Jobs for February, Both Seasonal and Vintage

Well, in my copy of The Happy Home, A Universal Guide to Household Management, published by The Good Housekeeping Institute sometime in the early 1950s, jobs to do in January are given thus.

January

Check annual accounts and draw up budget. Extra entertaining. Marmalade making. Turn out linen cupboard, and make a list of necessary replacements; buy these if possible at White Sales.

You'll be glad to know that on the 31st January (last minute Domum strikes again!) I submitted my self-assessment tax return to the Inland Revenue (this, in my view, substitutes "check annual accounts" on the Good Housekeeping list) and made marmalade. My linen cupboard is sadly non-existent so I pickled some beetroot instead.

Now, if you fancy having a go at marmalade making, I urge you to try whilst the Seville oranges are still in the shops. It's not nearly so much of a faff as you'd think and the results are delicious. You need roughly two pounds of oranges and six pounds of sugar to make ten large jars, so it works out as an exercise in frugality, but only if you and yours like the stuff! Here's the 1950s recipe I used, again from Good Housekeeping's The Happy Home.

Seville Orange Marmalade

2 lb bitter oranges

1 lemon

6 pints water

6 lb sugar.

Wipe the fruit, cut in half, and remove the pips, tying them in a muslin bag. Slice the fruit and put it together with the water and bag of pips into a preserving pan or large saucepan. Boil until the rind is tender and the contents of the pan reduced by about one-half (1- 1/2 hours). Remove the bag of pips. Add the sugar, stir until dissolved and boil briskly until the marmalade jells when tested on a cold saucer. Pot and cover immediately.

Now, for marmalade novices, remember to slice your fruit as thinly as you can without going mental through boredom. Also, de-pith your lemon and put this pith in the muslin bag with your orange pips, oh and talking of muslin bags, a clean, child's sock will do for this venture if muslin eludes you. When your rind is tender, wait for the mixture to cool a little because it is best to squeeze out all the pectin gathered from the pips in your muslin bag/sock (a joyously messy business). Make sure you dissolve all the sugar over a low heat before you even begin to think about boiling the marmalade. Email me if you need any further help.

You will be glad to know that in February I shall be turning over a new leaf and do any seasonal household jobs throughout the month rather than in my usual last minute rush. I have perused my vintage household management books, in order to find said seasonal inspiration, and here's what I've found.

From The Happy Home.

February

Prepare for spring-cleaning by turning out cupboards, drawers, shelves, book-cases etc. Make plans for any interior decorations. Arrange for chimney sweep.

Hmm, not too sure if I approve of this "turning out" business. I like my cupboards crammed full of useful and important junk. Let's have a look at what Aunt Kate's The Housewife's Calender, from 1930s, has in store for this month. Oh, there's such a lot of reading to do! Aunt Kate is so verbose (now there's the pot calling the kettle black) I shall paraphrase.

February

Buy a melon, tackle your cupboards (oh no, not you too Aunt Kate), brush up on your pancake recipes, sow hardy annuals, make new kitchen curtains (okay then), have a leap year party and invite single people (what larks!).

Aunt Kate is always such a joy. I feel I can fulfill my housewifely duty by buying a melon and having a jolly good knees up (is it a leap year btw?). I am formally ignoring all advice vis a vis cupboards, just so you know. Now let us examine my much beloved A Calender of Country Receipts, by the blessed and much under-appreciated Nell Heaton, again I shall paraphrase, but if you want a recipe mentioned in the list, please email me.

February

Make beetroot wine, orange curd, lemon wine, honey beer, chilli and onion sauce and remember to waterproof your garden boots.

With your larder stocked with such goodies you could have a mighty fine February knees up. Oh, I think I shall be making the Chilli and Onion Sauce (in fact a chutney) over the next month or so, I'll let you know how it works out.

So to leave you, I give you the view from my front door this morning. Warwickshire schools are still open, and such news my children took as a cruel blow. Anon goode huswives, anon!