One Local Summer challenge

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One Local Summer challenge
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Downsizer Forum Index -> Seasonal and Frugal Shopping

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sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 08 9:44 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

I think being able to specify the meal yourself will make it avaiable to everyone to do at their own pace. Something simple and plain (like steak, salad and potatoes) is going to be vastly easier than something like spag bol, or more processed stuff like pie or bread and stuff. I'm trying to think of something hard, and failing. Obviously I don't cook anything complicated enough!!

Lobster?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 08 9:45 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

But what about the parmesan?

I'd use a different local cheese.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 08 9:46 pm Post subject:

Cathryn wrote:

I like parmesan but why parmesan?

'cos on a spag bol it is rather scrummy. I'll confess to having had a little of it on our wild shroom risotto this evening.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 08 9:59 pm Post subject:
yeah 'spose that's the obvious answer.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 08 10:23 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

wellington womble wrote:

Lobster?

No, silly, I mean something with lots of ingredients to find. I can't think of anything with more than about three. A local day might be interesting. How do you make local cake? Anyway, I think lobster's hugely overrated!

Clearly I am a simple cook! I should probably be more adventurous.

Grimnir

Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 372
Location: Northants/Beds border

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 7:18 am Post subject:

For the spag bol - where would your extra virgin olive oil come from?

What would you use instead? (Says he who can't remember when he last bought it

) A lot of the fancy cooks slather it on just about everything, so if you had to source everything locally what would you be able to get in England?

I know the original instructions said seasonings were not included in this but what native herbs and seasonings are there? Could you do without imported ones if you had to? What about salt, what is the most local source for that?

*edit* must learn to spell...

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 7:52 am Post subject:
Oil is included in the list of exceptions. Though I'm sure in many situations you could use butter, which could be local.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:04 am Post subject:

Grimnir wrote:

For the spag bol - where would your extra virgin olive oil come from?

What would you use instead? (Says he who can't remember when he last bought it

) A lot of the fancy cooks slather it on just about everything, so if you had to source everything locally what would you be able to get in England?

Extra virgin olive oil isn't that important in a dish like spag bol, you only want to add some near the end if you're planning to use it. I experimented with using a virgin rapeseed oil, worked very well.

Quote:

I know the original instructions said seasonings were not included in this but what native herbs and seasonings are there? Could you do without imported ones if you had to? What about salt, what is the most local source for that?

Herbs are easy, both wild and from the garden. There are a lot of spices that would be really hard, but few herbs. Salt is produced in many parts of the UK, but not available locally everywhere.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:32 am Post subject:
I don't understand anymore

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:34 am Post subject:

Grimnir wrote:

What about salt, what is the most local source for that?

*edit* must learn to spell...

It's an exception. But I was going to use this as an excuse to take my kids to the beach and make our own salt.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:47 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

But what about the parmesan?

Check the label I bet its not Parmesan but Full Fat Hard Cheese in the tub.

Jsutme

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:51 am Post subject:
Tub? Can't see Sean allowing that in the house.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 8:58 am Post subject:
Or did he mean tube?

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 9:39 am Post subject:

Just to go back to basics for a minute, this doesn't have to be elaborate. Your local meal could be a cheese sarnie or an omelette with salad if that's what you can find. You can do a full three-course meal with wines for each course, if you want, but a simple supper dish is OK too.

Don't get too hung up on the rules- it's supposed to be a bit of fun and the challenge part is to think just that extra bit more about where our food actually comes from.

Sooo. You are allowed salt, pepper, spices (not herbs - anyone with a windowsill can grow herbs), oil and yeast. Anything else must be from within your 50-mile radius.

I'm off shopping now to see if I can find some Shropshire spuds. The rather nice Pembroke potatoes I had last week are outside my zone

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 08 9:49 am Post subject: Re: One Local Summer challenge

judith wrote:

......within a given radius of home, barring salt. pepper, spices and oil (I am inclined to add yeast to the list as well). By local, I suggest a radius of 50 miles.

I can't imagine cooking without salt. Phew, as Maldon is 80 miles! Not within this challenge, but on the whole, not bad as foodmiles go. And this is someone who lives about as far from the see as it is possible to get (I beleive the furthest point is officially Tring, which about 6 miles from here)

Herbs are one of the easiest things to grow (if perhaps not to source) Nearly anyone could get a few plants and put them in a sunny corner (or even a window box) and keep themselves in their favourites for one meal a week. Lemongrass and coriander are the only ones I ever buy, now. Spices would be hard to cook without, if you are keen on that sort of thing.

I think citrus fruits, oil and sugar are the only things that would be truly unfathomable if push came to shove. And I think sugar may be made in East Anglia somewhere? I know oil can be produced, here, I just don't know if it is. There are plenty of other things I use which are imported (coffee, tea, rice, spices, chocoate, nuts, pulses) but not in large quantities, or as a daily staple.

Oh, and gin.

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