It's a wrap

You know those beeswax food wraps you can buy to use as an alternative to cling film or plastic bags? I've discovered that they're dead simple to make.  Here's how.

You grate a block of beeswax (I bought mine from a market honey stall but you can get it in already granular form on line), spread a piece of (washed) cotton material on a metal baking tray and  cover it with a thin layer of grated wax (like spreading cheese on a lasagne) then put it in a low oven. After a few minutes the wax  melts into the fabric - you can add a bit more if there's not full coverage - and when it's thoroughly saturated you take it off and it sets stiff in seconds. You can then use the wax sheets to cover bowls and jars in the fridge or to wrap cheese, sandwiches or what you will - anything apart from meat or fish. Use the warmth of your hand to mould them to shape. The sheets can be wiped clean with a damp cloth or paper towel and re-used time and again. You can smooth them flat with a warm iron if you wish or even re-wax them if necessary. 

I've been using samples of material that my mother hoarded away 50 years ago, off-cuts from  garments she made,  even pieces of old curtains from way back - it's like a trip down memory lane.
 See extra for the results.

There are lots of instruction on the internet, including YouTube videos, on how to make food wraps.  It's ridiculously easy and  requires very little equipment. It would be a great thing to do with kids, who are in any case more clued up on matters environmental than anyone else. The results make nice little gifts that you can slip in an envelope and  they can be composted when they are no longer fit for purpose.