Hmmm. Starts to be a challenge now as Borough is so excrutiatingly busy on the Saturday before xmas that I know already I won't go. It is an oddity that when I most want to be shopping there it's simply too horrible. But, obviously, I want my xmas feast to be from there so some planning now is called for. I can get early things like morcilla and carrots and bits from Brindisa, order a shoulder of pork from Ginger Pig to collect Wednesday or Thursday as the centrepiece of our xmas feast, need carcasses for this week to make some stock and work out when/ how to acquire vegetables and cheeses because you cannot have xmas without cheeses.
And then there is also the week ahead. Home over the weekend seafood platter Saturday night with crusty bread to get us in the mood for xmas then lovely braised beef and winter veg Sunday we are out Monday Tuesday Wednesday so need something homey for Thursday! Thinking lamb might be nice for Sunday roast, back to fish theme for Saturday night unless we are out then too. Would like noodles Thursday night roasted one of gigantic pork chops with carrot and turnip mash and sprouts or pasta perhaps, sausages Friday night plan to make some cheese straws as a test and will follow with either omelette or simple pasta.
The good news is that Interflora sent me a Duchy Originals Christmas hamper Friday - a great way to get into this particular weekend. I like hampers - they always offer such promise and a well constructed one somehow gives more than the sum of its parts. Opened this one to find lots of favourites, like chocolate dipped ginger biscuits and cheese biscuits, always useful tea and jam and a bottle of elderflower cordial that will be a treat in the summer. I was less certain about the pickles but the man was delighted - lovely with cheeses! But we both fell squealing upon the packet of lemon sherberts - turns out they were a common childhood favourite for us both. Still learning things about my man... We are catching the train to Suffolk on the weekend and we shall sit sucking sherberts all the way!
Wasn't as bad as I was expecting first thing at Borough. At the Ginger Pig I ordered pork shoulder for xmas from Charlie who was so cold he was shivering, bought a piece of chuck steak to make an Italian supper but what caught my eye was a pile of the biggest pork chops I have ever seen, with a sign saying 4 for £10. Total bargain. The four I bought weighed 3.5 kilos. I have frozen them separately and plan to roast them one at a time for midweek suppers. Spent £33.20 including deposit for xmas.
Then to Brindisa where we had a nice time choosing lovely treats for friends and family.
Smoked salmon from the Irish stall, hummed and hahed about buying a side for xmas but think it may be too much food - £5
At Booths I bought potatoes and sprouts, a cucumber and an avocado and lots of little white onions - £3.80
Then to Shellseekers for sweet little prawns and a dressed crab - £11.80 - which I managed to leave behind on the counter. Didn't realise till I was home again and so went back to find an absolutely heaving market and the nice people at Shellseekers had put my stuff aside till my return
From Wild Beef I needed eggs but they also had 3 packs of coarse mince for £10 so spent £11.50
A chicken carcass from Wyndhams - their last - 75p
Bought brightly coloured organic carrots - £1.17
Apples from Chegworth - £1.65 then realised it would be a good idea to buy juice for xmas day so got 3 bottles for £7.50
At a small spanish stall out the back I bought a jar of onion relish and a tub of salted marcona almonds and the man was much taken with a tin of smoked sardines - £12.00
Chocolates from L'Artisan du Chocolat - £2
Bought a lovely piece of Pecorino from Gastronomica - £12 and was pleased to find they will be open over xmas and new year
At Neals Yard I bought milk and cream and a raisin and walnut loaf - £9.80
And then I had run out of money! Spent £112.17 - and it's not over yet...
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