I wanted I bought I made

Another busyish week ahead - Saturday I am having an early xmas dinner with friends so plan slow cooked pork to keep the kitchen warm and steamed marmalade pudding because I hate xmas pudding the pork was perfect but made an apple and blackberry duff for dessert. Sunday we are out to lunch so dinner may well be toast topped with mozzarella and the last of the parma ham, v good toast indeed. Monday is Hamlet, Tuesday I am out so the man can have hot pie, Wednesday the man is out so I shall have burgers as it's been ages and I love them with the fab edamame, rice and blackbean salad from 5am foodie, Thursday we are both home so shall rescue the final tub of beef and mushroom stew from a couple of weeks ago and serve it with lots of winter veg due to the change in temperature from less than zero to a little more than zero we had a slightly unsuccessful pasta with broccoli and walnuts -should have stuck with the original plan :( Friday stir fried noodles - grilled lamb chops with salad and bread.

Spent an age rugging up to go to the market Saturday morning only to discover it was positively warm outside, ridiculously balmy even. Total surprise. The market itself is always 10 degrees colder than outside so it was, obviously, totally freezing but not as bad as it could be. *sigh of relief*

At the Ginger Pig I bought a magnificent piece of pork shoulder on the bone which I put in the oven on our return and served for dinner some hours later for £15.80

Then to Teds Veg for potatoes, swede, carrots - I love winter veg - and fennel which was intended for the mussels but that did not go well - £8.70

Had to have a bag of chocolates from L'Artisan du Chocolat - £2

Bought parsnips puréed with butter and cream, lovely with pork and garlic from Tony Booth's daughters organic veg stall - she was very pleased with the thaw. The market had been really quiet Friday with no trains coming into London Bridge and that, combined with sub zero, was a definite challenge... Spent £2.85

Apples from Chegworth - £2.10

The Italian ham stall had obviously had a slow week and were offering bogoff on the buffalo mozzarella - too good to resist, added some ham, spent £10.80

Mussels from Shellseekers the last mussels I bought from here were possibly the best I have ever had, and these ones promised to be the same. I washed them and found only one that was open. Cooked them with a little shallot and white wine. When I opened the lid a cloud escaped that smelt not of the briny depths but distinctly of farmyard, fresh manure variety. It was of course the moment that the first guest arrived and as the man came back into the kitchen with her he said, euuugh, what's that smell? They had all opened and they looked fine but they really did not smell it so I binned the lot. Anyone have any ideas of what it could be? Straight on to mains! £5.50

Eggs from Richard at Wild Beef as Lizzie was home minding the Aga - sensible woman - £1.50

Cream, clotted cream, milk, bread (from St John yay!) and a fresh donut at Neals Yard - £12.70

That was all from there - having porridge for breakfast meant no toast loaf - spent £61.95 then bought a butternut at the local market and sprouts round the corner.

Walking back to the bus stop saw a sign - Automatic door out of order. Please push. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.