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Oo-la-la, Patisserie!

2/13/2014

Our blog is all about those little random "Extras" connected to our books, and * OH, MY * this week, I have the perfect Valentine's treat for you, dear ones! You'll recall if you read Jake and the Gingerbread Wars, how the kids stop in to a French-style patisserie in London. While we were working on those scenes, I said to E, wouldn't it be great to give our readers a peek into a real patisserie? He agreed, but wow, Youtube sure delivered beyond anything we could've hoped for. We found you this gorgeous little short film by Bastiaan Blockmans that will let you share in the wonder Jake must have felt while wandering through Marie's little shop, even a glimpse behind-the-scenes of how they make such incredible dainty treats.

Of course, Patisserie Ducubo in the film is in the modern times, not Victorian, and it's in Belgium (well, they speak French there, kids). But ((SPOILER ALERT)) you may have heard that Belgium is the chocolate capital of the world. Need I say more? (Now you know why Napoleon invaded.) Enjoy! Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day. But if you've got no Valentine this year, don't worry ~ chocolate loves you. And so do we. :)

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Brrrr! How the Victorians Kept Warm

2/5/2014

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Lord Nelson's flagship the HMS Victory. Photo credit Jamie Campbell from Emsworth (nr Portsmouth), U.K - HMS Victory, via Wikipedia Commons.

Hi Everyone! E here... Ever wonder how the Victorians kept warm? They would just throw another log on the fire, right?

Not likely... During the Victorian period approximately 5% of England was woods. The once heavily forested land did not have adequate numbers of trees left to support the heating needs of its populace. The forests had been decimated over the centuries for lots of reasons: expanding cities, agriculture, and shipbuilding to name a few. How many trees do you think it took to build the HMS Victory?

Peat was a fairly viable option. Its supply is also limited though, but not to the extent of timber. Peat is a mass of decayed vegetation. Peat turf forms really well in wet bogs. Bogs...bogs...bogs. Hmmm, fun word. Don't be surprised if Jake finds himself knee deep in a bog at some point. So, peat bricks are cut right out of the ground, dried, and burned. Check out this short clip for a demonstration:

Looks like "G" when she's trying to help me with yard work. Sometimes it's easier to just do it myself, ha ha.

G: Hey! I heard that. :P

A lump of coal. Great stocking stuffer. Public Domain wikipedia commons

Coal was the primary heating source of the Victorians. It was mined right out of the ground, processed, and delivered directly to people's homes.

Most people only heated the kitchen, nursery, and parlor. Bedrooms were not heated unless someone was sick.

So there you have it! That's how the Victorians kept, well...sort of, warm.
:)
E

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Oo-la-la, Patisserie!

Brrrr! How the Victorians Kept Warm

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