Things I have learnt since becoming rich (a.k.a. fuck you: Nigella and Jamie)

[TheAutumnHere]

1. Having an oven that holds temperature stops cakes falling
2. A stand mixer simplifies baking by a factor of at least 4, and improves the results
3. Branded vacuum cleaners actually remove dirt from the floor
4. Le Creuset pans don't stick, and just wipe clean
5. Baking with children is delightful japes, when timed the morning before the cleaner comes
6. Corn fed chicken is the bomb

Just leaving a note to my past self - who never cut herself any slack and thought she was a slattern and a crap cook.

With washing machines I reckon they largely do. I don't buy Miele, my blood is not quite rich enough for that, but I do buy Siemens. I would only consider those 2 makes. I have had 2 Siemens washing machines and 2 dryers since I bought my first place in 2001. I only changed the dryer becasue I wanted a more efficient heat pump one. Meanwhile people I knew went on about how expensive they were and how extravagant and bought much cheaper Hotpoint, Zanussi, Whirlpoool ones and have suffered fires and many broken machines often at inconvenient moments. A friend is on at least her 6th or 7th 200 quid machine in the time I've had one £800 machine. It's sometimes a false economy to buy cheaper makes.

But as the OP is pointing out, when you have less money you have less choice about this. And so you have to put up with crapper tools. Which is the point she is making I think. Might have been more sensitive to say wealthy rather than rich but it is a valid point.

I don't know about better but cooking is much easier for me with more money/ better kit.
Pastry in the Magimix, pasta dough put through the KitchenAid attachment and lots of worktop space make me much more inclined to cook and bake. Plus of course, time is a big luxury.
I had none of these 20 years ago and still considered myself a decent cook though.

@notso - i didnt say cleaning was easier with a cleaner - I said that cooking with kids is much more fun when I know the kitchen will get a regular deep clean.

OP I’ll just say again I completely agree and think the more you post the more you are giving great examples of exactly what you mean. I also agree strongly with thelooking glasses’ excellent explanation.

Similarly, it’s hard when you’re really busy it’s hard to explain why you can’t get time to do something. Just do it ina. Sunday morning! Just do it in your lunch break! It’s only a 30 second phone call you could’ve done it whilst you were talking to me! Well no, I couldn’t you utter prat, because I was talking to you. I have lost that time forever. Rahhhh

It only takes routines and a little organisation - no excuse for missing uniform - simpering smile.

But it does take that as well as the tools. I bought a tumblr dryer a few yrs ago as thought I now needed one (don't like them for my clothes). I buy extra uniform & PE Kit so I don't have to do mid week washes. I still need to be organised though & have routines for doing the washing/drying it's just a bit easier.

No OP I said you were insufferable because of the slight rant coming from your OP about people being triggered by your weird school mum scenario. And declaring everyone haters it's weird.

I said in my first comment I buy all the appliances necessary to ease my life, who wouldn't? No avoiding cooking meals because I have the spices in the cupboard, or skipping the ingredient all together and it being a disaster. Without the added nonsense your post would have been more relatable.

@chippychip1 - I was always organised. Ninja fucking organised - making sure to have the laundry hung out the night before & being on top of the 2nd hand sales. But whenever something went wrong - it was always real and perceived patronising headtilts.

menial skivvy work

This is the attitude that is rubbing people up the wrong way. No one is denying that decent equipment makes domestic life much easier, even if we don't all have the same definition of decent but dismissing cleaning up after yourself as menial skivvy work hints at a bit of a sneering attitude. (and no, I don't count ignoring splashes that will dry on and become harder to clean up in the same category as the gradual grot such as dust though, having allergies, I don't like to ignore that if I notice it, either)

I think because of number of kids we have - getting uniform dry quicker made a huge difference to me.

We could buy less uniform so spend less, name and store less uniform -less uniform piling up waiting to be washed. If there was some snaff in organisation of washing we could accomodate it better.

It had made for less stress for me.

Maybe I'm just incredibly disorganised or too lazy but I find I struggle to fit everything in. I never have enough time & whilst gadgets help I've always thought it depends on the type of person you are. I have a good set up in terms of work, school, high road, family all within minutes of me. Plus work is pt & have most holidays off. I don't ever envisage a time when I will use my kitchen aid pasta thing.

I agree OP.

Never made proper Yorkshire puddings in old house cos rental property and shit oven.

Hoover was huge, heavy shitty thing that was a bastard for blocking up.

Making cakes was out cos shitty oven.

Making soup was out unless I wanted lumpy soup cos couldn't afford a stick blender.

My stews (done in shitty oven) were fab cooked long and slow and low. However, used to cost at least £3 in electric on meter.

Washing was done whenever possible on dry days as didn't have a tumble dryer cos I couldn't have afforded to run one.

Complicated recipes could be followed but shitty rental kitchen with 1 small worktop to use made it difficult. Plus I didn't have much more than a few baking trays, a few pans and a frying pan. Plus a Yorkshire pudding tray I couldn't use unless we wanted soggy puddings.

House was clean. But the fucking damp was shit. Mould up every outside wall. Possessions ruined every winter.

House was always cold. Due to the fact there was absolutely no insulation anywhere. I literally used to pay to heat the attic and sky.

Now my cordless shark whizzes through my nice, dry, warm house. My oven is relatively new and my puds are risen again. I have a bigger kitchen, a food processor, a stick blender, a stand mixer. When it's raining I use the tumble dryer. I have a spice rack, a decent amount of storage and enough money to buy ingredients. And I even have the time and inclination to actually bake occasionally.

I do still thank Jamie for his Ministry of Food book though. It was written with people with not much kit and equipment, not much money and no idea how to cook in mind. It was the first recipe book I read that was accessible to us poor folk. It taught me I could cook for a family, on a budget, with the bare minimum of kit and still make food that looked and tasted OK.

He's a bit of a twat. But I love him for that. Plus the TV series was filmed where I live and I met him when I worked on our local indoor market. He was a twat, but still.

I never have enough time & whilst gadgets help I've always thought it depends on the type of person you are.

Surley it depends on the device -rather than the person?

Taking uniform out of washing machine putting on coats hanger and sticking in a dri bundle dryer rather than waiting days in cold wet house for things to dry or desperately moving around radiators or in front of strorage heaters that seem to be kicking out no heat - really doesn't say anything about me as a person?

Oh dear, we've got a conservative voting boaster about today... yawn 😴

I meant as in I don't necessarily think having Le Creuset pans & a Kitchenaid turns you into a PTA goddess. Yes gadgets are useful but I know plenty of mums that prefer to wooden spoon it up & bake more often & better than me. Some people are just more organised in general eg I have a dryer which is easier than bad heating but I still buy extra uniform because I can't rely on my dryer to sort the washing, load the machine, etc.

I'm out in town with the kids & I've figured another one! It's been years since I've had a parking ticket because I routinely put an hour more than I need on the meter. Ditto for overdue fees on bills. I just pay them as they hit. Difference really isn't being organised (or expecting something for nothing).

Us plebs just make sure we are back before the park ticket is out. Common fucking sense.

In answer to the which is it question I think having space, time, low stress are more conducive to spending time baking or cooking but the right kit is a very small part of how things would be easier.

I'm pretty sure the Ringo app just lets you extend time if & when you need for parking so no penalties or wasted money.

In answer to the which is it question I think having space, time, low stress are more conducive to spending time baking or cooking but the right kit is a very small part of how things would be easier.

Yes I agree with this. I would like more space but moving further out would impact my time & stress levels so I'm fine with it.

still buy extra uniform because I can't rely on my dryer to sort the washing, load the machine, etc.

My kids are older and have been encouraged to use washing machine, plan ahead with uniform and use dryers and put their clothes away - it's a work in progress and I still do the bulk of the washing but it helps and DH can and does do some washing and putting on line or driers.

We have basic stuff for backing still – but hope to upgrade at some point - but we do have a large kitchen - I would have a smaller kitchen and a smaller commute but that wasn’t an option due to other factors mainly house prices.

Yes good to get the DC involved, they are too young currently but that's a good aim.

My dream is to have one of those American garages that are about 600 sq ft with racking on one side to store all the random shite you collect particularly with kids. However I favour period properties so not likely to happen!

@HowlsMovingBungalow

Us plebs just make sure we are back before the park ticket is out. Common fucking sense.
^
Exactly^

This is exactly what I always knew.

It's just common fucking sense to be back before the ticket runs out.

I should have allowed that the paediatrician clinic might overrun so I didn't get hit with the £80 fine that time.

I should have figured that my daughters play would run long and then she'd be desperate to talk to people at the mingle afterwards. I was a pleb and the parking should have taken priority, since I couldn't afford the fine.

I haven't got one iota smarter - but do put an extra hour on the meter every time now - and this shit doesn't happen to me. Nor does anyone imply that I have no common sense.

Weird thread, You don't need to be rich to have all of the listed stuff. Especially since I am not rich, so I value quality when buying essential stuff like vacuum cleaner.

Fuck me - are you serious? Miele, le creuset a cleaner, a Henry and a London house with a kitchen big enough to have a dining table in is not 'Rich'???

If that isn't 'rich' in popular opinion - then it really does underline why there's such a disconnect what's 'supposed' to be achievable - and what's actually achievable on e.g. a London teacher supporting a family salary.

I wouldn't class those things as the preserve of the "rich". The rich have French copper pans, Thermomix food processors, those 30k ovens.

A teacher in a London secondary school on the UPS with a TLR will be earning 50-65k so can afford Le Creuset, Miele etc.