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One bite, two dreams: . Cracklings from home-rendered lard on top of home-made oatcakes . 1/ A time when we realise to profound damage that industrial seed oils are doing to ourselves and our planet and re-embrace the wisdom of traditional, local fat rendered in our own kitchens (plus eat the crunchy left-overs!) . 2/ A time when local farms supply local needs and small producers can grow oats for the people around them; people who know oats aren’t just for oatmeal and create a myriad of dishes with them. . If you would like support to forward both of these check out @ancestralkitchenpodcast (we have a fats episode and will have an oats episode releasing in the next few week) and also visit my site (link is in my profile) for tonnes of oat recipes and details on how to render lard.

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One bite, two dreams:
.
Cracklings from home-rendered lard on top of home-made oatcakes
.
1/ A time when we realise to profound damage that industrial seed oils are doing to ourselves and our planet and re-embrace the wisdom of traditional, local fat rendered in our own kitchens (plus eat the crunchy left-overs!)
.
2/ A time when local farms supply local needs and small producers can grow oats for the people around them; people who know oats aren’t just for oatmeal and create a myriad of dishes with them.
.
If you would like support to forward both of these check out @ancestralkitchenpodcast (we have a fats episode and will have an oats episode releasing in the next few week) and also visit my site (link is in my profile) for tonnes of oat recipes and details on how to render lard.

… Read More

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Do you crimp? How about slash? . I’m awash in the wonder that is pastry. The last month I’ve been honing a spelt sourdough pie crust recipe for the forthcoming @ancestralkitchenpodcast sourdough spelt cookbook. We’ve eaten a lot of pie: sausage, chicken, ground beef…even liver went into one! . My mum always crimped the edge of her pastry. To make it look nice, yes, but to seal it too. Do you? . And how about the slashes? I did these with scissors, to get that slight raised effect in the centre. Do we need to slash? Do you? How does it change the pastry and/or the filling?

by

Do you crimp? How about slash?
.
I’m awash in the wonder that is pastry. The last month I’ve been honing a spelt sourdough pie crust recipe for the forthcoming @ancestralkitchenpodcast sourdough spelt cookbook. We’ve eaten a lot of pie: sausage, chicken, ground beef…even liver went into one!
.
My mum always crimped the edge of her pastry. To make it look nice, yes, but to seal it too. Do you?
.
And how about the slashes? I did these with scissors, to get that slight raised effect in the centre. Do we need to slash? Do you? How does it change the pastry and/or the filling?

… Read More

Instagram

If you want to eat ancestrally and have ever heard yourself saying, “I can’t afford it”, this is the @ancestralkitchenpodcast episode for you. . @farmandhearth and I had so much to say about it that we kept talking over two episodes, today’s release is part one! Thank you to the podcast patrons who helped us, with their own hard-won advice, put this episode together. . Download this, episode #66, from your podcast app or stream/download from my website. There’s a PDF for you to print out too – check the show notes. . We’d love to hear what you think!

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If you want to eat ancestrally and have ever heard yourself saying, “I can’t afford it”, this is the @ancestralkitchenpodcast episode for you.
.
@farmandhearth and I had so much to say about it that we kept talking over two episodes, today’s release is part one! Thank you to the podcast patrons who helped us, with their own hard-won advice, put this episode together.
.
Download this, episode #66, from your podcast app or stream/download from my website. There’s a PDF for you to print out too – check the show notes.
.
We’d love to hear what you think!

… Read More

Podcast

#66 – 50 Ways to Save Money on an Ancestral Diet – Part 1

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In a post-industrial world where globally imported subsidized factory food is perceived as the cheaper or only option for a budget, these are questions most of us have had at some point. In this episode Alison and I want to make the case that not only are there ways to eat an ancestral diet and save money, but you can actually save money BY eating an ancestral diet.… Read More

Learn How To... | Reading, Listening and Learning

Threshing Home-Grown Oats

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Threshing my home-grown oats.
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Diving into oats, historically, culturally, nutritionally and culinarily is connecting me to my ancestors in such a beautiful way.
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See how small (and beautiful) my harvest is?!
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I haven’t used my oats yet…you know when something is so precious, you just can’t bring yourself to?!!
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What shall I do with them?!

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Home-grown oats! . Back in spring, when Silvia at @lebarbarighe sent me some of her naked oats (so I could sprout them for ale), I had the crazy idea of planting some. . Crazy because I have no garden; no soil…just a collection of pots squeezed together on a patio. Crazy because I no *nothing* about growing grain. Crazy because I knew I would be away for 5 weeks with no-one to care for them. . But I couldn’t help myself! . And look at these! They are one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen for ages. I literally can’t stop looking at them and smiling. The experience has given me just a tiny, tiny taste of how my ancestors, who subsisted on oats, whose calendar was built around them – who literally grew up with all their smells, tastes routines and rituals – must have felt. . I feel joyful and amazed and humbled and connected. ‘Just’ by a grass. . Next task (if I can bring myself to do it) is to thresh them and get the grain out.

by

Home-grown oats!
.
Back in spring, when Silvia at @lebarbarighe sent me some of her naked oats (so I could sprout them for ale), I had the crazy idea of planting some.
.
Crazy because I have no garden; no soil…just a collection of pots squeezed together on a patio. Crazy because I no *nothing* about growing grain. Crazy because I knew I would be away for 5 weeks with no-one to care for them.
.
But I couldn’t help myself!
.
And look at these! They are one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen for ages. I literally can’t stop looking at them and smiling. The experience has given me just a tiny, tiny taste of how my ancestors, who subsisted on oats, whose calendar was built around them – who literally grew up with all their smells, tastes routines and rituals – must have felt.
.
I feel joyful and amazed and humbled and connected. ‘Just’ by a grass.
.
Next task (if I can bring myself to do it) is to thresh them and get the grain out.

… Read More

Instagram

You can make rye bread kvass with old rye sourdough and use the same bread for batch after batch. It’s simple, fizzy, delicious and doesn’t need much attention. . I like it flavoured with fresh mint (which is going crazy in the garden!). If you’re a kvass fan, I’d love to hear how you flavour yours. . My method is in my profile (it’s the first one under the recipes sections). . If you are interested in expanding your fermented drinks repertoire, have a listen to @ancestralkitchenpodcast #60 ‘”What Fermented Drinks Can I Make?’

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You can make rye bread kvass with old rye sourdough and use the same bread for batch after batch. It’s simple, fizzy, delicious and doesn’t need much attention.
.
I like it flavoured with fresh mint (which is going crazy in the garden!). If you’re a kvass fan, I’d love to hear how you flavour yours.
.
My method is in my profile (it’s the first one under the recipes sections).
.
If you are interested in expanding your fermented drinks repertoire, have a listen to @ancestralkitchenpodcast #60 ‘”What Fermented Drinks Can I Make?’

… Read More