I used to watch “The Good Life” with awe, and hoped one day I would look as good as Felicity Kendal in dungarees and wellies whilst growing most of my own food in a rural idle. The harsh reality thirty years on is that I live in a city, am useless with house plants, let alone my ‘garden’, and I do my supermarket shopping online. Although I do have some gorgeous pink wellies, no one looks good in dungarees. My local shops are diminishing, and the green grocers and butchers have been replaced with a Blockbuster and an Indian take away. Along with most people, I am aware of the need to eat healthy foods and that organic is the best choice, but the nearest farm shop is not close enough to be convenient for regular use, and even the local Waitrose organic range looks and tastes like it has gone through the washing machine first. However, with my teenage boys now eating like boars and my daughter ready for weaning, it seemed obvious to call in the Riverford boys for regular orders. After having a good read through of their website I decided to start off my organic resolution with a medium veggie box. I am not ashamed to admit that I was really quite excited about the forthcoming delivery.
A pitfall of working from home is how over excited you are to see people in the day time. I’ll happily talk them to pieces given half a chance - the postman, a sales man, and now Lee, my local Riverford man. The friendly service was beaten only by the delights of my box. I’m no vegetarian, in fact anyone who knows me will testify my love of meat, but as I unpacked my box and breathed in the earthly smell, I did wonder if I could be turned. The food was so fresh in colour, scent and texture that I would have sworn it left the field that very morning. I had potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, kale, onions, broccoli, leeks, swede, cabbage and fennel. As I got busy storing them in the fridge and vegetable rack, my mind was almost spinning with what I would cook for the week with such a vast variety.
I have started out by serving my ravenous brood a hearty stew using onion, carrots, potatoes, swede and cabbage. Tomorrow I have in mind a tasty dish using my massive mushrooms and kale bunches. I will update you soon with my domestic goddess regime, but in the meantime I need to refer to the Riverford website for advice... what on earth do you do with fennel?
©Meriel Flavell 2010
To experience excellent organic food at affordable prices with convenient free delivery, go to www.riverford.co.uk, or if you live in the Shropshire/South Staffs/Wolverhampton area, call Lee on 01952 433066 and prepare to have your taste buds tickled!
No comments:
Post a Comment