Back now, from a trip to Cambodia (food yum) and Thailand (food also good, but not quite as yum as Cambodia) with a brief stop in Cairo (coffee good, food an interesting combination of sweet and savoury) and back to the weekly shop and attempts to (mostly) feed myself without either a) getting fatter, or b) creating things that even I don't want to eat. That, and continuing with the attempt to eat more fruit and veg.
And so to shopping. Two people, two shopping trolleys, two weekly shops. And for once, just once, I win! Hwsgo's veg to other food ratio was appalling - around 1:1 (under hot debate); mine, on the other hand, was a virtuous 16:6 (and that's only because the new potatoes and peppercorns both count as non-veg). That's 2.6 to 1.
Now I need to cook it. It's Saturday, and being a good slobby Saturday (give or take an hour's happy walk around the park), it's roast chicken and vegetables night. I've also been taking stock in my food cupboards - it's still January, and I have several things in the cupboards that didn't get eaten last year that I'm planning to eat up soon so they don't take up any more cupboard or (more importantly) head space when I'm working out what to eat. Some things (pickles, japanese ginger) will go into my lunchbox. Others will be part of specific meals. The jar of lentils will become Simon's lentilles aux petites salles and one of Jane Grigson's stock lentil dishes. The linseed will find its way into anything I can safely hide it in (like veg chilli): I've always seen it more as medicament than food anyway. The Mister Mash is self-explanatory, maybe used for a very lazy day. And the two boxes of specialised stuffing (cranberry and orange etc) will be mixed up with veg and stuffed into some baked peppers. The Thai basil leaves will end up in something suitably thai curried; the truffles, saffron etc will just stay in as stock cupboard items. The bocadelia sandwich paste that my parents brought back from Spain (on a small mixup between bocadillos, e.g. sandwiches, and boquerones, the fat little anchovies) will go into sandwiches and baked potatoes. And at that point, my cupboards will hopefully be optimised. Well almost. I'm not sure what to do with a large pot of Horlicks (although I should sleep well if I drink it), and that just leaves the large bag of chilli flakes and 5 different types of sugar (tea and coffee-drinkers keep leaving sugar in my cupboards). I'm sure I'll think of something.
Meanwhile, a small note to self. If, as today, I use the Jane Grigson recipe for Hummus, I need to remember to halve all the quantities except the chickpeas. I think she quotes the chickpeas at dry weight, rather than canned weight - if you try the recipe as set with canned peas, you end up with a very garlicky and unfortunately quite runny (til your partner throws in a bag of walnuts) mix. Also if you put the parsley into the mixer, then don't be surprised if the mix comes out green and looking suspiciously like pesto. Tasted okay though.
And so to shopping. Two people, two shopping trolleys, two weekly shops. And for once, just once, I win! Hwsgo's veg to other food ratio was appalling - around 1:1 (under hot debate); mine, on the other hand, was a virtuous 16:6 (and that's only because the new potatoes and peppercorns both count as non-veg). That's 2.6 to 1.
Now I need to cook it. It's Saturday, and being a good slobby Saturday (give or take an hour's happy walk around the park), it's roast chicken and vegetables night. I've also been taking stock in my food cupboards - it's still January, and I have several things in the cupboards that didn't get eaten last year that I'm planning to eat up soon so they don't take up any more cupboard or (more importantly) head space when I'm working out what to eat. Some things (pickles, japanese ginger) will go into my lunchbox. Others will be part of specific meals. The jar of lentils will become Simon's lentilles aux petites salles and one of Jane Grigson's stock lentil dishes. The linseed will find its way into anything I can safely hide it in (like veg chilli): I've always seen it more as medicament than food anyway. The Mister Mash is self-explanatory, maybe used for a very lazy day. And the two boxes of specialised stuffing (cranberry and orange etc) will be mixed up with veg and stuffed into some baked peppers. The Thai basil leaves will end up in something suitably thai curried; the truffles, saffron etc will just stay in as stock cupboard items. The bocadelia sandwich paste that my parents brought back from Spain (on a small mixup between bocadillos, e.g. sandwiches, and boquerones, the fat little anchovies) will go into sandwiches and baked potatoes. And at that point, my cupboards will hopefully be optimised. Well almost. I'm not sure what to do with a large pot of Horlicks (although I should sleep well if I drink it), and that just leaves the large bag of chilli flakes and 5 different types of sugar (tea and coffee-drinkers keep leaving sugar in my cupboards). I'm sure I'll think of something.
Meanwhile, a small note to self. If, as today, I use the Jane Grigson recipe for Hummus, I need to remember to halve all the quantities except the chickpeas. I think she quotes the chickpeas at dry weight, rather than canned weight - if you try the recipe as set with canned peas, you end up with a very garlicky and unfortunately quite runny (til your partner throws in a bag of walnuts) mix. Also if you put the parsley into the mixer, then don't be surprised if the mix comes out green and looking suspiciously like pesto. Tasted okay though.
Addendum. Hwsgo has counted up his trolley items (which I also photographed, but will keep hidden to protect the not-so-innocent) and claims a 1:1 ratio. Based on some out-of-shot onions and not counting the wine. Hmmmm.
