I came across a lovely little recipe and reminiscent booklet by the cook and writer, Sue Robb, from County Down in Northern Ireland. I don’t know when it was published, in the 1970’s I guess, but she harks back to a pre-war farmer’s wife’s world. Here is her thoughts on how to get ready for guests in the old days, ‘when transport was difficult and travel along a rough and narrow road was made hazardous by lack of light…’ Times have changed in Ireland, and these old stories are from a very different place.
When transport was difficult and travel along a rough and narrow road was made hazardous by lack of light. a visit from friends was an eagerly awaited event.
The spare room bed was carefully aired with a long handled brass bed warmer, the bedside lamp filled with paraffin oil, wick trimmed and globe polished. The white bed spread and hand-made lace cover was put over the patchwork quilts and pillows, in well starched cases all frilled and hand embroidered, sat plump and stiff over the bolster. The brass bedstead was polished to perfection and the washstand with floral jug and bowl, matching dish for soap and container for teeth water, were all carefully checked.
The long runner on the chest of drawers and dressing table was changed and the candlestick holders, complete with candle, left ready for emergencies in the proper place at each side of the mirror. When bathrooms were almost an unknown luxury an armchair commode was placed discretely at the far side of the bed.
The table was pulled out, then covered with a white linen tablecloth and set with soda, wheaten and potato bread with cheese and jam aplenty so that everybody could sit round comfortably and eat their fill without waiting for thehand=round. This was the time when neighbour joined the circle and leggings hung in the kitchen press with horse brass and collars.
Although farmhouses have been modernised they still retain a certain degree of character and atmosphere that was built into the foundation. Modern methods of cooking with old and well tried recipes and the hospitality provided is still second to none.
Mrs Robb describes a hospitality which actually may have been from several generations previously; my mum who was born in the 1920’s in rural England remembered oil lamps and stone hot water bottles when she was a child living in a small village; I vaguel remembered old aunts had bolsters on their beds, but these were very elderly ladies whose ways were set in the nineteenth century. However, mrs Robb paints a vivid picture of a forgotten time.
Lois Elsden 