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Can you use a coolbox in the water as a fridge?


Tara1234

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The last three boats I bought came with one of those 3 way fridges.

I never turned them on, and set them free at the first rubbish disposal I passed. I'd leave a not on them saying "Working, but get it checked"

I sometimes use a cool box (without plugging into 12V) I merely rely on cold milk and/or frozen peas to help keep the temp. down.  I have no intention of turning my boat into a floating battery bank with a photovoltaic roof that can't be traversed except under panic when it looks like a few grands worth of solar cells might get wiped out under a bridge or when the local scrotes decide to drop a brick on them.

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We didn't have a fridge at home until I was 16, you can't live like that today as everything has to be refrigerated now. my word how food has changed in the last 50 years. As for eat within three days, we only bought groceries once a week, I think the butcher and the fishman came once a week without a refrigerated van.

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3 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

Sorry for wandering off topic.

It's not just food that's changed over the years.  I wrote the following probably about ten years ago.

When compulsory wearing of seat belts in the front of a car (never mind in the back) was floated there was total outcry. 

“If I want to catapult myself head first through my own windscreen and spend the rest of my life dribbling and saying Num Num in the corner whilst tugging at the hem of my dressing gown, then I should bloody well be allowed to!” 

One bloke I know in Derby even went to the trouble of having a cardigan knitted in a fetching beige colour with a diagonal black stripe across the chest so it looked as if he was wearing a seat belt!  I remember asking him if he’d considered having an overcoat made in the shape of a coffin, he squared himself up set his jaw and muttered that he might ….. if he wanted to … so there!

Today, however, if someone under the age of 25 climbs into your car they panic if you put the key in the ignition before they’ve located the end of the belt. 

Peanuts!

KP used to make a tiny bag that sold for 2d. (real money) just big enough to put in your child’s lunch box.  Peanuts were encouraged they are cheap, full of protein and rich in fibre.Try offering nuts to anyone under 25, the expression on their face would indicate that you’d just suggested they should perform an indecent act with their Great Aunt Gladys. 

“I can’t stand them!” They’ll tell you.

Truth is they’ve never tried one.  The fear of a child choking on a nut led society to convince children that gobbling a handful of peanuts was as acceptable as sucking a dog jobbie.

If you really want to go for the jackpot then thrust an open packet of the best salted variety under their nose as they climb into the back of your car just after you’ve hidden the seat belt and are revving the engine!  I promise they’ll never ask you again if you are available to just run them over to their friend’s house 30 miles away.  Plus you will enjoy the advantage of all their friends looking at you in a most suspicious manner, because word will get round very quickly, that you are so weird. 

 

Don’t panic though for every cloud has a silver lining! And this one is pure gold, yes sir-reee …… 24 karat, nickel plated, double hinged, cast iron riveted GOLD!!!!It’s name? ……….. Sell by Date.

All hail the great benefactor who gave us sell by dates.  Sometimes this treasure goes by the name of Best Before it matters not a jot, a rose by any other name and all that jazz.

So how does this work then? 

Well you can thank the retail trade’s fixation about being sued for poisoning their customers for this little beauty.

This will enable you to stop the free loading youth of today from robbing you blind. They’ll stop visiting at meal times, or grunting a Neanderthal greeting at you as they pillage your fridge at any other time.

All this whilst clearing the way for you to take full advantage of the “cheap shelf” at Sainsbury’s To Boot!!!! 

Anyone born after 1980 has been programmed that food magically becomes deadly poison two seconds after the date on the package expires. 

I urge you to do nothing to educate them otherwise. 

We, who know different have learnt the hard way, they must do the same.  

We have learnt to check food by looking at it, sniffing it, sticking a finger in it and carefully tasting it before deciding that green, hairy yoghurt with enough whiff to bend glass and a flavour capable of recharging car batteries has probably passed it.   

The date doesn’t come into it, it never did, it never will. 

If the manufacturers could predicate the date of expiry so accurately they wouldn’t be making yoghurt they’d be raking it in selling life insurance …. or coffins!

But don’t tell the youngsters, they carefully examine the date code on your box of Belgian chocs and whine that they expire at the weekend; do you think they’ll be alright?  

There’s no need to lie though, confidently affirm that they’ll be fine. State that you’ve been eating stuff all your life that’s been on the verge of going out of date.

They’ll slowly look you up and down, the expression on their faces none too complimentary, but they’ll return your chocs unmolested. 

It’s even worth investing in a gummed label printer and running off your own “Best Before Tomorrow” Stickers.  Shove them on everything you’ve got, you’ll save a fortune so you will!

However, it doesn’t end there; don’t forget the bargain shelves in Sainsbury’s.  

You may have to fight your way through the aisles festooned with young families stocking up on frozen pizzas, pre-packed shepherd pies and chicken curries all cleverly conjured out of preformed unrecognisable chunks of something, but it’s worth the effort. 

For out the back near the dog food you’ll find the stand that every OAP dreams of. Stacked high are the dented tins and packs of scoff that no young person will ever venture near.  They might as well be sporting large day-glo labels showing a skull and cross bones, but they don’t need to for the tiny lettering showing a date three days hence is more than enough to keep the wrinklies happy and the future of this country resigned to eating stodge that bears as much resemblance to the photo on the packet as I do to the next winner of X Factor. 

I can find the “To Clear Shelf” in any supermarket blindfolded.  All you have to do is listen for aged voices complaining that all they can find is Fillet Steak and Scottish Salmon AGAIN! “I know it’s reduced down to only 10p a pound but I’ve been living off the stuff for months now” They’ll whine.“And the cat won’t even look at lobster any more!” They go on.

We always used to say if you can still recognise it, it's edible.

Partly the reason we have food banks these days is people have simply forgotten how to make things stretch, or make something from nothing.  My grandma could make a meal out of almost anything because she grew up in real poverty, my mum likewise.  In their house she said they kept one tin of fruit that was never used, it was there just in case they had "company".  In our day nothing, simply nothing, was wasted even if you couldn't eat it it went on the compost heap and all we had was a tiny dustbin mainly for the ashes from the fire cue the Hovis music...

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15 hours ago, bizzard said:

When milk goes off, leave it in the bottle until it goes a bit solid and then transfer to an old sock, a nylon one. Hang it up over the sink and let it drip and mature. In a few days time you will to be able to enjoy lovely cheezy cream cheese.

make note if bizzard invites to afternoon tea go for jam butties 

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16 hours ago, bizzard said:

When milk goes off, leave it in the bottle until it goes a bit solid and then transfer to an old sock, a nylon one. Hang it up over the sink and let it drip and mature. In a few days time you will to be able to enjoy lovely cheezy cream cheese.

Just a short question bizzard, is it necessary for this old sock to be a clean one, or will any old sock (even a holy ;) one) do ?

 

Peter.

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17 hours ago, Robbo said:

Well margarine, does anyone use butter these days? 

Absolutely! It's so much better for you than hydrogenated squashed up seeds. I'm amazed anyone uses margarine. 

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15 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Absolutely! It's so much better for you than hydrogenated squashed up seeds. I'm amazed anyone uses margarine. 

If it contains more than 3% milk fats, it isn't margarine, it's a spread. So nearly all of the "margarine" consumed actually isn't.

I tend to alternate between butter and the butter 'spread' with rapeseed oil (or olive oil) in it.    

Both melt in the heat though.

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23 hours ago, Tara1234 said:

Hey so I am soon going to be getting myself a cheap boat. However from what I have researched electrical power is inneffecient. On campsites we have kept stuff cool by putting it in a bucket of water. Would dangling a cool box off the side of the boat be able to keep my dairy and meat products cool enough or will I need to buy a 12v fridge from somewhere?

To answer the question .

No - you can use a cool box in the water . But it will be a cool box in the water ..which is not a fridge .

Alternatively a fridge will function as a fridge ...because its been designed to do so . 

If you use the cool box your meat and dairy are unlikely to last as long . You will need to visit shops more frequently or use less perishable food . If you buy frozen food that will help keep the temp down in the cool box as will a £1 bag of ice . In winter i dont use a fridge , in summer i most definately do as my solar fitout enables this with ease .

Anyway , up to you i guess . Personally i think its a daft idea ... but then theres been a spate of dumb questions on CWDF of late . 

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Butter may do no harm, but what evidence is there that it is actually 'good for you'?  Is any food actually 'good for you'???  I accept that a balanced diet is beneficial.

I doubt if any, single food is 'good for you' unless you are lacking in something to begin with.  In the same way, exercise is good for you but only up to a limit.  If you walk twenty miles a day, a bike ride is not 'good for you' as it will not add anything.

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When I lived in LA I did get to love KrispyKremes iced donuts.  I heard you could visit their outlet when the illuminated sign was revolving, and get them warm, straight from the bakery.  but the nearest outlet was in Compton where taxis refused to go.  

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2 hours ago, Neil2 said:

Peanuts!

KP used to make a tiny bag that sold for 2d. (real money) just big enough to put in your child’s lunch box.  Peanuts were encouraged they are cheap, full of protein and rich in fibre.Try offering nuts to anyone under 25, the expression on their face would indicate that you’d just suggested they should perform an indecent act with their Great Aunt Gladys. 

 

I am one of the old lucky ones, i can eat a bag of nuts without my head changing shape.

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2 hours ago, bargemast said:

Just a short question bizzard, is it necessary for this old sock to be a clean one, or will any old sock (even a holy ;) one) do ?

 

Peter.

An old ladies nylon stocking is best, but with no ladders or holes at the foot end in em which would cause the curds to drip out too fast and you'd lose the lot before its reached a solid state of smooth and tasteful matured cream cheese.

I mean, not necessarily an old ladies stocking, it can be an old young ladies stocking. But an old, old ladies stocking would make much stronger and richer cheese especially if shes just run a full marathon in them, older the better in fact. For a light flavoured, fragrant cream cheese a young ladies newer stocking could be used. For extra light and gentle and rather tasteless cheese, a brand new unworn stocking can be used.

Edited by bizzard
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36 minutes ago, mross said:

When I lived in LA I did get to love KrispyKremes iced donuts.  I heard you could visit their outlet when the illuminated sign was revolving, and get them warm, straight from the bakery.  but the nearest outlet was in Compton where taxis refused to go.  

 

Ah Krispy Kreme donuts. They contain so much (vegetable) fat I was once told they officially count towards your 'five a day' target!

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8 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Ah Krispy Kreme donuts. They contain so much (vegetable) fat I was once told they officially count towards your 'five a day' target!

Euwgh! Too sweet!

The only legitimate purpose of sugar is to let little yeasties turn it into ethanol and CO2

Edited by Machpoint005
sp
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Krispy Kreme donuts .

Effing yanks - 3 words all spelt wrong . Not only that but i just dont the thing with these so called doughnuts . Surely theyre crap ? Ive never eaten one mainly because i like doughnuts not bullshit americana .

Sugar Ring or Jam . Thats it ... maybe a little cinammon -  After that its no longer a doughnut ....its just nonsense 

cheers

 

Edited by chubby
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1 hour ago, bizzard said:

An old ladies nylon stocking is best, but with no ladders or holes at the foot end in em which would cause the curds to drip out too fast and you'd lose the lot before its reached a solid state of smooth and tasteful matured cream cheese.

I mean, not necessarily an old ladies stocking, it can be an old young ladies stocking. But an old, old ladies stocking would make much stronger and richer cheese especially if shes just run a full marathon in them, older the better in fact. For a light flavoured, fragrant cream cheese a young ladies newer stocking could be used. For extra light and gentle and rather tasteless cheese, a brand new unworn stocking can be used.

Great, thanks a lot for all this clear explaining of DIY cheese making bizzard, I'll keep it in the back of my head, and give it a try once my other projects are finished.

 

Peter.

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3 minutes ago, bargemast said:

Great, thanks a lot for all this clear explaining of DIY cheese making bizzard, I'll keep it in the back of my head, and give it a try once my other projects are finished.

For anyone who thinks Bizz is joking, he's not. You do indeed end up with lovely cottage cheese by draining the whey through a stocking (or muslin). 

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14 minutes ago, WotEver said:

For anyone who thinks Bizz is joking, he's not. You do indeed end up with lovely cottage cheese by draining the whey through a stocking (or muslin). 

It's only because of the way bizzard often tells us about his trics, but I have discovered already a fairly long time ago that he really knows the subjects he's writing about, starting with his simple and most effective showerdrain strainer.

 

If you read his advises and solutions about mechanical matters you'll see immediately that bizzard is a wizzard.

 

Peter.

Edited by bargemast
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12 minutes ago, WotEver said:

For anyone who thinks Bizz is joking, he's not. You do indeed end up with lovely cottage cheese by draining the whey through a stocking (or muslin). 

Of course I wasn't joking, do I ever?. Home cheese making by this method was practiced largely during wartime when things were in short supply and on ration. My mum continued to do it and saved up her old nylon stockings for the purpose. We at school would sometimes not drink our milk but would put it up on the toilet wall in the sun for a while to start it off and then smuggle it home to mum to make more. Another thing she did was brew ginger beer in a goldfish bowl.  Pork brawn was another.

8 minutes ago, bargemast said:

It's only because of the way bizzard often tells us about his trics, but I have discovered already a fairly long time ago that he really knows the subjects he's writing about, starting with his simple and most effective showerdrain strainer.

 

If you read his advises and solutions about mechanical matters you'll see immediately that bizzard is a wizzard.

 

Peter.

Thank you Peter.  :cheers:

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