In the interests of energy-saving, I have turned off the kitchen lights (essential throughout the dark winter days) and been making the most of the lovely reflective qualities of the one foot of snow outside my kitchen and baking by snowlight. I have made a big Pear and Mincemeat Pie and a small Apple and Mincemeat Pie (to use up a tiddy bit of pastry). Each pie has had a couple of spoonfuls of the wonderful boozy fruits made and given by my daughter's boyfriends mum. 'Tiz scrummy stuff! I shall pop back up later on and add the recipe.
I have also turned off the Hergom, as the baking is warming the kitchen. The central heating is going to be shortened too, just an hour in the morning, one at lunchtime and a couple of hours at teatime to heat the bath water. With snow like this, we have to try and eke out the oil - it costs an absolute fortune . . .
I think it will be some biscuits next, and I should do a pan of soup as a winter warmer, and I may try Stollen (for the first time). Meanwhile, enjoy the snow pictures. As you can see, we've had about a foot.
I started a stove-top rice pudding at about 7 a.m. [J's cat having noisily barfed in the hallway for the 4th time in 2 hours and I decided to be up!]
ReplyDeleteWe have yet another grey day and the dusting of snow is gone, so I've had the florescent light in the kitchen switched on. In here at my desk I can see with just the feeble daylight light from the open window shutters.
Snow light is a beautiful aspect of winter--that blue-white quality. I suspect we won't see much of that in Kentucky. In Vermont and later during the Wyoming years we told ourselves that a good snow cover made things warmer, made a "banking" around the house.
Truth to tell winter is COLD and heating is expensive.
Wish I could pop in for a slice of your pie and a cup of tea.
We can feel virtuous for arising while it is yet night and making provisions for our family [thus it says in the book of Proverbs!]
The pear and mincemeat pie sounds really nice, I haven't made any mince pies yet, that's for next week. I gather that oil deliveries could be a problem if there's snow around Christmas so you're wise to try and eke it out. Ironing is another good way of keeping warm too:)
ReplyDeleteWow! I've so thoroughly enjoyed your posts this week, especially the Christmas one. It reminded me so much of my childhood Christmas's. We had bowls of clememtines that weren't to be touched until Christmas day. The smell and anticipation almost drove me wild :D
ReplyDeleteYour pie looks scrummy too, wish we lived closer, sigh! Take care in the snow and no more falling over ;)
Your pie looks delicious BB. That will warm everyone up from the inside-out!
ReplyDeleteI hope your young ones stay safe on their snowy journeys home tonight.
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ReplyDeleteOops! horrendous spellcheck mistake above!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a mouth watering photo of the pie. I hope {ahem} that the crust turned out deep and crisp and even....
Like you we have some more snow but nothing like the extent you are suffering and hat we had a fortnight ago. Thankfully the sea lends a protective salt content to the air and snow for any length of time is rare. What that does do is give us some very cold air though, so we too have been eke-ing ou the LPG for our heating as judiciously as we can - its gone up 55p a litre this year and there is only one supplier in the area so we've had to cough up - even to the extent of having a duvet available in the lounge, which I can climb into should I get a bit parky during the day when I'm determined not to have the heating on as even the open flame gas fire burns through the gas at an alarming rate of knots.
A cat on the lap is even more welcome at times like this and for once perhaps we both gain out of the occasion.....
cheers.