that are "bad" for us that I quit even reading the warnings. What's going to get us first? Exposure to chicken poop, DE, and salmonella? A scratch from a rusty fence or nail? Plastic, coffee, chocolate, sugar, salt, fat, glutton, genetically modified foods, hybrid plants, car exhaust, stress, meat, no meat, the water we drink, or the water we dont, fluorescent lights, UFO's??? The thing is, EVERYTHING is "dangerous" these days. It just depends on what you read. Everything can kill us or shorten our lives. The Bible says all things in moderation. I just thank the Lord for what we have, and eat it without worrying one bit.
@CrealCritter, that's fabulous news on your checkup! I'd second the opinion of keeping up with what you're doing.
One thing I still do that I learned from my dad when I was a kid... When I am scrubbing, or washing the floor, or cleaning windows, I clean in a circular pattern to avoid streaks. My dad was a milkman with a shiny clean truck. I was very often in charge of washing those stainless steel (?) sides. (The inside was cleaned with a machine to sterilize it.) If I washed it side to side, streaks would always show up once it dried, and dad would gently point it out.
An exception to that from my grandmother. When I am doing house windows, ammonia and wadded up newspaper still works much better than paper towels. And on the inside we'd wipe horizontally, and on the outside we'd wipe vertically. If there was a streak, it was immediately evident which side of the window it was on.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I had totally forgotten about cleaning windows with newspaper. Musta blocked that memory right out!

 

[CrealCritter]

Makes sense... that's how you work finish on wood also.

 

[sumi]

I bought myself a microwave oven a few weeks ago, after not having one for nearly 2 years. They are so handy! Reheating food, especially "difficult" food like rice or pasta and cold pizza and pies… I also cook in it a bit, usually vegetables.

Many people nowadays are so far removed from doing things the old way, they'd be in serious trouble if they suddenly lose the privileges modern living offers.

 

[Beekissed]

I salt watermelon, grapefruit, tomatoes,and apples.

I use a disposable apron when I butcher...makes for a quick clean up and keeps me dry. I have a regular apron for baking but will often forget to use it. My little Grand girl has a matching one for when she helps me...so darling!

 

[sumi]

I had to wear an apron for work for a long time, so I choose not to wear one at home, though I really should!