Nuts whole hazelenuts - not quite

but hey.  Despite frantically running around like a headless goose trying to sort OH out and his fishing bits and bobs etc. etc.  I have squeezed in a visit to Lidl  - mostly just bits this time but another shop to happen in a couple of weeks or so.  Just coz OH is decamping does not mean I am not going to eat and so I wanted some bits that I wanted to eat for a change rather than just catering for him so he took me. 

I don't know what it is about supermarkets but men always get tetchy - we ended up having a spat and I came across other couples in the same situation.  Must be the hot weather.  That's one kind of nuts.

The other kind of nuts I specifically wanted to speak about is the range of bagged nuts that Lidl actually do that are quite good value price wise.  We love nuts of any kind in this house and we use them quite a bit but not if the prices are extortionate. Not only do we like nuts they are very good for you and OH has to have some things to nibble and snack on. We also like sesame seeds, halva, tahini etc. almond milk, - tomorrow's breakfast for me is going to be soaked oats with mixed fruits and yogurt.

I have in the past and today managed to get almonds, hazlenuts, walnuts, cashews all plain or salted in some cases at very reasonable prices - no more than 1.50 a bag.  Whereas everyone else charges over 2 plus.  And today as well as nuts semi dried soft apricots at 99p per bag.  Pepsi was 99p per bottle all varieties  - the local shop has been charging 2.19 per bottle.  I have also picked up 4 bottles of pear cider at 84p per bottle which is in the fridge chilling as we speak, some Healeys Elderflower presse 1.99 per bottle so a couple of bottles of that came home with me as well and a couple of bottles of white wine as well as a couple of bottles of Wychwood beer.

So when I go in a couple of weeks I will be starting to resource dried fruit and nuts for preserving down.  Things to make like nuts in honey, praline, pecans in honey, golden sultanas in brandy.  All are delicious toppings for home made ice cream.  There are lots of ways of using things.  The dried fruit that is currently in residence in the pantry will get turned into mincemeat.  I am just waiting on the proper plums like Victorias and Greengages hitting my local veg shop as I use Pam Corbins recipe for plum mincemeat although I do have lots of other recipes as well.  I keep a lot of dried fruit in as I do tend to bake and I do not believe in wasting things.  There is always something that can be done.

Large punnets of peaches were 99p per punnet so four came home for turning into jam and some five spice peaches.  Might pop back later on in the week to get some more as I also need to make peach chutney.  Will pop the recipe up soon - book has gone walkabout but this is really a chutney that you will want to make.

I will also be getting the pork for the pork pies and the other meat products I want to make. 4.19 for a rolled joint of pork is not bad and I would need two of them to do the pork pies. I have had to put them on hold to make for the time being as kitchen is not quite sorted and I am going to be having a bulk session with the meat preservation in any event and I also hope to have a go at salami as well.  So the kitchen needs to be spotless for meat preservation and I do need that new fridge for storing stuff in after it has been made.  The freezers also need sorting out.

I have also decided that the pantry needs sorting.  OH needs to put the new floor down and whilst the pantry is being emptied for that I thought it might be a good idea to completely strip it out and paint it and probably get those extra shelves put up.  There is a fridge in there at the moment but if I get the shed that and the freezers will be able to go in there which will give me more space in the pantry for everything else.  I know it is never going to be big enough but I can try and make more of it than I am able to at the moment.

Right better get a wriggle on.  Hopefully will pop by later on.

Catch you later.

Pattypan x