The Sack of Potatoes and the Tray of Eggs

 The Sack of Potatoes

One thing I and my family is used to is good food, cheaply sourced.  One thing I do do on a regular basis is buy in a sack of spuds.  I refuse to buy my spuds from a supermarket.  Mine are delivered by the Veg shops owner and on average I have been paying £6 for a full 25kg bag of spuds which on average during the winter months lasts me about 6 weeks (that is for two of us with me cooking most days.   Potatoes are stored for long periods before we get out mitts on them they are long keepers, if stored correctly so people thinking they are getting them "fresh" is a misnomer.  The only way you get potatoes extremely fresh is if you grow them yourself and dig them straight from the garden. My argument is that if you have a few staple ingredients in at all times you can make a meal out of very much nothing and tasty meals at that.  £6 is not a lot to pay for massive bag of potatoes when you put into context that you are at least paying £1.50 in the supermarkets for a small bag of spuds that will not last you very long.  If you think that a full sack is too much why not go in with a friend at £3 a shout and split the bag between you.  I have the Preserves store under the stairs which keeps everything nice and cold but they can equally be kept in a shed or a garage although I do tend to keep the bag closed wherever the potatoes are stored as if they are exposed to the light they will start putting out runners.   Club together with a friend or neighbour to buy things between you if you cannot afford to pay outright you will still end up getting the potatoes cheaper if you go in halves together.  Do not forget our older members of our community a lot of them cannot get out and about - if you have an elderly neighbour include them as well or go and ask if you can get anything for them if and when you do go shopping or if they are able bodied take them with you especially if you have transport.  It will make them feel included, help them, give them some company and you might well learn something useful from them.  Just because people are older does not mean to say we can write them off. Be nice invite them in every so often for a nice hot meal one more person at the table is not going to cost an arm and a leg but will bring a rich reward for both parties.  Go on take a risk.  Please bring a sense of community back to your lives by helping each other.  Bring back family spirit a family that works and plays together stays together.

A Tray of Eggs

My family has always had livestock of one sort or another over the years.  We grew up being imbued with how to look after our animals and because they are a part of our family and we relied on them one thing we always do / did is look after our livestock.  A fresh chicken or fresh eggs put very useful food on the table. Therefore our livestock is worthy of a proper life style and not cooped up in restricted areas.  I buy free range eggs where I can the price is a little dearer but the quality of the yolks is a deeper golden yellow and the animal has had a decent life and has been able to roam and do what it needs to do.  I always buy a tray of eggs as it suits my family as I bake and cook a lot with eggs.  On average a tray (30 eggs) will last me about two weeks.  They are stored also in their trays on a cool shelf. I do not store them in the fridge.

A quick meal from these items

Bubble and Squeak cakes made with boiled potatoes and some left over veggies from the other day mashed together and then formed into cakes which can be stored in the freezer if you have quite a bit of veggies to use up.  Do not waste them.  Serve with a couple of fried eggs.  Sounds an odd combination but the golden yolk of the egg matches in perfectly with the Bubble and Squeak cakes.  Simple food for the soul.  Don't waste the oddments they can always be made into something and often simple food is the best for our souls.

Catch you later

Pattypan

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