Day 56

Today is the first day I’ve shopped since my last blog post – 10 days ago.  Last night we finished the last of the veg box from a fortnight ago (potatoes and cabbage) along with stuffed burgers I froze a few weeks ago and spicy beans made with some store cupboard essentials. This isn’t that unusual for me, I find periodically I’ll just have so much food in the house (particularly the freezer) that I’ll just have to create meals around what we have in order to make some room! They are sometimes a bit challenging but often really nice combinations are created; my hubby had the leftover beans for lunch and texted me to say how nice they were!
So, if I’ve not cooked, what have I eaten? Well I’ve been in Ibiza for three nights so that helped, and what I love about eating on holiday is that it’s not hard to find an independent restaurant, which is fabulous, but begs the question why our towns are often so different?
I did pick up my veg box today, it was filled with lovely summer ingredients, peppers, chillis, herbs and lots more, I’m thinking a ratatouille inspired dinner tomorrow. However what really caught my eye was some pigs cheeks at the farm shop, I remembered a Spanish recipe from the wonderful Omar Allibhoy that I’ve previously cooked and luckily I remembered (and they had in stock) all the ingredients; mainly because there are so few of them – Pigs Cheeks with Pasta. 


Best things about this week
• Finding wheely baskets at the farm shop
• Ibiza, amazing place and fab food
• Clearing space in freezer 
• Hubby being impressed I bought him local larger
Biggest challenge
• Making interesting food from random ingredients!!
I’m feeling rather pleased with myself for clearing out the cupboards and I’m still looking forward to doing some serious restocking next week!
Shops this week (today)
Packington farm shop
Woodhouse Farm & Garden
Restaurants
KM5 – Ibiza 
El Olivo Mio – Ibiza
Pom’s – Lichfield 
Olive Tree – Lichfield
I’m planning on visiting Nick the Fish tomorrow. Hubby doesn’t eat any fish or seafood so I tend to only eat it when I’m out, however Nick has been recommended to me by several people and I believe there are a few shops where he is in Great Haywood so, as Hubby is away tomorrow so I’m going to treat myself to some fish for Friday dinner.
Next week I need to find somewhere to buy my beans and pulses, I’m pretty much out of tinned and dried. I reality like to have a good supply, especially at this time of year as I love grainy salad jars for lunch, the variety in the farm shops has been a bit poor so I need to do a bit of research.
I’m also delighted to have posted my first blog for The Best of Lichfield, click for link.  It was my moms birthday on Monday so we had a lovely day out shopping and eating.