Growing up my family lived with my grandmother and I wasn't aware that this was unusual, but then my parents married only 10 years after the war ended and I suppose housing was still an issue in London. I have three distinct memories that stick in my mind most about my grandmother and mother
The first being that my grandmother had Corgies just like the Queen but maybe not as many, but probably as spoiled and who would nip at your ankles. She then went on to have two Shetland Sheepdogs that arrived in a crate all the way from Wales, and oh how I loved those two. If I were to pick another breed to own other than my cavies it would be shelties.
The first being that my grandmother had Corgies just like the Queen but maybe not as many, but probably as spoiled and who would nip at your ankles. She then went on to have two Shetland Sheepdogs that arrived in a crate all the way from Wales, and oh how I loved those two. If I were to pick another breed to own other than my cavies it would be shelties.
The second being that they were both were seamstresses and our backroom, as it was known, had an alcove either side of the fire place and in each alcove were placed their singer sewing machines and I can remember waking up of a morning to the hum of those machines which had normally been going since about 6.30am. They worked for a company called John Blundells as outreach workers. Every Monday and Friday a van would arrive with all the bolts of fabric and patterns to be worked on that week. We had a large extendable dining table and every Sunday night it was pulled out to its full length and covered with a protective cover ready for the coming week. Their week was very structured but I suppose it had to be to meet their deadlines.
Monday cutting out
Tuesday/wednesday sewing together
Thursday pressing, putting onto hangers with a plastic cover over the top
Friday the van would come back and pick up again
Sadly I did not inherit the gene to be able to use a sewing machine. I can sew in a straight line but not much else. Maybe one day I will buy myself a machine and find somewhere to have classes. Another idea to add to the list for when I retire. Its getting to be a pretty long list.
The third abiding memory is of the two of them baking in the kitchen and the smell of bread, cakes or pies baking in the oven. One of the things they use to bake at this time of year was an egg & bacon pie. and it was always one of my favourites. I don't know exactly what type of pastry it was they just used call it the savory pie pastry and then they had one for sweet pies for making apple pies and the like. I suppose it would be a type of short crust.
The pastry is made by sieving 350g/10oz flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
Add 115g/40z butter and 50g/2oz of vegetable fat (they would of used lard) and rub together until it looks like breadcrumbs,
Add 5-7 tablespoons of chilled cold water and pull together to form a soft dough.
Knead until smooth
Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until needed.
For the filling consisted of five eggs, six slices of smoked bacon and an onion diced. They would chop the bacon into lardons and put in a frying pan with a little fat, I now use oil instead. After a minute or two they added the chopped onion and would continue to fry until the onions had soften and the bacon was cooked. Then removed it from the pan to drain. They'd of used a muslin where as I use kitchen paper.
In the meantime they would heat the oven placing a baking sheet in to warm through at the same time, as this helps to cook the bottom of your pie. I couldn't tell you what gas mark they would of baked it on but I start by heating the oven to 200c.
Whist the oven is getting hot grease your flan tin and put to one side. Retrieve the pastry from the fridge and cut 2/3 off and leave to one side for the top.
Roll out the main piece and set into the flan tin leaving any excess on until you have added the filling.
Add the bacon and onion mixture and spread evenly over the bottom.
Add the whole egg one at a time on top of the bacon and onion mixture. I crack eggs into a small glass bowl first in case one splits or in case you have a bad egg.
Once you have all five eggs in the tin gently tilt so that the white of the egg spread over the bacon and onion.
Roll out the piece of pastry you put to one side for the top and using a little bit of milk dampen the edge of your pie to seal.
Place your top on the pie.
Using a knife score gently to form a pattern on the top.
Glaze with milk or egg and your ready to put your pie in the oven.
Place your pie on top the hot baking sheet
Bake at 200c for the first 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180c for a further 20-25 minutes
The great thing about this pie is that you can eat it hot or cold. We had it warm with salad and new potatoes but its also a great pie to take on picnics as you can pack it whole and slice it when you're ready as long as you remember a knife.
Now if I had placed my eggs correctly then there should more or less be yolk in each slice but mine chose not to today. There are leftovers so I will be ok for lunch for a couple of days next week I may even take an extra slice or two for my colleagues to try, that's if there is any left as I do find myself visiting the fridge and cutting another little bit just to nibble on why I'm waiting for the kettle to boil.
Mx
I enjoyed your reminiscing and your recipe, thank you I may make it for the weekend. I remember my Mum having a sewing space under the stairs, I was about 5 years old. It was a fairly large space, she made bras in it. The neighbour gave her work - I'm not sure of the details, she also made parachutes and army bags in a factory.
ReplyDeleteThe wider family life has changed so much over the years, my own family are the only ones in Lincolnshire, all other family are in Hampshire though we all lived local to each other for a few years both in Hampshire and Doncaster area.
My own teens say they don't want to live a distance but it will depend on employment. The same as it has for us too. It would be nice to be closer for visiting but we don't want to leave here so... Cx
I think you're right Cathy a lot of people moved for work I know my own ancestors did going from Cornwall up to the North East and then my little grandmother moved from the North East to London hence why I was born there. My grown up children are all over the place too, one in the north west, one in Suffolk and one in Lincoln, so its a rare thing for all of us to be together at the same time. I hope you have a go at the Egg & Bacon pie and you'll have to let me know what you think. I've packed a slice to take to work for my lunch tomorrow with some salad.
DeleteMx
What a lovely story about your granny and mum! That pie looks delicious, perfect for a picnic ( I imagine you could make individual ones too ) I'll get John to have a look as he's the cook and bake in our house. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteI've never tried making individual ones but there's no reason why you couldn't the cooking time is more about cooking the pastry so I suspect if John adjusts the cooking time they would be fine. Even though there's just the three of us at home now I still make a family size as I take it to work with salad for my lunch. I get bored with taking a sandwich every day and its nice to be able to take something a little different.
DeleteMx
Growing up my mom always did sewing for different factories. Our dining room at home was her 'sweat shop'. It was piece work so the more she did the more money she made. My brother and I used to sit on the floor in the living room in front of the fire and spent many hours turning out piping and collars when she was making dozens of maternity smocks. She learnt her trade sewing for Marks & Spencer's who had very high standards. She made everything from tents to suede coats to tiny baby dresses. Unfortunately the factories didn't pick up the finished goods or deliver the cut out pieces. We would go on the bus with great big, heavy duffle bags and deliver the finished product and pick up the next batch for sewing. When we came to Canada she worked in factories making police, fire and military uniforms. She said she did this sewing so that we, as a family of 7, could have a holiday every year, and we did. I remember using the industrial sewing machine for the first time when I was seven!! My sister and I both inherited the gene and she is a prolific quilt maker. I used to sew a lot, all my own clothes, but these days I knit and spend way too much time on the computer and sewing seems to have fallen by the wayside!!
ReplyDeleteI can remember turning out piping with a knitting needle. I also remember pulling elastic through on something using a safety pin so you didn't loose the end. Its nice that your mum could sew in order to make sure you got a holiday. I do wish I had inherited the gene she taught my two older sisters and she made their wedding dresses but by the time I was getting married she had developed rheumatoid arthritis and her hands were so bad she could no longer sew. I know she always felt guilty about that we did contemplate me wearing her dress but she was tiny when she got married and probably weighed six stone wet through and if I wanted to able to breath wearing her dress was not going to work which was a shame as she had made it with her mother so it would of been a lovely tribute to the two of them but was not meant to be. I crochet a lot more than knit these days but I have been knitting for my little grandson and will be looking at few things to make him for the autumn and winter months. I want to make something for myself too but not sure what yet. Like with everything else its finding the time at the moment and I still have D's cross stitch for his birthday to finish. He's already had the birthday but sometimes I'm too tired to concentrate after being at work or working in the garden.
DeleteMx
I enjoyed hearing about your remembrances of living as a family unit with your grandmother in a time when housing was short after the war had ended. My parents and I did the same so early childhood was spent in a household of grownups. It seemed natural and I got a lot out of being in that situation. My Mum's sister was the family member who did the sewing as she and younger sister worked for Burberry's which had a workshop in my home town. By the time I came along they were married, but we were a close family. Aunty made clothes for the family as otherwise it was make-do-and-mend. It's a good skill to have as my aunt continued to sew clothes, including soft furnishings, when her daughters and I set up home ourselves. My Mum, bless her, was more bookish and I inherited her love of reading, but I did pick up the skill of knitting from the many aunts in the family. I remember a lot of knitting and embroidery work was done in those days as living a frugal lifestyle. Meals had to be planned carefully and eventually things got better after rationing and there was more joy in the kitchen cooking more imaginative meals. Your folks were practical people and the baking must have been delicious. The pie looks good!
ReplyDeleteYes they made all their own clothes and curtains and other soft furnishings. I can remember spending ours in a haberdashery why they checked weights and types of fabrics for projects they were working on outside of their day job sewing. My grandmother was from the north east and grew up in a mining village where everything was a bit make do and mend and planning meals around the men's shifts and as my great grandmothers family originated from cornwall there were a fare few pasties that were made. She always said the local miners did wonder what these odd shaped things were that my grandfather pulled out for his lunch or dinner. Funny that that these days with commercial travel pasties are available everywhere. I still can't crimp a pasty properly.
DeleteMx
What lovely memories. I made lots of clothes in my teens, and for my daughter when she was a baby, but not done anything for years.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eloise. I used to knit a lot when the children were small and still make the odd bit and piece. I'm more a crochetaholic these days and I still like to do my cross stitch when time allows. I've not stitched for a few weeks as I have been out in the garden at every given opportunity and I'm generally too tired in the evening to concentrate and so pick up my crochet or knitting as I don't have to think about what I'm doing with that.
DeleteMx