Victorian Cooking Methods

Baking - The Victorian Way
Surprisingly, this article is mainly about baking meat.

Frying - The Victorian Way
A very convenient mode of cookery to those who wish to unite comfort with economy, it seems. Watch that lard.

Preserves - The Victorian Way
In an age when fruits were locally-grown and seasonal, preserving them was important.

Steaming - The Victorian Way
The application of steam to culinary purposes has much to recommend it ...

Stewing - The Victorian Way
A wholesome, convenient and economical mode of cookery.
One of its great recommendations is the small amount of fuel consumed to sustain the gentle degree of ebullition required. 'Ebullition'?

Victorian Recipes

Doughnuts - A Victorian Recipe
Modern and American? Not so. Read how the Victorians made doughnuts.

Cooking Eggs - The Victorian Way
Boiled, broiled, fried, poached and more - how to cook those eggs.

Eggs - Some Victorian Recipes
Egg balls, egg curry, egg flip, egg pie, egg pudding, egg salad, egg sauce, egg wine.

Peas - Stewed, Boiled, Pudding, With Milk and Sugar

Pea soup - 5 heroic recipes

Peaches - Victorian Recipes

Pears - Jelly, Marmalade, Stewed, Preserved

Pepper - Victorian Use

Peppermint - Cordial, Drops, Lozenges

Perry - The Victorian Way

Pickles - The Victorian Way

What to do with a Pig - The Victorian Way

Pig, roast - Complete Roast Pig

Pigeon - Pigeon Pie and Other Victorian Recipes

Prawns - Victorian Recipes

Pound Cake - Victorian Recipe

Plum Cake - Four Victorian Recipes

Plum Pudding

More Victorian Plum Recipes

Sponge Cake - Victorian Recipes
Sponge cakes were important features of the Victorian way of life. Here are four recipes.

Tripe - Some Victorian Recipes
boiled, fried, roasted, stewed, friccassed ... all stomach turning. Literally.

Edinburgh

Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Old and new

Edinburgh

Getting to Edinburgh

Water of Leith, Edinburgh

Countering Myths About Welsh

A couple of recent blog posts that tackle some myths about the Welsh language:

Silly things people say about Welsh II

Two stupid things people say about Welsh

Prehistoric carvings in Orkney

Following the discovery of a 5,000-year-old 3.5cm tall stone carved figurine during excavations funded by Historic Scotland at the Links of Noltland prehistoric settlement on the Orkney island of Westray, parallels have been drawn with prehistoric carvings on the Holm of Papay, a small island off Papa Westray

Rating Facial Attractiveness

Three pieces of research on attractiveness:

Women are as complicated as men say they are when evaluating potential mates.

People who know each other well are more likely than strangers to agree on the attractiveness of faces.

A study of a psychological phenomenon called "attentional adhesion" found that whatever the motive, we are automatically and strongly drawn to attractive people and are rendered temporarily unable to avert our attention.

Rating Facial Attractiveness

Race And Ethnicity Confusion

Psychological research on racial prejudice tends to give the impression that 'colour' and ethnic groupings are clearly defined. But a study research published earlier this year points to confusion in the way people identify themselves and in official classifications, at least in the United States.

Race And Ethnicity Confusion

Novelty and the Brain

Infants who are excellent at processing novel information when they are just 6- and 12-months-old are likely to demonstrate excellence in intelligence tests and academic achievements as young adults in their 20's.

Infants, Adults and Novelty

Croatia

Croatia's idyllic Dalmatian islands, the tumbling cascades in Plitvice National Park, the marble streets of medieval Dubrovnik and Diocletian’s amazing Palace in Split all contribute to Croatia's soaring popularity.

Croatia

Islands in the Pacific

A Hiking Guide to Easter Island

Fiji - Backpackers and Billionaires

Samoa a South Pacific Travel Sensation

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is often voted as one of the best travel destinations. With a population of just over 4 million, Costa Rica straddles Central America between the Pacific and the Caribbean. The climate differs widely across the country, with two main seasons: dry (November-April) and wet (May-October). The Pacific province of Guanacaste has the dryest climate, although rainfall in the wet season maight make you think otherwise.

Costa Rica
Volcanic Costa Rica
Cloud Forests
Nicoya, Costa Rica

The Walter Family Of Babcary, Somerset

Genealogical account of the family of Ann and Walter Walter and their descendants.

Walter Walter (1804-1877) lived at the 110 acre Greenhill Farm, Lower Foddington, Babcary, Somerset. He was married to Ann Leach Penny (1814-1889) who was born in the neighbouring village of Charlton Mackrell, Somerset.

The Walter Family of Babcary, Somerset, England

Albert Walter - Illinois and the Civil War
Albert Walter was born in Babcary, Somerset, England in 1840, the son of Walter and Ann Walter. He emigrated to the USA and died in the Civil War.

Hugh and Robert Walter in America
Hugh Penny Walter and Robert Leach Walter emigrated to the USA and settled in Barber County, Kansas

Family of David Walter
Born Babcary, Somerset, died in Swansea, Glamorgan.

Family of Benjamin Walter of Slough and Eton
Born Babcary, Somerset, died Slough, Buckinghamshire.

The Horne Family of Careby, Lincolnshire, England, UK

A genealogical account of the family of Henry and Elizabeth Horne.

The Horne Family of Careby, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Palma Majorca

Palma is the capital city of and the island of Majorca's main port. It is on the south coast of the island, on the Bay of Palma with a population of around 383,000. The city's came name from the Romans who first set up a hilltop base in this area. There is very little that is Roman remaining, but some portions of the walls from this settlement can be seen around the city. Another wall was built by the Moors in the 10th Century in this area, but this is no longer standing.

More at: Palma Majorca

Athens

The first reliable historical information about Athens relates to an incident some time after 640BC when a certain Kylon (once an Olympic champion) attempted a coup during a religious festival. The coup failed. He escaped but his followers were
killed. The mythical story of Athens goes back to Theseus who was credited with much of the city-state's legal system and city council. In fact, the region of Attica - unusually large for a city-state - took centuries to unify. More at: Athens

Athens, capital of Greece, was transformed as a tourist destination by the Olympic Games of 2004. The Greek capital now has a modern international airport, metro system and motorway connections to match the unparalleled archaeological sites that have made Athens one of the world's most dramatic cities for thousands of years.

More at: Tourist Athens

Old Images of London

A Wet Night on the Thames Embankment - card posted 1903

Cannon Street

Charing Cross

London Bridge

Waterloo Bridge

Post-Roman Buildings

What happened to the buildings of Roman Britain? They became a vast quarry for later
medieval builders.

Post-Roman Buildings

Middlesex - Antiquarian Notes

Isleworth
Teddington
Twickenham
Pope's Villa, Twickenham

Lincoln - Historical Accounts

Lincoln (1802 - 1866): Lincoln, a place of considerable note in the ecclesiastical and military annals of England, is singularly situated on the top and side of a high hill, which slopes with a deep descent to the south, where the river Witham runs at its base.

Lincoln - 1
Lincoln - 2
Lincoln - 3

Some British Cities

Places to look at for a spring visit:

Cardiff

Edinburgh

Newcastle-Gateshead

London Attractions

London has a number of iconic landmarks, recognised by people all over the world. Virtually everyone knows that Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square are in the British capital. But newer landmarks are becoming a prominent feature of tourist and working London. Read on:

London's New Landmarks

Cardiff

Known as ‘Europe’s youngest capital’, Cardiff, in south Wales, has re-invented itself as one of Britain’s most buzzing, young-at-heart and stylish cities. It’s a rapidly-evolving, vibrant and fascinating place for a short break More at:

Cardiff: Europe's youngest capital

Kew - Historical notes

Kew (1772 & 1789): Some excerpts from the Gentleman's Magazine for historical interest:

The buildings in Kew Gardens are deservedly the admiration of all foreigners

Teenage Stress

Stress in adolescence may have a negative impact on health in adulthood. Healthy teenagers reporting interpersonal conflicts had increased levels of C-reactive protein an inflammatory marker associated with later development of cardiovascular disease.

Teenage Stress

Consistent Contributors

Consistent contributors" help to increase efficiency by positively influencing less motivated members of their group.


Consistent Contributors

Salt Consumption Linked To Moods

Over-consumption of and craving for salt may be explained by its mood-enhancing qualities. Researchers found rats deficient in sodium chloride (common table salt) avoided activities they normally enjoy.

Salt Consumption Linked To Moods

Ageism - Stereotypes Can Become Reality

Older people who believe in negative assumptions about aging tend to fulfill them. This study found that young, healthy people with stereotypical attitudes to older people may be at risk of heart disease themselves in the future.

Ageism - Stereotypes Can Become Reality

Genes and Breast Cancer

A set of 50 genes can reliably identify all four types of breast cancer, potentially enabling personalized therapy for individual patients.


Genes and Breast Cancer

Happy Hospitals

Radical change to traditional hospital management is a key factor, producing significant improvements in patient and employee satisfaction.

Happy Hospitals

Mediterranean Diet May Help Alzheimer's

Mediterranean diet appears to be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's.


Mediterranean Diet May Help Alzheimer's

Gut Feelings Can Be Valid

Electrophysiological evidence that decisions thought to be based on guesswork or gut feelings may actually draw on valid memories that cannot be consciously accessed.

Gut Feelings Can Be Valid

Experiences More Satisfying Than Possessions

Research from San Francisco State University presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology has found that purchasing experiences rather than possessions results in increased well-being for consumers and others around them. The study concludes that this is because purchases of this type address higher order needs such as the need for social connectedness.

Experiences More Satisfying Than Possessions

Gardening - Seeds from Thompson & Morgan

Time to start sowing seeds, either in a greenhouse or propagator, or, in some cases, directly in the ground when conditions are warm enough. One of the greatest pleasures in gardening is growing your own plants from seed. Thompson & Morgan have one of the best selections of seeds available.

Impression Management And Survey Responses

Why people do not necessarily tell the strict truth about themselves in surveys and whether or not anything can be done about it.

Impression Management And Survey Responses

Going Grey

A research report in The FASEB Journal concludes that hydrogen peroxide, rather than wisdom, is at the root (literally) of greying hair.

According to the researchers, the process of going gray is caused by a massive build up of hydrogen peroxide because of wear and tear on our hair follicles. The peroxide blocks synthesis of melanin, the natural pigment that gives hair its natural colour.

Going Grey

Women Are More Expressive When Texting

While men may talk more in public, women make more of text messaging in a public venue.

Women Are More Expressive When Texting

Multiracials Feel Better

Ratings on indicators such as happiness, stress, citizenship behavior, and school alienation showed that multiracial students were more engaged in school and felt better than individuals who regarded themselves as being from a single group.

Multiracials Feel Better

Heart And Brain Health Linked

Almost one half of patients with heart failure have memory failure and other problems in cognitive functioning.

Heart And Brain Health Linked

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Significant differences in cancer rates between northern and southern Europeans may be explained by the anti-cancer effects of olive oil in the diet. Now a Spanish study confirms that anti-oxidants in extra virgin olive oil can combat breast cancer.


Health Benefits of Olive Oil