I think back to the way my grandmother and my godmother ran their homes as friends that lived close by to each other.
Both of them grew their own produce and baked from scratch. My godmother had chooks and used to barter the eggs around town. She traded cooking, mending and eggs for people to do jobs at her house. She got egg cartons from another neighbor, swapped another neighbor for the newspaper and even the home brew was bartered. She never owned a car and different people often took her into town when she needed to.
My Grandmother always had the latest newspapers and magazines on hand, but she never paid for. She always traded pumpkins, zucchinis or anything else that was in season for them.
Of course, no-one ever used the term 'bartering' it was just the way things were done.
In contrast, today we don't share our things around. We are almost like 'hoarders'. Just look in our houses at all the clutter! We would be better off having something flow into our homes, use it for a period and then have it flow out again for others to benefit from as well.
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Cumquat Marmalade: Winter Sunshine in a Jar
This year's cumquots have made the most delightful marmalade. It's like winter sunshine in a jar!
YOU WILL NEED:
About 500g of cumquots
a cup of sugar
The juice of half a lemon
METHOD:
Slice the ends of the cumquots and cut them in half.
Chop the fruit and pulp coarsley
Mix in the sugar and lemon jouce
Cook on the stovetop sitrring constantly until the mixture thickens
Bottle in clean jars whilst hot and seal.
This is one of those experimental recipes. You can try different citrus or blend flavours together.
All I know, is that when you have a smear on sourdough it is a burst of sunshine in your mouth !