Tuesday 31 December 2013

Celebrating New Years day in Steampunk Style

  News Years Day 1914


[picnic party , Home Hill]

Lets us take a peek down the telescope of time to take a glimpse of how one may have spent the day in celebration of the New Year of 1914.


  This New Year marks the centenary of major events in Steampunk History



  Parading  in  full military regalia  in the searing  hot sun  in the far reaches of the British empire in India  [Bannur]



 St. Petersburg-Tampa Air Boat Line,  Florida . 1st scheduled flight of the world's 1st airline
[ fortunately everything went according to plan]





tropical  Torrance California   local municipal parade



New Years in the Antipodes 

 [ where they  celebrate in  new years  in summertime when the weather is fine] 




Childrens' Fete Havelock New Zealand
gathered on what looks to be an excellent slope for roly poly




 Auckland NZ New Years Regatta Day

Promenading in Ponsonby. The local citizens in all their finery.


  New years outing, Murray River bed at Riversdale  [Australia ] in a drought year


New Years in the Northern Hemisphere

 Brave souls bearing nearly there all  at  New York  Coney Island in the wintery new year

   
  Whittlesey woke to a surprise that day 

A novel way to spend New Years Day  -  with an erected cock 


erection of new weather vane St Mary's church, Whittlesey   [ UK] New Years day 1914

Saturday 5 October 2013

Stout recipes with beer - good for what ales you

 

 


Raise Your Cup

The World's oldest social beverage

Beer remains  as a top 3 favourite.

 12 000 years of brewing and still going strong.

 

One theory is that the fermentation process of making beer or ale kills off bugs and bacteria in brackish water. Humanity has survived by imbibing beer.

 

It maintains a spiritual connection to home and hearth. It has  given us our daily bread. Beer as always risen to the occasion. Beer is the earliest known leavening agent. Until relatively recent times it was commonly used in  baking and cooking.




 

 

 

 

 

 





Keen campers and determined will be pleased to know most premade baking  mixes  can have the water / milk component replaced with beer.[it is all very scientific]

The following belly filler recipes are adapted from old time comfort nursery food  and camping staples.



[all cooking  can be translated to alternative stoves  and fire side ]


 

 

 

 

 

Cheese Egg Scones

 

2 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup minced fresh green onions (white and green parts)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup beer 1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 
Preheat oven to 240o degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in green onions and cheese. Whisk beer, egg and oil in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir until mixture forms moist clumps. (If dough is too dry, add beer by tablespoonfuls to moisten.)
Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead a few times until dough comes together.
Pat dough into 1-inch-thick round. Cut into wedges. Arrange on baking sheet.

 

  Beer Damper

 

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter or oil 
375 mls [can ] beer



1.  Preheat camp oven over moderate coals, or preheat oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl, then add the margarine and rub with fingertips until just combined.

 
2. Pour in the beer and mix very gently, until a dough just comes together. Form into a loaf shape, then place on a pizza tray and set on a trivet in the camp oven, ensuring there are ample hot coals on the lid of the camp oven. If baking in a conventional oven, arrange the loaf on a lined oven tray. Bake for 30 minutes, until deep-golden. Cool on a wire rack.




 

Beer Scones

3 cups flour plus a pinch (400gms)
A pinch of salt
200mls cold beer
200mls cold cream






method

Heat oven to 240C

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre, add the cream and beer and work gently together until combined, do not knead this dough as your scones will become tough.

Pat out mix to approximately 2.5cm thick, cut out scones and place onto lined baking tray.

Brush with a little milk or cream, and bake for 12 minutes, until light and fluffy.


 Beer Pancakes

 













2 cups  flour
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 can  beer

 Place  all ingredients in a bowl, beat well
Grease skillet or pan
Ladle or pour  mixture  onto pan  in half cup measure 
Flip to cook both sides



Dogfish Indian Brown Beer Scones with Raisins and Pecans:


1 and ¼ cup raisins
1 cup nuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup beer
4 cups self rising flour
3 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp cold butter cut into chunks
¼ cup heavy cream


after mixing in the dry ingredients, cut in the heavy cream, then lastly, the butter. Do not overmix, or the scones will be little bricks and you will be sad.

 Roll out and cut into  small circles
Bake for 12 mins at 220o








Kielbasa Cheddar Beer Scones

3/4 cup cubed, browned kielbasa sausage
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup beer

Mix dry ingredients
Make a well and pour in beer
Mix thoroughly 
roll out on board , cut into 3 inch  wedges
Bake in oven 230o for 14 mins



 Beer Muffins



3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (12 ounce) can beer 


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180o.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
3. Add eggs, oil and beer.
4. Stir to mix but do not beat.
5. Spoon into a well greased muffin tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Beer Bread



 

3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can beer
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)


1 Preheat oven to 180o
2 Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3 Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4 Pour melted butter over mixture.
5 Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.




Welsh Rarebit


Ingredients
50g/2oz flour
50g/2oz butter
250ml/9oz strong beer, warmed
250g/9oz strong cheese grated
2tsp mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
     black pepper
4 large slices granary bread
Preparation method
  1. In a small saucepan melt the butter and make a roux with the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring to prevent the roux from burning. Stir in the warm beer by degrees, until you have a thick but smooth sauce. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. You should now have a thick paste. Mix in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and season well with black pepper.
  2. Lightly toast and butter the bread, then pile up the cheesy mixture on each slice. Cook under a hot grill for a few minutes, until browned and bubbling.                     



Sunday 15 September 2013

Castles for Mad Steampunk Living

 Mad Castles For the Mad Steampunk


 What could fit the Steampunk  ethos  more superbly  than inhabiting a living &  breathing  castle. Your own "private fortified residence" to use the academic definition of a castle. 

 

  From the  majestic hilltop Chateau, ruler of all you survey - to a Gothic stone Tower in a defensive valley   fighting off the Hordes

  -a Steampunks home is their castle


 Below is a listing of real estate chosen for its deeper darker intensity and history. Having  the alchemy and atmosphere  nonpareil for the Mad Scientist; the  darkly brooding prescience to inspire the Poet within, the rambling  romance alluring to the restoration  enthusiast.  

 

- or you could find an village of feudal serfs to press gang into building your own "private fortified residence"     


 Vorontsov Palace,  Crimea Odessa

 

The palace was built from 1828 through 1848 for Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov  a Russian Governor general; to a Scottish and Moorish influence that had taken his fancy . His young  wife had affair with poet Alexander Pushkin,   whom Vorontsov had banished













the blue room features intricate decor completed by serf artisans


 Burg Eltz Castle, Germany

 

 Built in the 12th century, it has been owned by the same family  for 33 generations. This castle is situated  on a rocky crag in a strategic location  on the Rhine River. It is surrounded by  water on 3 sides. Many  raging battles have been  fought and won from this tactical position.







Despite  the castle's picturesque appeal, there is a long, gruesome and violent history attached.







 Burg Rheinstein Castle,  Germany


 Built in the early 14th century  for the Archbishops of Mainz on a strategic  section of the Rhine river. It is another castle on the Rhine  with a history of warring. It eventually fell into decline and was mortgaged off  to a fiefdom on the  river bank opposite. 
 






The castle  was bought by Price Frederick of Prussia  during the Romantic Period of the early 19th century and rebuilt.





 




Eilean Donan castle [ Island of Donnan ], Scotland

 

This castle was built  for the Clan McKenzie in the 13th century and named after Donnan of Eigg, a saint martyred in  617 Arguably  one of the most romantic castles in Scotland , it has an extensive and bloody history. Its origins stem from  a fort to defend the area from Viking raiders. It was destroyed  by cannon fire in the 1700s  when it played host to Spanish soldiers aiding the Jacobite rebellions.






Rebuilding of the castle commenced in the early 1900s by Lt Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap to a surviving ground plan of previous construction and renovation.









Penrice Castle, Wales 1770s


The mansion, built in the 1770s by  Thomas Mansel Talbot (1747-1813) of Margam and Penrice, is itself  one of the finest country houses in Wales. Its main purpose was to house antiquities and works of art  bought during a Grand Tour of Europe by the owner.





 Penrice Mansion is on the site of a previous 13th century  Penrice Castle [ seen to the upper right] that fell to ruin in the English Civil Wars; which in turn was built on  the ancient site of a ring work fortification.














Neidpath Castle , Peebles Scotland


Situated on the river Tweed, this  Neidpath castle was built in the 14th Century for the   High Sherrif of Tweeddale,  on the site of an older castle . It is reputedly haunted by a love lorn young woman. After repairs from artillery attacks in the 1600s,  part of the building collapsed in the  1790s.  It still retains the iron bars on some windows  and  the pit dungeon  .











 Mary Queen of Scots stayed in the room below during a visit in  1563





 Charleville Castle, County Ofaly  Ireland 

 

Designed in the Gothics Revival style, Charleville Castle was built in the  last years 1700s. It is situated in Ireland's most ancient oak woods once inhabited by Druids. 2 main towers are located over tsterious "ley lines" used by dowsersDespite being a castles of relatively modern origins, it is known as the most haunted castle in Ireland.






Lord Byron often played host to wild parties here



 The stairway  frequented by Martha's ghost















 Malahide Castle, Dublin Ireland 

 

 One of the oldest castles in Ireland, the Talbot family lived here in their private fortified residence for 800 years, from 1185 to 1975. It originally had defensive walls and a moat, the depressions can still be seen in the park grounds. The present towers and facade were added in 1765.  The castle and the Talbot family survived confiscation, fire, siege and cannon balls.








 





Clifford Tower [ York Castle], York England


A  motte castle built by Normans to suppress the  Yorkshire rebellion of 1069.  The original castle tower was constructed on the top of an enormous man made earth mound as per usual practice of the period. This was burnt down a year later by Jews seeking sanctuary from anti Jewish riots. It was immediately rebuilt. Clifford Tower is all that remains from the  York castle that was built as an extensive motte & bailey fortification. It  was of importance to William the Conqueror as strategic to control the Northern English. 

 









Its main use developed over time, as a court, prison and place of executionYork Castle  has been strategic over the centuries for  putting down rebellions.





 The biggest of these risings was the Rebellion of York in the 1500s