The Way Great-Grandmother Did

"That's the way Great-grandmother did it. She looked in the larder, the cellar and then took a walk through the garden to see what she had. And then she made menus for the next couple days."

~ Carla Emory ~

*Do you cook with an electric or gas range? Which do you prefer and why? This is my cabin range and I love how instantly it heats. I think I prefer the electric oven at home for baking though.*

Silver Cleaner

Do you enjoy silver or silver-plate, but find that keeping it polished is difficult? Although the shabby chic, unpolished looks is a fashion mode right now, there are times that sparkling silver is preferred. Although I use silver paste and other commercial polishing agents, I sometimes use this method to start the process of bringing shine to my favorite pieces. Just be sure not to allow your silver to sit in the mixture for too long (overnight, for example) as it could damage pieces with only a thin coating of silver.

Silver Cleaner

1 sheet aluminum foil, shiny side up
Boiling water
1 glass baking dish (or use the sink)
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons salt

Fill the foil-lined container with boiling water. Add baking soda and salt.
Put the silver items in so that they are not touching each other and are
resting on the foil. You will see the tarnish disappear. Leave heavily
tarnished items in the solution for as long as 5 minutes. Rinse the silver
with warm water and gently buff it dry with a soft towel.