Carnival Of Genealogy 108 - Foods & their links to the past

This posting is doubling up as my weekly contribution to Weekend Cooking and my monthly contribution to the Carnival of Genealogy.

General Pondering

There is something rather comforting about food and I wonder what it is? Is it that historically, generations before us our ancestor and relatives went to bed hungry, so that when we feel the need for something to perk us up we eat? Then, what foods do we eat? Women often find solace in chocolate, a fact that is hormone driven, but has that always been the case? As children many of us have happy memories of being off from school, cocooned on the settee with a special blanket and being given a food, such as soup for lunch. Even now, I like a particular brand of Vegetable or Tomato soup if I am poorly.

Links to the Past

Recipes and food often hold special places in our hearts and are reminders for past & happier times or of those special people in our lives.

There is nothing particular special about the recipe above. It was written by my Great Grandmother, Annie Prudence Butcher nee Harris (1879 - 1972) in about 1965 to my Grandfather, her son and my Grandmother and mother. It is a simple jotting of a recipe, which presumably, my Grandfather had asked for in a previous letter; a letter which sadly has not survived. This is the Great Grandmother, who to was a very elderly lady, that allowed me to sit on her bed and tickle her toes when I was about three and is probably one of my earliest memories.

Wine making did play a part in life of my Grandfather. My Mum remembers a bottle of wine, which was about 10 years old at the time being taken to the reception of his Nephew and being shared round. Mum commented that the wine was very strong, enough to knock your head off!

I inherited from my Grandmother a Victory in Europe cookery book from July 1945, which I wrote about HERE. There is just something very special about this little recipe book and I don't know if my Gran ever used it. Perhaps, the specialness, is because, after 15 years I still miss my beloved Grandmother dreadfully and since my holiday and whilst away on Jersey, seeing elements of the Second World War there, it made me wonder what my Grandmother had experienced. 

Casting my mind back to the summers of my childhood, there was the delicious home made lemonade, which sat in the larder in a large heavy 1930s china jug decorated with summer flowers. The jug has long since gone but the recipe lingers on and will be made today I think, a lovely summers day in England. 

The recipe is simple.

Add sugar to a jug, to taste

Cut 1 or 2 lemons 

Add boiling water to the jug and stir

Place in the fridge until cold

More casting my mind back was for Saturday evening tea, was a large potato baked in the oven, forked pricked and then served with strong grated cheese and a smell that I still love and every time I smell it, it evokes happy memories of my childhood, and the people who greatly influenced me to become the person that I am.

Quote for today!

“The journey is the destination.” 

The late Dan Eldon, photo journalist.

Sunday Salon -

Oh my, it has been three months since my last post to The Sunday Salon. Where does the time go? I am not sure what I have been doing in my three month absence. Well, I have just come back from a lovely break to Jersey and you can read about it on Anglers Rest; I am currently a third through day 3. Prior to the holiday I have been working and working and working.....

On the reading front, I have got behind my planned schedule for the various reviews I have been asked to do. For several reasons. The day job has become a little more hectic. I have also been asked to review using PDF or Kindle versions; and I am not keen on that method. Give me a proper book, with pages to turn. One book I was asked to review has been a disappointment and just where do I start?

I did bring back two books from Jersey. One was the guide book that accompanied the visit to the Occupation Tapestry and the other about Evacuees from Jersey during the German Occupation 1940-1945.

Day Three - Jersey - 14th July 2011 - Occupation Tapestry

One of the things I really wanted to see while in Jersey was the Occupation Tapestry. Made to commemorate 50 years of Liberation from the German Occupation.

So, having had a coffee and wander around the Liberation Market, where we bought a lovely collar for Alfie, we ventured into the Occupation Tapestry which is housed in the Maritime Museum in the Quay, opposite Liberation Square.

I was simply overwhelmed with the skill of those who took part. There was a 10 minute video which explained how the tapestry came to be and the ground work that went into the tapestry.

There are 12 panels; one representing each parish. The parishes drew lots, which decided what the focus of their particular panel was going to be about.

Towards the end of the exhibition and tapestry is a panel naming all those who took part in creating this wonderful creation. The panel also shows those who were involved in making the tapestry and were on Jersey at the time of the Occupation.

The tapestry is outstanding and well worth a visit. I purchased the guide book and a complete set of postcards, which shows each of the tapestry panels. The postcards and guidebook are available from the shop in the Maritime Museum.

Weekend Cooking - Potato, Chicken & Bacon Bake

 

I have missed the last few weeks of Weekend Cooking due to holidays - you can read about the Jersey experiences. We visited some great restaurants and enjoyed some really good food.

Back home and almost back to normal, after a lovely break. I pondered on last nights dinner; and decided on a dish I usually do with pasta, but using potatoes instead.

I cut some salad potatoes into small chunks and placed then, what I know as a fry pan. No oil involved though! when all the potatoes were in, I added skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces then mushroom and bacon.

When the potato was almost cooked. I tipped the lot into an oven proof dish and mixed in a cheese sauce, sprinkled on some grated cheese and pepper.

Then popped it in the oven for about 15 minutes. My oven had been on since I started cutting the potatoes so was preheated!

While we were eating I asked Stuart if he preferred this with pasta and the response was is there any more? So I guess this was a hit!

Day Three - Jersey - 14th July 2011 - Liberation Square Market

Having got off the tour bus back at Liberation Station, we decided that we would have a coffee and a rest. We had four hours to fill and a few plans.

We walked through the market and there were some great stalls, selling a variety of goods and foods.

But as lovely as all those items and foods were, we didn't buy any of them. Instead we bought this for our little man back home!

Yes, a lovely new collar, with his name on. Made by CuteCollars. (Disclaimer - A genuine recommendation, made without financial incentive from a happy dog and his owner!)

Day Three - Jersey - 14th July 2011 - Tour of the Island - East

We woke on day three to beautiful, glorious sunshine! We therefore decided to do the open top bus tour today, in case the weather changed for the rest of the week.

The bus, which is a lovely old fashioned one, departs from outside the main hotel opposite Liberation Square.

The bus parked at Gorey, whilst we all enjoyed a coffee!

Our first tour departed at 10.00 and we were joined by tourists from a variety of European nations. Our driver was a lovely chap called Paul who coped with the driving of the bus beautifully and added interesting bits of information to the recorded site seeing announcements.

Across this part of the island there is an abundance of fortifications. Originally those built to protect the island from invasion from the French, and then those built or adapted by the German Occupation during the Second World War to defend against the British and Allied Forces.

Seymour Tower

The pretty town of Gorey with the Castle overlooking the harbour

The bus then did a circular trip back along to Liberation Station. We had also planned to do the West of the Island, but decided to have a break and miss the next trip and then do the West of the Island later at 4pm.

She Writes Blog Hop Number 5!

She Writes

Blogging about Books and Writing Blog Hop

Over at She Writes, Meg who hosts the 1st Books blog thought it would be great to host another online Blog Hop as a get to know you event - great idea! So here's the deal:

• Add your own blog using the Linky, leaving a description of your blog
• Add a post on your own blog by way of introduction
• Visit the other blogs and leave comments!

Welcome to Anglers Rest, where I describe my blog as The Rambling Obsessions of a Fisherman's wife! ~ a real assortment, with snippets of genealogy,books, cross stitching, scrap booking, web pages and general ramblings. Really the blog reflects the two big obsessions in my world, reading and books and genealogy, and if I can merge my two obsessions so much the better!  Have a browse!

Last time, I participated we were challenged to leave a writing tip. So I shall carry on that theme here, as it is a while since I have taken part.


I believe that writing should reflect us as individuals, therefore we should write, and enable that writing to become an extension of ourselves.

Write from the heart. I know perhaps lots of people will read it and you might not want that, but there is something very curious about committing finger to keyboard something that might be personal, that perhaps you would not say face to face, or write down and show to someone, that you can do over the Internet via a blog. Somehow, being "out there" is anonymous. Think about it, it is curious isn't it?

To see the original post on Meg's website click HERE and the details for Blog Hop number 5 HERE

Day Two - Jersey - 13th July 2011 - Liberation Square

One of the main sites of St Helier, is that of Liberation Square and the bus station which is just along from the square, and called Liberation Station.

The historical focus here is the statue which represents Liberation after the five year German Occupation from 1940-1945. All around the Island there are references to the proud Islanders and their experience during the Second World War.

After the turbulence of War, the Square is a focus point for meeting and enjoying refreshments or an ice cream; or perhaps purchasing a ticket for an open air bus trip around the Island, as we did.

Day Two - Jersey - 13th July 2011 - The Gardens of Samares Manor

We spent a lovely four or five hours or so wandering around the gardens, admiring the layouts and colour schemes of the various gardens. There was a ancient dove house, which until 2009 was roofless, it was believed that originally the building had housed a roof, and one was skilfully added. The inside was completely  dark, but a photo later revealed all the little areas where the birds had lived.

Looking up inside the ancient dove house

Besides the Herb Garden cafe was a lovely water garden. The chairs surrounding it on the left are for an outside performance of Taming of the Shrew, due that evening.

Beyond this area was an abundance of colour and various collections of flowers and plants with the odd sculpture dotted about.

We walked further round and spotted a super water garden with waterfall which was the home to some rather curious Coy Carp.

Curious Carp!

The gardens were truly lovely and we did have great weather. In due course more photos of our holiday will be loaded to our online Flickr album, but hopefully for now that has illustrated that these gardens are well worth a visit.

Day Two - Jersey - 13th July 2011

We woke on our wedding anniversary to beautiful weather. The new forecast for later in the week predicted rain, so we shelved our planned visit and headed into town for the bus to Samares Gardens. On the way though, we crossed the road and looked out across the causeway to the daytime view of Elizabeth Castle.

Elizabeth Castle

We actually got lost trying to find the bus stop! But we had a look across part of the Marina.

Albert Marina

We also had a brief look at Albert Port, where we found a Memorial Plaque to the Islanders who lost their lives when the German Air Force bombed the harbour. The photo has been uploaded and transcribed at Grave Encounters. We then followed the various signs into town and made it to the bus stop.

The bus services on the island are fairly good, drivers will call out the stops.

The Gardens of Samares Manor were lovely, we spent a good few hours wandering around and then sat in the lawned garden restaurant and had a coffee. Lunch was off the menu after a hearty breakfast at the hotel. More about the gardens later.

Back to St Heliers and we made our way back to the hotel for a shower and change before heading off to try and find the bus stop across to St Aubins bay. We had been recommended to a restaurant, Bon Viveur, for our anniversary dinner by the representative of the travel company that we met on Tuesday, and we were not disappointed.

For starter I had tomato & mozzarella & Stuart had Garlic prawns. We both then had lobster thermadore, which was the meal we had in Kenya after our wedding. Stuart managed a desert and then we both had coffee. The restaurant was lovely, it looked across the bay, the staff great; very attentive & friendly. The restaurant comes highly recommended.

View across St Aubin's Bay

Day One - Jersey - 12th July 2011

Our flight was at 7am which meant an alarm breaking the nightly silence at 4.15am. Such an early start on a holiday. The drive to Exeter airport was uneventful and check in was painless. Given all the routine & necessary security at the  airport, I did wonder if in future we should travel in our pyjamas! The security officer found it amusing and was somewhat bemused that I could joke so early in the day.

The flight was uneventful. After 30 minutes we arrived at Guernsey and then onto Jersey where we disembarked. The plane then returned back to Exeter. The was lots of cloud and a fair bit of turbulence but otherwise an uneventful flight which arrived  little early.

By the time we arrived it was raining. We checked into the hotel,The Revere and were advised that we had been upgraded to fourposter room, which was lovely, as it was our Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday 13th July. 

Trying to get the energy to unpack!

We unpacked and then met up with the tour company that arranged our flight & hotel. First class and after a quick chat we headed off to explore St.Hellier, albeit, in the rain. It did make a miserable day, we got soaked and lost and after a light lunch & dry, headed back to the hotel.

Our first appearances,were we liked Jersey. The weather forecast indicated that it should hold out for the rest of the week. We had though, lost the majority of a day due to the really miserable weather, but such is life. If we don't get chance to visit everything we wish. To see we can revisit, perhaps the early part of next year.

Dinner, we decided would be at the hotel, then an early night so we can get cracking early in the morning.

We ate in the Candlelight restaurant, at the hotel. A super meal. Unusually, we opted for the same meal. Sirloin steak, presented on a bed of the most succulent chunky chips I have ever eaten, beef tomato and a large flat mushroom. For desert we both had cappachino ice cream then a coffee with a twilight mint. We then walked that off with a walk down to the esplanade overlooking Elizabeth Castle, bathed in a lovely night light.

Night view of the remarkable Elizabeth Castle

Back from the Channel Islands...

We returned on Tuesday from our much looked forward to and welcomed break from Jersey in the Channel Islands. I did keep a log of what we did and in some cases ate, the places we visited and some general observations and will over the next few days tweak those posts and fiddle with the photographs - there are loads of them! and then upload the posts.

One of the things I pondered on as I spent the week away, was do I add the posts to this blog or perhaps create a separate blog to act as a travel journal? I'll consider over the next day or so. If you have any thoughts or comments please leave them, they would be very welcome.

Anyway, Jersey was wonderful, the people, the hotel and the food. The weather was changeable, but nonetheless, we had a lovely break. Stop by over the next few days and you'll hear all about it!

Wordless Wednesday - Identity Crisis!

About 20 years ago I was given this photograph, complete with frame by the Uncle of my Cousin. The gentleman in question, Fred Boxall of Compton Surrey England is now deceased. Over time the identity of the lady in the photograph has been lost. It is likely to be either Fred's wife, whose maiden name was SPICER or Fred's sister.

Do you recognise this lady?

Weekend Cooking - Journeys to the Past

I can't recall what I was even thinking about, but something stirred in the back of my mind of foods and food related subjects from my child hood.

The town I grew up in held a weekly fruit and vegetable market on a Friday and Saturday. My Grandmother went there as a matter of course and frequented a stall run by the name of HONES. I am sure that over time, my Mum revealed that she had gone to school with a son of the owner.

The produce was fresh and reasonably priced and would be displayed in a function yet nice manner that encouraged you to buy.

I was rooting around in the cutlery drawer a week or so ago and spotted this set. This is the first set of cutlery I was bought, so it is at least 35 years old. It looks ok, actually I have recently used it for lunch at work!

 

This is a cooking favourite. My trusty book that we were asked to purchase when I was doing my cooking O Level at school. The date on the inside is 1984 and the price of 95p!

My Grandmother, never went out without a mint or two in her pocket. I guess that I have developed that same patten and this is a photo of my latest favourite. Sad to see that they are described by Fox's as a limited edition!

Wordless Wednesday - Alfie

Sleeping in Progress - Do Not Disturb!

You may have met Alfie, back in April when he was the subject of A is for ......as part of the A-Z Challenge.

Here is he last week, never missing a trick to jump up on the bed and head straight back to sleep. I simply had to share; he is such a sweetheart!

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