Day twelve-Jackie and Neils' and their smallholding family-Wiltshire

Jackies Sourdough recipe direct from the lady herself:

"OK, sourdough bread is along the lines of - for the original recipe it was a lot more, but what I do is put half a cup of flour (rye is good) and half a cup of water in a bowl, cover it over with muslin and an elastic band - you have to keep foreign bodies out, but let the yeasts in - and then the next day, transfer to a clean bowl, add another half cup of flour, and another half cup of water. So on for about 6 or 7 days - it has to be past the bubbling stage and smell 'winey'. Then you use about a pint of the gloop (put the rest in a jar in the fridge, it will keep for a week, then you've got to restart it with more water and flour. Don't forget to always keep some starter to carry on with) and add about another half pint of warm water, and flour (spelt is especially good, but any kind works) and a teaspoon or so of salt. Add enough flour to make a dough, knead for 15 mins til soft and elastic, put it in your tins, and leave to rise - this should make a couple of medium loaves. It takes a long time to rise. Four hours or so in a warmish place, overnight in a cooler place. Cook at 175 /350 for about an hour."

And her yummy homemade baked beans recipe

"Baked beans - soak and cook haricot or similar beans. Heat some fat in a pan - ideally one that is good on stove top and in the oven and has a tight fitting lid - and chop up an onion, I used a red one, and chuck it in the fat. Then add in some bacon bits, garlic, anything you fancy really. Cook until soft. Chuck in beans, with water to cover, couple of tablespoons of molasses, squirt or two of tomato paste, teaspoon of mustard, salt pepper - put the lid on and bung in the oven on what ever temperature it has managed for some hours. Four maybe. Or more ! Make sure there is enough water all the time. Take the lid off for the last bit."

To be continued shortly...