Organic food in supermarkets

Kirri

I can't imagine cooking in a microwave must admit, I don't even own one now, was a novelty in the 80's but I would think it's difficult to produce anything that tasty in it, I can't remember anything being that nice in it :huh:

What about things like stir fry or crock pot or something, all in one pot so less washing up?

Edwardia

sophlowe45 - President butter is good ne c'est pas ? My jaw fell off when you declared that you don't like cooking though :eek:

After seeing the old movie 'Soylent Green' (Charlton Heston, Jenny Agutter) I just couldn't take a pill instead of food. If manufacturers will put horse in lasagne, imagine what sort of crap would go in that French chef of yore (Regency/Victorian IIRC) Anthelme (IIRC) Brillat Savarin was kinda overegging the pud when he wrote " the creation of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star " but I sort of know what he means.

Just last night I suggested to OH that he cooked some diced venison in his spaghetti bolognese sauce and served it on a bed of organic sliced runner beans. He used all organic ingredients - EV olive oil, garlic, shallots, onions, Herbes de Provence, fresh bay leaf from the garden, tinned chopped plum tomatoes, chestnut mushrooms, black pepper and whatever else he puts in it.. and it was fantastic.

When we sit there (which we often do) saying that was fantastic, great, beautiful, amazing (whatever) then for us that is a moment of real pleasure which lingers in the memory for days. OH used to moan occasionally about the expense of organic food but when he's cooked something that good from stuff in the kitchen, it gives him great satisfaction and he said last night he'll never moan about how much we spend on food again.

Edwardia

I've been shopping with Ocado almost every week since last August. Even having been stuck in snow earlier in the day, the Ocado van made it on time. I think I might have had one late delivery in all that time, I'm not sure. Ocado just doesn't do late IME.

Edwardia

Question: when it comes to decorating, how green/organic are you ?
Just synched with OH over time off in June for DIY so it occurred to me.

We use pale vinyl silk emulsions on the ceilings because none of them is original and it bounces light down into the room. On the walls (90% original plaster) Farrow and Ball Estate Emulsion as it has a low vinyl content.

This is true as I have used left over green emulsion to paint trellis and terracotta pots. The trellis is still going stong years later and the pots generally last a year. Vinyl emulsion will 'blow' off pots in days

For woodwork mostly we use Brewers Albany trade low odour oil eggshell. Those environmentally friendly water-based eggshell finishes run like crazeeee. and I've tried Crown, Crown Period Colours, Craig & Rose, Zoffany and Laura Ashley Home.

To me, when it comes to paint, the finish matters more than the eco-friendly credentials in this case.

sophlowe45

Edwardia how is your broccoli today from the veg box?

Mine has gone yellow, can I still eat it? I have 2 pieces left, I had one last night, I thought it was fine to leave everything in the box but guess I should have put everything in the fridge ASAP?

Just cut up a shallot that was mouldy

Everything has now been transferred to the fridge.

My Ocado order was one hour late. Luckily I could stay in and wait for it. I was refreshing the page every few minutes hoping the time would change.

Yes the President butter was the highlight of my order.

The thing about cooking and cleaning is that it takes so much time and effort and as a whole, we are a very pushed for time society.

Beckyy

I keep lots of organic veg out of the fridge that desn't go mouldy, shallots included. Broccoli should last longer than that too!

smallblueplanet

Beckyy wrote: »

I keep lots of organic veg out of the fridge that desn't go mouldy, shallots included. Broccoli should last longer than that too!

Too right! If you grow your own then it's 'amazing' just how long some veggies will last and still be fresher than some of the stuff we get from supermarkets.

Looking forward to the weather getting warmer to at least get the salads going - hate the price they charge for organic salad...

Ring up and complain about the poor quality veggies (but you're always gonna get an occasional bad onion/shallot, etc in a bag full, just seems so pricey with organic stuff) - but don't be surprised if they tell you so-&-so veg has a fridge life of a couple of days...

Edwardia

Ocado should tell you on receipt how long veg should last and I would certainly whinge about yellow broccoli and mouldy shallots day after delivery. My broccoli form the Ocado veg box is fine.

Food storage..here's how I do it.. YMMV (your mileage may vary)

Delicate but pongy eg wild garlic - not in fridge, use that day
Delicate eg lettuce, watercress, wild rocket, rocket, asparagus - eat that day or put in fridge use next day
Mushrooms, kale - fridge
Salad stuff eg cucumber, celery, spring/salad onions - fridge
Tomatoes and avocado never go in fridge
Spuds, swede, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes, white/red cabbage, veg box carrots, globe artichokes, aubergines (if unrefrigerated), onions, shallots, garlic, red onions, never go in fridge
Previously refrigerated carrots and aubergines - fridge
Eggs - never in fridge unless really hot weather
Milk, cream, yogurt, creme fraiche - always in fridge
Butter - defrost in fridge, keep on counter in butter dish unless really hot weather
Meat, fish, poultry, game - fridge, lowest shelf, never put anything they can drip on under them
Cooked food - never underneath raw food

I keep my fridge really cold, so kale, celery and carrots will last well over a week.

Bakers.. supposedly Sainsbury's SO organic dried fruit going..
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/60889799#Comment_60889799

alfsmum

Broccoli from Weds Riverford looking a bit yellow this morning (didn't have room in fridge!) but have now added half to large veggie curry I'm making and half to soup pan with asparagus, onion, garlic, potato - sort of throw it in and see recipe. I do a lot of soups from the veg boxes, throwing in chard or cabbage if they are looking a bit limp, then blend at the end. We take in food flasks for work, store some portions in the fridge for quick meals with lovely bread, and freeze some portions for when I don't feel like cooking. Very little gets wasted.

The Riverford bread (G stone from Hobbs House) is lovely this week, very malty. You can order Hobbs House bread online if you have keen bread eaters around and room to freeze some loaves. http://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/bakery/bread-boxes the organic box is £22.75 for six assorted loaves.

alfsmum

Looks like the new website has caused problems for Riverford. Apart from the difficult viewing box contents, I had an email yesterday saying payment hasn't yet been taken for this week's delivery because of the problems with the web.