Things you make and think, why did I ever buy it?

[oldjerry]

For me it's pizza/focacci,at least that available in the UK.It's just so easy to make.I've never been so proud of my children as when midway a long trip we reluctantly ate at a P----hut,and Ted,my 4yr old,unprompted,told the waitress he thought the passata was 'crap'!!

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Pretty much everything food-related.

We used to love going to restaurants. Then we went through a period of a few years when the business was starting and we had no spare cash at all so we stopped. During that time we really learned to cook, so that now things are a little easier we have discovered that we can eat far better at home than out.

Home made soap has been a revelation too.

[Milims]

Tomato ketchup!
I really want to make my own pasta but so far it just hasn't turned out vey well I think I need some lessons!

[oldjerry]

[quote="The Riff-Raff Element"]Pretty much everything food-related.

We used to love going to restaurants. we have discovered that we can eat far better at home than out.


Absolutely!!..............Mrs OJ really likes eating out,but 9 times out of 10 (at least in the UK) I come away thinking we could have done better ourselves,so basically I've just spent 60 or 70 quid to avoid the washing up.

[Green Aura]

We cook everything from scratch (Mother's ready meals and gal's vegan junk food excepted!!!). We make most of our own bread, yoghurt, ice cream, jams and chutneys (apart from Branston pickle which I've never come close to replicating ) and I've had a go at making hard cheese once - edible but not worth repeating at this point; wine, beer and cider (although the best cider we've made was from a kit). I make "speciality" pastas from scratch but life's too short for the bog standard stuff! Our hot pepper sauce is fab and I'm currently attempting Cider Vinegar and Sauerkraut, with mixed success.

I make soap, toothpaste(ish), mouthwash, deodorant and cleansing oils and my washing powder is great and unperfumed (can't stand the smell of most washing powders). I just use white vinegar as fabric conditioner. When I go to densely populated areas my nose goes into overdrive these days - at home the only smells are cooking, essential oils and fresh air (and me on days when I can't be bothered to have a wash! ) - all the competing chemically perfumes etc give me a headache and make me feel sick now.

The only thing I've had a really poor result from is home made dishwasher powder - dreadful.

[Susie]

I didn't start this thread to find people to exploit, honestly. However:

Green Aura - how do you make deodorant? I've never had any luck with natural deodorants I've bought - one brought me out in a rash. I have to use Dove and now they're doing all this nonsense about making your armpits beautiful and it's annoying me.

OJ - how do you make your pizza? I never feel mine is quite right. Do you cook it in a really hot oven?

{Goes off to reread thread and make notes ;-) }.

[Odsox]

When I go to densely populated areas my nose goes into overdrive these days -

YES !!! when I'm forced to go back to the UK, as soon as I get off the ferry in Swansea all I can smell is petrol and diesel fumes, and as for Port Talbot
Makes it nice to get back home though.
Sorry, off topic I know.

[Green Aura]

The deodorant is one I make to sell in the shop Susie. Basically though it's a body cream recipe, with extra wax to make it more solid and with deodorant essential oils - lemon, sage and pine or whatever. Works a treat - tiny petit pois size piece, melts on contact with skin and has the added bonus of being anti-fungal (used it on Athlete's foot successfully! ).

[red]

problem is once you have broken away from shop bought stuff.. if for some reason you go back to it.. it tastes like kak. specially the soap

we make our own soap, from pigs fat from own pigs. next i need to learn how to make liquid soap, just cos a pump dispenser is easier when you are really mucky

[Green Aura]

It's not too difficult red. you just need potassium hydroxide instead of sodium. The sage lye calculator does KOH and is very good.

What I want to try next are Glycerine soaps - still using the M+P base for those

[Susie]

Thanks Green Aura! It sounds lovely.

I want to make liquid soap too, but I'm nervous. The book I've got seems to use a big potassium hydroxide surplus and then neutralises the soap with borax so it isn't cloudy, I can't understand why I can't have cloudy soap that doesn't need neutralising but I may not have read it properly. Also you seem to need to boil the paste and replace evaporated water. I am scared.

[red]

It's not too difficult red. you just need potassium hydroxide instead of sodium. The sage lye calculator does KOH and is very good.

What I want to try next are Glycerine soaps - still using the M+P base for those

any suggestions on places to buy potassium hydroxide? caustic soda was easy to get

[Odsox]

it tastes like kak. specially the soap

You eat soap ??!!!

[chickenchargrill]

I make soap, toothpaste(ish), mouthwash, deodorant and cleansing oils and my washing powder is great and unperfumed (can't stand the smell of most washing powders). I just use white vinegar as fabric conditioner. When I go to densely populated areas my nose goes into overdrive these days - at home the only smells are cooking, essential oils and fresh air (and me on days when I can't be bothered to have a wash! ) - all the competing chemically perfumes etc give me a headache and make me feel sick now.

The only thing I've had a really poor result from is home made dishwasher powder - dreadful.

Can't you just use your washing powder if it's all natural? I know soap nuts can be used in the washing machine and dishwasher. I love my soapnuts though, would never go back to powder. I just use those and some essential oil for conditioner.

[Keaniebean]

Ive not had much luck with soap although I would love to have another stab at it. I followed the recipe given by Kirsty Allsopy pants but after leaving it to cure for months it was still soft and when we washed using it there was a wonderful burning sensation so I haven't tried it again, although I would love to, especially as we make our own washing powder. I'd love to be using my own soap rather than someone elses.

I just don't know what I did wrong, so am reluctant to waste all those ingredients again.