Who remembers Shippam's Paste? When it came in little glass jars like this? I was asking the builders earlier in the week if they had dug up any treasure, and as it happens the man in the trench had just reached down and unearthed this little jar.
'You can have it,' he said, and I'm very pleased with it.
There were fish pastes and meat pastes, as I recall, all looking a sort of light brownish colour. Meat or fish paste sandwiches were a mainstay of packed lunches and picnic lunches, except at our home, I don't know why.
The jar is a treasure though, because of the memories of staying with Oma (my grandmother). She used Shippam's pastes and saved all the little jars. She would make up Rowntree's jellies (jello in the USA?), pouring it into the little jars to make little treat-size portions for playing at 'having a party'. She was a bit random in how she diluted the jelly tablets so sometimes you could drink the jelly, and other times you needed to cut it out of the jar.
Now I shall use it for flowers.
....
Today's other treasure was my cousin's combined birthday and housewarming party. Her birthday isn't until much nearer Christmas, but she's planning to celebrate it throughout the year with a mix of parties and days out.
The treasure was meeting up her, her three children and their husbands/partners, and the three grandchildren, for the first time in years. All the other cousins were there too, and other relatives from her family. We stayed for afternoon tea, but left before the evening barbeque (and dancing?).
Her garden looked amazing; it's only half cleared from being completely, but totally overgrown. It might not be very big - typical sixties bungalow size - but she has hacked clearings here and there so it is a series of secluded spaces, decked out for the party with solar lights and bunting - it will look so pretty as the light fades. I was sorry to have to go, but I knew I wouldn't last more than a couple of hours.
Treasures indeed - an old chipped glass jar full of memories, and the sight and sound of all the family.
I remember Shippam's salmon paste! How lovely to have a little jar.
ReplyDeleteIt's very cute. I think salmon was my favourite too.
DeleteMy Mum was very fond of Shippams paste, and often spoke of the company's history and the strong Methodist faith of the Shippams family (check out https://www.thenovium.org/history-of-shippams)
ReplyDeleteThe factory was inside the city walls of Chichester, we came across it, still with the big clock hanging on the wall. Converted to flats now. The whole city must have known which variety of paste was in production!
DeleteThat's the cutest little jar and it comes with memories of your Oma. My sisters' children called my parents Oma and Opa but for some reason mine never did.
ReplyDeleteWe called my grandmother Oma, because my mother, who is Dutch, didn't like 'Granny'. Some of my cousins followed suit.
DeleteOur children, and my brother's children also used Oma and Opa for our parents.
I remember those pastes! I seem to remember that no matter what fish it was supposed to be they all tasted just about the same. But I also remember saving the jars as mini vases.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that kipper paste was quite distinctive! A bit of an acquired taste, that one!
DeleteThere were always Shippams pastes in our pantry. Perfect for sandwiches and my favourite was fish paste with home grown cucumber. Yum!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Lovely combination!
DeleteThat will make a lovely little vase.
ReplyDeleteThe party with cousins sounds good too . I had to miss a lunch with cousins during that heat wave when it was just too hot to travel or go anywhere
It's sad you had to miss a family party - catching up with relatives, especially ones you don't see so often is so good. But it has been so, so hot recently.
DeleteWe had the little glass jars full of water, or a bit of paste for art, at our village school. Wooden beads and a shoe lace for threading were in throat pastille tins.
ReplyDeleteThe memories that emerge from one tiny little glass jar...
DeleteI recognised the little jar immediately. Happy memories, indeed. Salmon was my favourite - very tasty.
ReplyDeleteI do like Jean's idea of salmon and cucumber... mmm.
DeleteI loved Shippam pastes and used them with my own children, they liked open sandwiches cut into finger shapes.
ReplyDeleteA different shape always makes them taste special 😋
DeleteI love that little jar. Paste on toast is one of my favourite meals, but the jars aren't quite so beautiful these days.
ReplyDeleteI used to do stripey jelly for bear, with layers of different flavours in glasses. Perhaps I should try it on his adult palate!
Stripy jelly was a real party treat when I was little.
DeleteYes, thick glass (and not a lot of paste!)
DeleteI remember them lol. Those jars were quite solid too.
ReplyDelete