I am a bit sad really

I like to see what is new on the food market shelves - more for inspiration than anything else and for ideas on new to me recipes, what to bake, what to cook.  What not to buy.  Today I had a nosey round M & I love their food do not always like the prices.  Some things I shall in due course purchase mainly to try them and then see if I can come up with my own option  or recipes or way around things.  Sometimes it is the mix of the ingredients that intrigues me more than anything else but I certainly like some of their ideas.  Do any of you do the same thing or is it just the "foodie element" coming out with me.

One of the things I do tend to buy from M & S when they have their offers on is mussels; we absolutely love sea food of any kind and muscles simply steamed in water with garlic, butter and a little wine and then served with chunky French bread with butter on it to mop up the juices is a firm favourite here.  They are not complicated to cook and are done relatively quickly.  I have been buying three packs between the two of us when they are on offer for £10 the three.  If I can get to a fish market we buy them fresh by the net but that is not always possible.  It makes a nice meal and a treat every so often  to have Mussels.  I try and have quite a bit of fish in my diet due to the arthritis or as much as we can afford in any one month. 

I was also looking at the Shipphams, potted beef, salmon and chicken also on the shelves in Marks and Spencers with a very good shelf life going into 2018.  I don't know about you but I haven't seen this for absolutely ages.  We used to have it in sarnies when we went home for dinner from school.  They were not too expensive either.

Equally I have had for my dinner today some cous cous. A Moroccan style fruity cous cous with orange and honey and chick peas and it is just absolutely packed with flavour.  I am now on the track of a recipe like the one that M &  S do.

I also buy Crevettes from the Cash and Carry.  They are lovely in a big seafood salad.  OH likes Whelks one of the few seafoods I am not very keen on but we also get them from the Cash and Carry.

I am also browsing for a new fridge.  I am after a tall larder style fridge and ideally it would be an American style freezer fridge with the cold water and ice facility.  However in reality that is just not going to happen here.  We do not have the room.  However I am looking at a tall larder fridge so far I have been impressed with Samsung and AEG but I am only at the looking stage at the moment.  I need much more storage capacity than I have at present.  So we will see.  However because of the restrictions here with the house I am looking at a good storage fridge  a real good workhorse perhaps without too many frills but lots of room for fresh stuff with a view to this being a complimentary fridge to go with an American style one with the water and ice dispenser in the future.  I am therefore looking at a stainless steel finish potentially as I would like the appliances to fit in with one another.  I am just looking really at the moment but we shall see.  I have to make room in my dining room by removing the freezers first so I need a shed for that to go into before anything else.  Nothing is ever straightforward.

Right I had better get a wriggle on.

Catch you later.

Pattypan

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