Super Gran

The video is only a pre-cursor to this post, and shows enthusiastic Joerg Sprave, who creates an amazing and lethal looking series of Sling Shots, Catapults and the like. I stumbled across the video and was struck by the similarities between his devices and those I used to make, with my Oma. At least the principal is the same, a rifle shaped body, a peg for a hammer ( release mechanism ) and a hulking great 'laddy band stretched between the two. This fun creation just one of the many different things my German Nan used to make ( with me ) when I was despatched to Germany for the hols.


'Bastellen' was the name of the game, which means loosely, to create/recycle stuff from all the neatly archived bits of junk. Make-do-and-mend hoarder extraordinaire, she just made things, cards, presents, objects d'art, it was a wonder to me.


As for many folk in the post war years, thriftiness was a necessity, and I suppose just watching her cook, taught me the same skills.


The dear lady who died at the age of 96, was one of those who, when opening a fridge to reveal an egg and an onion could create a meal, excellent food too, fresh, full of taste, Peasant, and probably some of it ill-advised fodder. Cooking in butter, deep frying 'Speck' for flavour, white sauce with carrots and peas.


Yes, she would make gorgeous wholesome soups, side salad with a dressing of milk sugar and vinegar....ooo I'm getting peckish. Frickadellen...stop...Vienna Schnitzel...Potato Salad...All in all it must have been a balanced diet, with lots of fruit, veg and salad, if not, it was sure scrummy.


The point? None really, other than I think that the passing on of skills whatever they are, is diminishing, the ability to create tasty food from fresh but inexpensive produce also a dying art. But basically a cheer for Nans, without whom, lets face it, where would we be?