Friday 25 March 2016

It's been a Good Friday!


Mostly because it's felt like a Saturday, then you get a quick boost because you realise that tomorrow is actually Saturday!
It's been sunny and warm ( in the car ) and sunny and a bit cold with a chill wind  ( out of the car ) . We couldn't decide whether to head North up t'Lakes or East t'Wensleydale and cheese! 
Well, seeing as I'm on a ( yet another ) FINAL weight loss thing, we thought the cheese shop best stay out of reach! So we headed to the Lake District. It was bustling with throngs of human beings out enjoying the sunshine. 
Of course I couldn't go home without a trip to heaven aka Lakeland. I'm lucky to get to go to their Flagship store so often! And I'm doubly lucky to have a very generous HG! He lets me look at all the things! 
Today's haul... I looked at...
A new baking sheet, int sale 
A new Yorkshire pud tin, int sale
A spare oven shelf - genius- int sale
A new grater, int sale
Some roasting film, to try, int sale
Parchment lined foil FULL PRICE!! 


Two new loaf tins, but one get one 1/2 price. I thought they looked interesting and one of mine needed replacing and I didn't have a small tin. The soda stream stuff had £1 off. The Vit C is for my bread. My old school recipe used to have us taking in half a vitamin C tablet to crush up and to add in. I think it helps with preservation - like my bread lasts long enough!! But I am intrigued to see if it does anything to the flavour. The refil cartridges are for our portable dehumidifier and the sealed bags? For the HG maggots!! 

For tomorrow's tea we procured some Herdwick Lamb, absolutely the nicest lamb to eat ever. Not from a field or anything, we bought it from Booths! Booths is a bit like a Northern Waitrose, but I think they've been around longer.

On the way home we stopped at a place called the Heron Corn Mill. It is a working mill but the original has been preserved and restored so that folks can learn stuff on a jolly nice day out! 

At first I thought it was plastic ...


But nope, t'was real. This was the river downstream that feeds the water wheel.


This is the waterfall upstream. 



Taken from inside the water wheelhouse. 


This is the drying room or the kiln room. The oats - corn was the generic term used for any grain - were laid out on this tiled floor and a fire was lit underneath. 


The kiln fire. 


The tiles had little holes in it to let the heat through. The grain was then poured through various hoppers and ground into flour. 


One of the old millstones. Almost as big as me! We are the same round size though! 

This was turned by the waterwheel. The rhythmic sloshing was loud and persistent and had me rushing to the loo!!

Bad photo and I did shoot some video but it's not loading up for some reason! 

Anyway once we were ready to leave I bought three bags of their flour and I got a free bag! Bargain. 
The weather is supposed to turn overnight so I'm glad we got out today. 

Lots of love from 
Rachel *Going to bake bread tomorrow* Radiostar xxx 

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22 comments:

  1. Anonymous25 March 2016 at 21:51

    We have been using spelt flour for about a month now and I really enjoy the bread made from it. We need to het the proportion of white to brown spelt right because the pure whole eal was very dense. Enjoy you hols-the weather here today was glorious but due to deteriorate tomorrow. Oh dear, I shall be forced to craft all day! Catriona

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  2. Rachel Flowers25 March 2016 at 22:02

    Hello Catriona, thank you for popping my corner of the tinternet. It's lovely to hear from readers! I always use half white to my spelt bread. I too shall be crafting all day! Mostly knitting, baking and crafting! Bliss. X

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  3. lovelygrey26 March 2016 at 05:52

    I've heard that Booths is EVEN posher than Waitrose. Is that true? x

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 07:08

      Well Lovely, I'd like to say yes, but I'd be lying! They let me in, so it can't be!!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous26 March 2016 at 08:23

      The one between Lytham and St Annes is the poshest supermarket I have ver been in. It has a super coffee shop and an Art Gallert! The prices however are even more expensive than Waitrose and M and S food hall. Catriona

      Delete
    3. thrift deluxe28 March 2016 at 12:55

      Lovelygrey, I think the main thing with Booths is that they sell locally produced things when possible. So there's lots of local meat and cheese, and when the time is right Formby asparagus and other locally produced veg. Their "dug today" potatoes in the summer are very nice.

      Having said that, we've just stopped shopping there after about 10 years.

      Delete
  4. Jules26 March 2016 at 06:20

    And yet you didn't stop by for coffee! What a great day. I remember going to the corn mill on a school trip. It was amazing to watch it in action. We also saw a Heron on our walk yesterday, unfortunately I couldn't manage to get a photograph. Lakeland is the shop of dreams. I could spend a whole day in there. X

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 07:09

      Next time Jules! I'd hold off going to Lakeland for a bit, it's being done up!

      Delete
  5. Simple Living26 March 2016 at 06:46

    What a lovely day out, and shopping, well it looks like you are going to be busy in the kitchen now xx

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 07:10

      I'm going to make some loaves and buns, not hot cross though because there's only me who likes em and who'd eat them all!!

      Delete
  6. Joy26 March 2016 at 07:04

    What an absolutely amazing day! A visit to the Lakeland original is a bucket thing for me but so far away that I have to be content to visits to the local shop instead.
    Those loaf tins are brilliant! I have one and I want more < stamps foot >!
    Hoping there will be photos of today's bread making.
    And it is now the Easter break. Not just one extra day but loads and loads. Bliss.
    J x

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 07:12

      Joy, go online and order some, they are buy one get one half price at the minute! This year at school, I love it. We are having the Easter bank holidays. Then we go back for 9 days and THEN I'm off for two weeks!!

      Delete
    2. Joy28 March 2016 at 10:47

      Goodness, that's later than round here. It won't then be long until the Whit half term, will it?
      I was in Lakeland on Saturday and I hovered for ages, umming and ahing but frugality prevailed. After all, I have three other perfectly good Lakeland loaf tins the same size.
      A while ago I did treat myself to a quiche tin in the hopes of no more soggy bottoms but haven't used it. Quiche is not a winter recipe really.

      Delete
  7. Poppypatchwork26 March 2016 at 09:36

    I have to be escorted through Lakeland and Dunelm shops, it's so easy to fill your basket. The mill looked interesting, we have a silk mill close to us. Thanks for your comments on MCW, we do think she has mental issues.

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 20:19

      While it's all very well and good trying to feel sorry for MCW and showing empathy for her health, living nextdoor must be a nightmare

      Delete
  8. Sheila26 March 2016 at 10:45

    Oh I love the Lake District. We have spent quite a few holidays there.
    We do have Lakeland stores which are within easy travelling distance but you can't beat a trip to the main store and I love Booths. Many ingredients have been purchased there for self catering holiday meals.
    The mill looks fabulous. I think hubby and I may plan a day or two up there this summer.
    Thanks for sharing your lovely day out-x-

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 20:22

      I love Booths! I used to work there when I was in the sixth form!

      Delete
  9. Anonymous26 March 2016 at 14:17

    Think the vit c helps with the rising Im new to your blogg so have bookmarked it,

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 20:22

      Ahh welcome to my part of the tinternet - don't be shy, what's your name?

      Delete
  10. Everyday life at Number 3826 March 2016 at 16:13

    What a lovely day out. Those bread tins do look interesting. I don't bake bread often enough to warrant buying any special tins or anything but plain bread flour. The mill sounds like a good day out, never heard of it so off to have a nosey on Google. Rain and wind here today - just for a change. Xx

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    1. Rachel Flowers26 March 2016 at 20:24

      I'm not sure there's enough to keep you for a full day. There was a special renewable energy thing on with loads of stuff for diddys.

      Delete
  11. Sadie2 April 2016 at 08:14

    what a gorgeous day out.
    I love a bit of Lakeland. Ours has a fabulous chandelier hanging in the main section, which I love. Don't get in there too often though, always so much to buy it can get a bit expensive!
    Hope you had a fabulous Easter and didn't scoff too much choccy! ;o) xx

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