Local

I'm settling in here now. If I walk into the local pub they know what beer I drink and what size glass I have and ask which flavour chips I'm having with it :). The bar staff know my name. The Chinese meals from the restaurant are tasty and good value and the take away serves are huge as I can have 2 big meals from a serve of main and a large fried rice. Lol, I'm trying not to indulge too much!!

Wandered across the above park to the little supermarket yesterday (Saturday) morning and bought a few things to fill out the stock in the pantry till I shop next week. These cost me $5 each, were a spur of the moment buy, and are locally produced. I've tried the prunes (yum) but have yet to broach the red wine vinegar, which is sealed with a cork :). Lunchtime salad today is when I'll find out what it tastes like. The prunes are grown and produced on a road a couple of blocks away, that the dog and I have walked along a few times, and the vinegar is made in the village next door, Bilbul (about 6kms SW), to the one I live in.

I only realised today that I didn't post photos of my local purchase of apricots back in January and my effort at drying them in the car. These are a kilo of apricots stoned and halved and ready to go in the back of the car. It worked fine except for the fact that on the second day the weather cooled off considerably and I had to finish them in the oven. They didn't quite dry out as much as I would have wished so had to be stored in a jar in the refrigerator. They tasted delicious and I will be trying this again next apricot season.

Considering all the scares with imported foodstuffs I will be trying to buy local whenever possible now even if I have to process fruit/veg myself so I can store it. It also tastes soooooo much better and all the nutrients wouldn't be lost in transit/storage :). I'm so lucky to be living in a rural area where so many foods are grown and produced. That reminds me I need another kilo of local pure honey!

Cheers,

RobynLouise xo