Characterful Kitchenware

I have been busy lately sourcing a selection of original vintage kitchenware for the website. I have to admit to having a weakness for kitchenalia, there is something about the way it instantly adds character and a nostalgic look to a kitchen.

For me one thing that is sure to evoke a trip down memory lane is enamelware. Now I know that you can buy reproduction enamelware (we even have some on the website) but for me nothing beats the slightly shabby look of vintage enamelware. 

Enamelware is manufactured by fusing a thin layer of glass-like material on to a base of steel, iron or aluminium. The process - which takes its name from the Latin for glass, vitrum- is akin to the ancient method of making enamelled jewellery. But its widespread use for kitchen utensils dates from the 1840s following the introduction of a lead-free enamel with a china clay base as an alternative to tin for lining saucepans.

Compared with the heavy, coal-black iron pots and pans in use at the time, enamelware offered many advantages. It was smooth, light, and easy to clean. Soon, almost every item in the kitchen from flour bins and bread bins to fish slices, funnels, bowls and measuring jugs was manufactured in enamelled steel and exported all over the world.

So if you want to add a little character to your kitchen why not take a look at our range of nostalgic kitchenalia? Prices start at £5.00

What a Difference a Day Makes!

I've been looking out over the same view for months now, however all that has changed over the weekend ...

What a difference a day makes!

Autumn Arrives

This weekend was the Autumn Equinox, the time when night equals day and the tipping point in the calendar when Summer gives way to Winter.

A perfect time to take a walk around the Wentworth Estate.

This is a fascinating place to explore and I have written about it previously in this post

It's hard to believe that in April 1946, on the orders of Manny Shinwell (the then Labour Party's Minister of Fuel and Power) a "column of lorries and heavy plant machinery" arrived at Wentworth.

The objective was to mine a large part of the estate close to the house for coal and the area between the house and the Rockingham Mausoleum became the largest open cast mining site in Britain at that time: 132,000 tons of coal were removed solely from the gardens.

 What followed saw the mining of 99 acres of lawns and woods, the renowned formal gardens and the show-piece pink shale driveway. Ancient trees were uprooted and the debris of earth and rubble was piled 50 ft (15 m). high in front of the house.

The opencast mining continued into the early 1950s. The mined areas took many years to return to a natural state; much of the woodland and the formal gardens were never replaced.

Within the estate there are a number of follies and this weekend I visited 'The Needle's Eye'

 
This folly is a pyramid, about 45 feet high built of sandstone blocks topped by an ornamental urn and pierced by a tall Gothic ogee arch.
 
It straddles a now defunct private roadway which ran from Wentworth Woodhouse and legend has it that Earl Fitzwilliam built the structure as a result of a wager that he could drive his horse and carriage through the eye of a needle!

Another local legend also states that it may be the site of a possible execution by firing squad as on one side there are several distinct musket-ball marks in the stone.

The estate is a fascinating place and I am looking forward to returning soon to explore the other Wentworth follies.

All The Fun Of The Fair

If you've read our previous post you'll know that this weekend we held a stall selling a range of our goods at the Nostell Priory Steam Fair. Although the weather could have been a little bit better it was a great event and lots of fun was had by all! 

I just thought I would share a few photos of the event with you........ 

The Homes & Dreams Stall

More of Our Goodies

Vintage Vehicles in a Historic Setting

One Man & His Tractor!



Cool Classic Cars



Beautiful Birds Of Prey

Organic Produce From Brickyard Farm

Elvis the Donkey!



Hope that your weekend was filled with fun too!

Nostell Priory Steam Fair

We have a busy week ahead here at Homes & Dreams as this weekend we shall holding a stall at the Nostell Priory Steam Fair. We have bags, brochures and products to pack and price lables to prepare!



At this annual event there will be all kinds of attractions within the beautiful setting of the National Trust's Nostell Priory.

The National Trust's Nostell Priory

During the weekend there will be many, many things to see and do and we shall be in the Rural Crafts Marquee with a selection of our vintage homewares and handmade accessories from Creamore Mill and Charlotte Macey Textiles.

Along with the Rural Craft Marquee there will be.....

• Steam Engines
• Fairground Organs
• Classic Cars
• Vintage Motorcycles
• Classic Tractors
• Stationary Engines
• Vintage Commercials (Lorries, Buses, Fire Engines etc.)
• Military Vehicle Displays
• Old Time & Modern Funfair
• Quad Bike Rides
• Bungee Trampolines
• Punch & Judy Show
• Birds of Prey
• Trade Stands
• Autojumble
• Rural Crafts Marquee with demonstrations
• Fine Food Marquee
• Main Arena Entertainment
• Catering and Licensed Bar

Oh and lets not forget the house, gardens and 300 acres of parkland that make up one of Yorkshires finest country estates!

Should you fancy a day out this weekend then the details of the steam fair can be found here - oh and don't forget to stop by and say hello!

Our Latest Vintage Finds

This week we have been busy, busy, busy hunting out some vintage finds for the website.  



Vintage Ginger Beer Bottles From £12.00



We have been busy adding a fresh selection of vintage ginger beer bottles. These bottles are not only decorative in their own right, they also make interesting vases and look great with a stem or two of your favourite flowers.

Another interesting find are these vintage bread tins. Over time they have developed a lovely patina and although they still have plenty use left in them as baking tins I think that they would make quirky planters for growing herbs on your kitchen window cill.

Vintage Bread Tins £8.00 each

Bread tin window box

 

We like the rustic look of the bread tins as they are however if you want to co-ordinate them to your colour scheme they can be painted.  Take some medium-grade wire wool to clean the outside of the tin to reveal smooth metal - work along the length of the tin to minimise scratching.. Apply one coat of red oxide paint to the outside and inside. Using a can of spray paint, and following manufacturer's instructions, apply one coat of paint to the whole of the exterior and about 25mm (1in) down the inside. Do not over spray as it will drip. When the paint is dry, the tin can be filled with compost and planted. The tin has no drainage holes, so be careful not to over water.

Anyone for cricket? Occasionally we find these lovely Vintage cricket bats and here is our latest one by Gunn & Moore - they look great propped up in a corner for a nostalgic touch.


Vintage Cricket Bat £45.00

We hope that you like our latest vintage finds as much as we do!

Apple Chilli Jelly

There's a chill in the air and even though we are just clinging on to August it feels decidedly like Autumn.
In the garden everything is coming to a head and we have a veritable feast available to us in the vegetable garden.

Down in the orchard the plums have finished but the apples and pears are now almost ready for picking. After we've had our fill of pies and crumbles my favourite thing to make with our surplus of apples is this........

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Recipe For Apple Chilli Jelly
Ingredients:

• 1.5 kilos of cooking apples (windfalls are fine for this recipe). Washed, chopped roughly - no need to peel or core

• 2 pts/1140ml of water to cover the apples

• Grated rind and juice of one small lemon

• White granulated sugar (the amount depends on the volume of juice extracted from the simmered, drained fruit. Ipt/570ml of juice to 1lb/454gms of sugar

• 2 medium hot red chillies and one Bird’s Eye hot red chilli. Chopped with seeds left in.

Method:

1. Put the chopped apples into a large saucepan with the 2 medium hot red chillies and the Bird’s eye chilli.

2. Carefully grate the lemon zest from the lemon. Add to saucepan.

3. Add the water and bring gently to the boil and simmer very gently until all the fruit is soft and mushy (roughly 25 minutes, depending upon how ripe the fruit is).

4. Pour the cooked fruit through sterilised muslin or a jelly bag. The bag is covered with a clean tea cloth to protect against flies, as the jelly bag generally drips overnight.

5. Measure the apple and chilli juice the next day and pour it into a deep heavy bottomed saucepan. Add 454g/1lb of white granulated sugar for each 570ml/1 pt of juice.

6. Add the juice of the lemon.

7. Heat the juice and sugar gently, stirring from time to time. Make sure that that all the sugar has dissolved before bringing the liquid slowly to the boil. Continue to boil for about five minutes before testing for a set. Toss in a nugget of butter towards the end to reduce the frothing that often occurs.

8. When jelly has reached setting point pour into warm sterilised jars using a funnel and ladle.

9. Cover immediately with plastic lined screw top lids or cellophane tops secured with a rubber band. If you want extra heat stir in some finally chopped red birds eye chillies into each jar (no seeds).

Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place. Away from damp.

3.5 pints of juice makes approx 7 pound jars of jelly.


It is absolutely delicious with oatcakes and cheese, especially my favourite - Wensleydale!

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.