Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
I think we all have an awareness of how much convenience has changed our lives — especially in the kitchen.
But, in an age, where people are deliberately discovering how homemaking used to be done, I want to find out if all of the extra work is actually worth it?
Using a 1946 recipe for traditional British potato pie, I am going to be recreating the dish twice: once using the conveniences of a modern kitchen, and once as closely as possible to how a British homemaker might have prepared it in the late 1940s.
No supermarket delivery. No dishwasher. No fridge. No ready-made pastry. No food processor. Just a 1940s kitchen, a little patience, and a LOT more work.
And because this is an experiment, I'm tracking everything ⌚:
Steps
Calories burned
Heart Rate
And the total time spent making each pie.
The idea for this video was inspired by the fascinating postwar research into the physical demands of housework and kitchen design. Researchers at Cornell University studied the energy cost of household tasks by measuring oxygen consumption and analysing movements such as reaching, bending and stepping. This formed part of a wider movement towards designing kitchens around the human body and reducing unnecessary physical effort.
So, what happens when you take a modern recipe and strip away nearly eighty years of convenience?
Is the 1940s kitchen really as exhausting as we imagine?
Does a modern kitchen actually save us that much time and energy?
And if convenience has removed so much physical work from our lives... have we gained something else in return?
This isn't an argument that we should abandon modern conveniences or return to the 1940s. Quite the opposite. It's an experiment in understanding what we've gained — and perhaps what we might occasionally choose to bring back.
Sometimes, making life easier is exactly what we need.
And sometimes, the work itself is part of the experience.
---
1946 Potato Pie Recipe 🥧
"Autokook" No. 6
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb stewing steak
2 lb potatoes
1 small onion
Salt and pepper
Shortcrust pastry
Method
Cut the meat into small pieces and slice the potatoes and onion. Put everything into a saucepan and season with salt and pepper.
Add sufficient water to nearly cover the ingredients. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for 2 hours.
Allow the mixture to get cold, then pour into a pie dish. Cover with shortcrust pastry, decorate as desired and bake for 30 minutes.
"Autokook": Set at No. 6.
Alternative Recipe (meat-free) 🥔
If you'd like to make a meat-free version, you can replace the stewing steak with approximately 8 oz mushrooms, sliced or roughly chopped. Cook them alongside the potatoes and onions and follow the same method.
For a more substantial vegetarian filling, you could also use 8 oz cooked lentils in place of the meat.
RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY
Ingredients
½ lb flour
4 oz margarine or lard
Cold water
1 level tablespoon dried egg
(or 1 fresh egg as a modern alternative)
Pinch of salt
Method
Sift the flour, dried egg and salt together, then rub in the shortening.
Add sufficient cold water to make a very stiff dough.
Turn the pastry onto a floured board and knead very gently.
Roll out and use as required.
References 📖
The House the 50s Built, Channel 4: imdb.com/title/tt2393382
If you enjoy vintage history, 1940s Britain, traditional homemaking, nostalgic living and discovering what we can learn from the past, subscribe to Real Vintage Dolls House for more historical experiments and vintage-inspired living.
=================================
If you'd like to support me further, then check out my membership website: realvintagedollshouse.com 🫖
=================================
🔥 Stay Connected:
Subscribe for more content: youtube.com/@Realvintagedollshouse?si=LlJtKVAWFcvwcAmf
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/real_vintage_dollshouse/profilecard/?igsh=MWR5dGJ3M250M2drcA==
Tik-Tok: tiktok.com/@realvintagedollshouse?_t=8rtKROSGXZY&_r=1
Pigeon Tok: tiktok.com/@comeonlittlepigeon?_t=8rtKLF8AY4H&_r=1
=================================
☎️ Contact for inquiries:
sh196624@gmail.com
=================================
📢 Engage With Me:
Comment below with your thoughts or questions!
Like and share this video if you found it helpful!
=================================
🎥 Credits:
Intro music: By Caine Laskowski
=================================
📅 Schedule
New video every Wednesday at 7pm GMT– don’t forget to hit the notification bell!
=================================
🎧 Podcast
Listen to my podcast, with more episodes to come:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4WeVsCnqKLNrhpL3dgKroo?si=xD4wmMoiSzGBfF4Z73FvQg
I think we all have an awareness of how much convenience has changed our lives — especially in the kitchen.
But, in an age, where people are deliberately discovering how homemaking used to be done, I want to find out if all of the extra work is actually worth it?
Using a 1946 recipe for traditional British potato pie, I am going to be recreating the dish twice: once using the conveniences of a modern kitchen, and once as closely as possible to how a British homemaker might have prepared it in the late 1940s.
No supermarket delivery. No dishwasher. No fridge. No ready-made pastry. No food processor. Just a 1940s kitchen, a little patience, and a LOT more work.
And because this is an experiment, I'm tracking everything ⌚:
Steps
Calories burned
Heart Rate
And the total time spent making each pie.
The idea for this video was inspired by the fascinating postwar research into the physical demands of housework and kitchen design. Researchers at Cornell University studied the energy cost of household tasks by measuring oxygen consumption and analysing movements such as reaching, bending and stepping. This formed part of a wider movement towards designing kitchens around the human body and reducing unnecessary physical effort.
So, what happens when you take a modern recipe and strip away nearly eighty years of convenience?
Is the 1940s kitchen really as exhausting as we imagine?
Does a modern kitchen actually save us that much time and energy?
And if convenience has removed so much physical work from our lives... have we gained something else in return?
This isn't an argument that we should abandon modern conveniences or return to the 1940s. Quite the opposite. It's an experiment in understanding what we've gained — and perhaps what we might occasionally choose to bring back.
Sometimes, making life easier is exactly what we need.
And sometimes, the work itself is part of the experience.
---
1946 Potato Pie Recipe 🥧
"Autokook" No. 6
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb stewing steak
2 lb potatoes
1 small onion
Salt and pepper
Shortcrust pastry
Method
Cut the meat into small pieces and slice the potatoes and onion. Put everything into a saucepan and season with salt and pepper.
Add sufficient water to nearly cover the ingredients. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for 2 hours.
Allow the mixture to get cold, then pour into a pie dish. Cover with shortcrust pastry, decorate as desired and bake for 30 minutes.
"Autokook": Set at No. 6.
Alternative Recipe (meat-free) 🥔
If you'd like to make a meat-free version, you can replace the stewing steak with approximately 8 oz mushrooms, sliced or roughly chopped. Cook them alongside the potatoes and onions and follow the same method.
For a more substantial vegetarian filling, you could also use 8 oz cooked lentils in place of the meat.
RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY
Ingredients
½ lb flour
4 oz margarine or lard
Cold water
1 level tablespoon dried egg
(or 1 fresh egg as a modern alternative)
Pinch of salt
Method
Sift the flour, dried egg and salt together, then rub in the shortening.
Add sufficient cold water to make a very stiff dough.
Turn the pastry onto a floured board and knead very gently.
Roll out and use as required.
References 📖
The House the 50s Built, Channel 4: imdb.com/title/tt2393382
If you enjoy vintage history, 1940s Britain, traditional homemaking, nostalgic living and discovering what we can learn from the past, subscribe to Real Vintage Dolls House for more historical experiments and vintage-inspired living.
=================================
If you'd like to support me further, then check out my membership website: realvintagedollshouse.com 🫖
=================================
🔥 Stay Connected:
Subscribe for more content: youtube.com/@Realvintagedollshouse?si=LlJtKVAWFcvwcAmf
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/real_vintage_dollshouse/profilecard/?igsh=MWR5dGJ3M250M2drcA==
Tik-Tok: tiktok.com/@realvintagedollshouse?_t=8rtKROSGXZY&_r=1
Pigeon Tok: tiktok.com/@comeonlittlepigeon?_t=8rtKLF8AY4H&_r=1
=================================
☎️ Contact for inquiries:
sh196624@gmail.com
=================================
📢 Engage With Me:
Comment below with your thoughts or questions!
Like and share this video if you found it helpful!
=================================
🎥 Credits:
Intro music: By Caine Laskowski
=================================
📅 Schedule
New video every Wednesday at 7pm GMT– don’t forget to hit the notification bell!
=================================
🎧 Podcast
Listen to my podcast, with more episodes to come:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4WeVsCnqKLNrhpL3dgKroo?si=xD4wmMoiSzGBfF4Z73FvQg
