Ever Cottage Kitchen

 

 

 

 

Welcome to The Kitchen

Here in Ever Cottage Kitchen, you'll find a few of Granny's and Aunties' favourites, bringing a little taste of those wonderful old-fashioned days into your kitchen today. Don't forget to visit our other in the kitchen pages for more delicious recipes.

We remember the kitchen at The Old Ranch, where the comforting smell of freshly baked bread, warm scones, jam tarts and homemade biscuits and many other deliciously baked goodies filled the air. These are recipes inspired by the simple, wholesome cooking we remember from our childhood made with love, shared around the table, and treasured through the generations.

Granny's Homemade Bread

There was always something special about bread made at home. At The Old Ranch, the smell of Granny's freshly baked bread would fill the kitchen, creating one of those simple childhood memories that stays with you.

Ingredients:

  • 500g plain flour

  • 1½ teaspoons salt

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 7g dried yeast

  • 300ml warm water

  • 1 tablespoon butter or lard

  • A little extra flour for kneading

Method:

  1. Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a large bowl.

  2. Add the warm water and butter or lard, and mix until a soft dough forms.

  3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

  4. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size.

  5. Knead gently for another minute, then shape into a loaf and place into a greased loaf tin.

  6. Cover and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes.

  7. Bake at 200°C for approximately 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

  8. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

A little memory from The Old Ranch:
For Dad, homemade bread was one of those simple things that made the old kitchen feel like home, warm, comforting and made with love.

Granny's Jam Tarts

Small, sweet and wonderfully simple, jam tarts were the kind of treat that could turn an ordinary afternoon into something special. Made with homemade pastry and a spoonful of jam, they belonged perfectly in the kitchen of The Old Ranch and now here at Ever Cottage. 

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

  • 250g plain flour

  • 125g butter

  • 60g caster sugar

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1–2 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

  • Your favorite jam — raspberry, strawberry or sweet plum are lovely

Method:

  1. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

  2. Stir in the sugar.

  3. Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the mixture together into a soft dough.

  4. Wrap and chill for about 20–30 minutes.

  5. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and cut into rounds.

  6. Place the rounds into greased small tart or muffin tins.

  7. Spoon a small amount of jam into the center of each tart, don't overfill, as the jam will bubble as it cooks.

  8. Bake at 180°C for approximately 12–15 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden.

  9. Allow to cool before serving.

A little memory from The Old Ranch:
When fruit was plentiful, homemade jam would have been one of the wonderful ways to preserve the harvest. A little pastry and a spoonful of jam could turn that summer fruit into a treat to enjoy long after the season had passed.

Aunties' Country Scones

Nothing says old-fashioned country kitchen quite like a freshly baked scone. Simple ingredients, a hot oven and something delicious to put on the table, just as it should be.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups plain flour

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 60g butter

  • 1½ cups milk

  • A little extra milk for brushing

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

  2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

  3. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

  4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk.

  5. Mix gently with a knife until a soft dough forms. Don't overmix.

  6. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat the dough to about 2–3cm thick.

  7. Cut into rounds and place on a lightly greased baking tray.

  8. Brush the tops with a little milk.

  9. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes, until risen and golden.

  10. Serve warm with butter, jam and perhaps a cup of tea.

A little memory from The Old Ranch:
These are the kinds of recipes that remind us that wonderful food doesn't have to be complicated. At The Old Ranch, the kitchen was part of everyday life, filled with home cooking, baking and the people who gathered around it.