Well the infamous fruit and veg box finally arrived last Thursday.  I behaved like a petulant child all day at work, itching to rush home and see what had arrived.  When the clock finally struck five I was off like a shot.  The sprint home was well worth it, and I was delighted with what I found.  My box of goodies contained the following:

Veggies

1 bag of deliciously dirty potatoes (I can still smell the earth on them)
6 carrots
1 HUGE courgette (seriously, I thought it was a marrow)
8-10 small onions
1 box of mushrooms
1 large green lettuce
1 bag of assorted green leaves (yep, I can be that specific)
6 ruby red tomatoes
1 large bundle of what I think are broad beans
1 cucumber
1 aubergine

Fruits

8 crunchy apples
3 tangy oranges
3 kiwis (which I’ve yet to try)
1 grapefruit
7 bananas

I think that’s everything – it seems like an awful lot when I write it down that way!  I actually did a rough calculation of how much the equivalent amount of food would cost in Tesco and was surprised to find that I’d actually made a saving (and that wasn’t even thinking about the Tesco ‘organic’ range, which is always more expensive than their bog standard stuff).  The quality is also astounding – I half-expected some things to taste a bit bland, but the flavours really jump out.  The tomatoes are tangy and delicious, and the apples are some of the sweetest I’ve ever had.  It’s also nice (and comforting) to know that I’m putting fresh, local goodness into my mouth and not something that’s been packaged into oblivion and transported halfway across the globe.

As for actually using the stuff, so far I’ve made a vegetable crumble (dinner Friday night) and three large salads (Friday and Monday lunches, Saturday dinner), incorporating various other bits and pieces where necessary.  The fruit I’ve been munching inbetween meals.  On tonight’s menu is a spicy sausage and bean stew, followed by a mushroom and butternut squash risotto on Wednesday and parmigiana later in the week, which will see off the aubergine.  I’ll get round to the potatoes at the weekend, and will definitely be consulting this site for some ideas.  Happy, healthy days ahoy!

Image above from Flickr – RozSheffield.

Prior to last week, I had never been on a caravan holiday before in my life. Perhaps somewhat understandably, I was therefore slightly unsure of what to expect. With the benefit of hindsight, I’m now somewhat ashamed to admit that visions of chemical toilets, DIY sewerage systems and beds made of nails had been filling my head slightly more than anyone would deem healthy in the run-up, obscuring rather effectively the excitement I was feeling at the prospect of being by the sea for a week, spoiled with as much time to read and write as I liked and as much fresh air to soak into my lungs as my respiratory system could handle.

As it turns out, I needn’t have worried a jot. I’m happy to report that static caravans (I’m no expert on the smaller ‘attach to your car and have all motorists hate you’ type – from what I can see they don’t look terribly comfortable) are totally delightful places to live for a week. We had our own bathroom – shower, fully-functioning toilet and running water; a kitchen replete with almost every trapping of domestic comfort (there was even a toastie maker!) imaginable and the biggest, most luxurious double bed I’ve probably ever had the pleasure of sleeping in. It really was blissful.

The first thing we did on arriving (well, actually it was the third thing – the first thing we did was run around madly whooping with delight at the sight of our temporary abode and the second was to make a cup of tea) was to remove the battery from the clock. One of the main ‘points’ of our holiday week was to do exactly what we felt like doing exactly when we felt like doing it, with only very fleeting regard for the hour of day. Removing the most obvious means of telling the time was initially intended as a symbolic gesture but it ended up allowing us to sink deeply into ‘holiday mode’ whereupon we would sit and read, or write, or talk, for ages with no clue as to what time it was and absolutely no guilty feelings of the ‘best get on and do X’ kind. I distinctly remember being struck at several points in the week by how delighted I was simply to be in a caravan as opposed to the office, playing a board game as opposed to doing research, drinking a cold cider as opposed to yet another cup of tea and munching all sorts of delicious snacks at all times of the day. I can honestly say that it knocked the socks off of any experience I’ve had abroad as far as relaxation was concerned.

Despite being completely in love with the simplicity and the fun of caravan living we did venture out and about a number of times. I am peripherally aware of the Fife area but it was nice to have the chance to explore it in more detail – there are some beautiful coastal towns dotted along the coast and the surrounding countryside is equally pleasing. On Wednesday afternoon we took a trip to St Andrews, following which we built a fire on the beach by the caravan, drank beer and looked at the stars. We spent Friday afternoon hiking around the coast before finding a seriously cute village with a tiny deli selling delicious lattes and the nicest chicken tikka baguettes I have yet come across. We also got some local strawberries for the walk back, which made trampling through swathes of knee-high nettles a much more bearable experience! To round off our week we went to nearby Anstruther and its much-loved fish and chip shop (apparently the UK’s best – one couple love the place so much they held their wedding reception there) for our final meal.

All in all, we had a wonderful week. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t glamorous and it wasn’t in any way culture-fuelled either. That was OK though. Often I find that a trip abroad brings with it an intense pressure to go places and see things which, unless you’re careful, can mask the simple pleasure that the experience of being in new surroundings can bring. We could actually see Edinburgh from our seaside spot but that didn’t detract at all from the fact that we were ‘on holiday’ in every sense that mattered. We only had to glance across the water to remind ourselves that work, home and daily life were all most definitely miles upon miles away.

So if anyone is interested in the idea of a ‘staycation’, I would strongly advocate a UK-bound caravan holiday. It’s a fantastic way to experience all of the good things about time off minus the stress, hassle and expense of flying abroad. It was by far the thriftiest holiday I’ve ever been on – a week cost us £137.50 each, and all of our other expenses were routine – food, drinks, fuel etc. I think it probably helps to do a little prior research on the location, what the site has to offer and also what the caravan you’re renting comes with. We struck gold with our let – the couple who own that particular caravan quite obviously cherish it and treat it exactly like a second home. That really added to our experience – we played their board games, watched their DVDs and used the teabags and cooking condiments they had left for us. The place really did feel like home almost from the first evening and we were both terribly sad to leave it on Saturday. We’re already thinking about when we can go back – if that’s not the sign of a holiday well enjoyed I’m not sure what is!

***Newsflash*** I’m finally uploading my own photos!  These are some of the shells I collected on the beach for a future craft project – of what form I’m as yet undecided!

Check out this recipe for leek and smoked cheddar tart (found via the Guardian website).  Doesn’t it look amazing, and utterly perfect for Spring?  I’m sorely tempted to scrap tonight’s dinner in favour of trying this out – cheese, leeks and pastry…what a combination.  I think I’ll resist, however, until next week – I’ve got big plans (and most of the ingredients) for carrot and coriander soup and another cheese-laden pizza tonight.  I also don’t think I have the right kind of baking tin to attempt something like this with any recognisable degree of success.  So it’s with a heavy heart that I have to say beautiful tart, you do look delicious, but sadly you will just have to wait.

Anyway, it’s a pretty dismal Thursday here in Edinburgh – it’s raining, but it’s that kind of wishy-washy drizzle that I always find difficult to deal with.  Give me big, fat, voluptuous drops over this anyday!  It’s one of life’s little conundrums – on the one hand you feel like a berk holding an umbrella because the rain is so light but on the other, if you are umbrella-less you somehow still end up completely drenched.  Nothing is ever simple is it?!

Nevertheless, contrary to most other rainy days I’m actually quite open to this one.  I’ve been teetering on the brink of finishing my current book (The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver – reviews here) for a few days now and this type of weather provides the perfect opportunity for going home after work, indulging in some hearty comfort foods and several cups of tea and settling down to nothing but a few hours of uninterrupted page-flicking.  I’ve been reading constantly for the past few months but nothing has really captured me in the can’t-put-this-down sense for a while (with, perhaps, the exception of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi).  Although it took me a while to get into The Poisonwood Bible it has turned out to be a remarkable and beautifully-written story about postcolonial Africa, the Belgian Congo and the devastating destruction of an entire family.  Sad, but incredibly poignant nonetheless.  I’ve no idea how it will end (perhaps I will tell you tomorrow) but I’d highly recommend a read to anyone wishing to learn a little about Africa’s complex but intriguing history.

Also, as the conclusion of Lent appears on the horizon I’ve thought of a couple of things I’d like to get my hands on once I’m free to spend again.  All non-frivolous purchases, of course!  First off, I’m going to invest in a three-tier steamer for cooking vegetables and potatoes and almost anything else.  I don’t know why this idea hasn’t occurred to me before but I have used a friend’s steamer several times now and I have to say that they are totally genius inventions.  They save bucketloads of energy (think one hob instead of three) and they are also a much gentler way to cook.  I’m sure I read somewhere  that steaming allows vegetables to retain more of their nutrients than boiling does.  If you’re going to be good enough to eat the darn things in the first place you might as well get the full benefit of them!

Second and third on my wish list are a proper pizza tray and a roller-type cutting device which will both, hopefully, help to further my currently infantile pizza-making expertise.  I can’t seem to achieve all-out crispiness of the base at the moment, which I’m putting down to the trays I’ve been using having no holes in the bottom and I’m also having some difficulty hacking the things up with a bread knife which I think a proper cutter might solve.  No longer will I be serving half-mangled doughy slabs but perfectly crispy, even triangles which you might be forgiven for thinking came straight from Italia herself.  Here’s hoping anyway.

Roll on Good Friday!

PS: As a follow-up to yesterday’s post about breakfast, this morning I had a raisin, apple and cinnamon bagel with lots of cream cheese and a glass of pineapple juice.  Different and interesting!  I’ve decided to canvass Lidl on my way home later for interesting cereals and some Deutsch-themed pizza toppings!

Image above courtesy of Flickr – tworm.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote what I thought was a rather cheery, chipper post about Spring and why we should all love it.  I talked about nature and daffodils and post-work strolls in the late evening sunshine, playing tennis and eating salads and wearing white linen trousers after eons of trudging around in thick tights.  It all sounded so wonderful and really, it is, but there’s just one blot on this perfect, cloud-free horizon that rears its ugly, money-guzzling head around this time of year.  That’s right, it’s the winter energy bill.

I received my gas and electricity bills for the past three months in one, horrible, blood-sucking go this morning, which has had an intensely dampening effect on my Monday mood.  Essentially, we are being charged around £300.  Although this is between the two of us it has still come as a bit of a blow, and not at the most perfect time either.  I do have surplus cash kicking about owing to Lent, but the bill itself nonchalantly dropped through the letter box midway through the month, and on the same day as my rent fell due!  Oh the woes of 21st century living!

There’s nothing I can do about this particular bill now – it’s clearly accurate as we’ve had the heating on pretty constantly over the winter months and some of our appliances have been in use much more as well.  I don’t resent paying for energy at all, and it has been an extremely comfortable winter on that front (in my student days the heating only went on in dire straits – the rest of the time we wore jumpers and drank more tea) but now that the evenings are stretching out a little and the weather isn’t quite so dismal it’s perhaps time to start thinking about ways to cut costs for the Spring quarter.

The biggie will obviously be adjusting the timer on the heating in accord with the weather but there are also a number of smaller things I can do that will add up slowly over the course of three months.  I’m generally fairly good with the whole ‘turning lights off when I’m not in the room’ thing and I don’t tend to do more than two loads of washing in a week (usually at 30 degrees too!).  But I guess there are some residual grey areas where little energy-saving changes can still be made.  For starters, I’m going to stop making a hot water bottle each night and I’m going to take my electric blanket off of the bed (I mean come on, that’s just a luxury!).  I’m also going to begin leaving my hair to dry naturally some mornings as opposed to blasting it ferociously with the dryer and then attacking it with the straighteners.  I much prefer the natural look and it’s better for my hair anyway (yes, Cheryl, I’m worth it).  I also shouldn’t forget that Springtime naturally lends itself to reduced energy bills anyway – having more cold meals – salads for one – gives the cooker a bit of a break and spending increased amounts of time outdoors means that things like the radio and the TV are less in use as well.

I’m not going to be too draconian about it, but I really despise having my Monday morning ruined by fat-ass bills like this one.  The only way I can prevent it happening again is to change the way I do things, as far as that’s possible.

Hate Mondays, hate bills, HATE parting with cash when it’s not necessary!

Image available from Flickr: ladybugbkt.

As the UK plummeted into hard-going recession a couple of years ago, almost everyone was forced to sit down with a cup of tea and reconsider their spending habits.  One of the most obvious places where pretty chunky costs could be cut was holidays.  Now most of us are deeply in thrall to our annual break from normality but when the toss up was between a week in the sun and several weeks or months worth of food the decision was pretty much made for us.

I’m happy to report, however, that we didn’t forego our holidays completely.  As with so many other things, we simply reconsidered, and to my mind, one of the more pleasant outcomes of the recession has been the idea of the ‘staycation’.  In other words, holidaying at home.

I have to say, I am immensely attracted to this idea.  For one thing, staying at home is a darn sight cheaper than going abroad, and that’s not to mention the equally appealing prospect of damage to the environment, which seems to have the ability to make me feel depressingly guilty, being kept to a minimum.  But there are other reasons why staycations should, in my opinion, be here to stay (ho ho).  What better way is there to pass the time than a week spent delving into previously undiscovered parts of our own countries?  I’ve lived in Scotland my entire life yet there are still vast swathes of the place that I’ve never explored, and thus have not yet had the chance to appreciate.  To my mind at least, that alone is a pretty good reason for staying put as opposed to jetting off, all financial and environmental considerations aside.

The other ridicuously pleasing thing about the staycation is that it allows for a proper holiday.  The kind of holiday where you actually relax.  If you’re not too far away from home it stands to reason that you won’t feel the same pressure to behave like a tourist as you might do abroad, and there are also zero opportunities for stressing over flight times, baggage allowances and airport security checks.  You simply fill the car with as much of what you think you’ll need for the duration, stick the radio on and off you merrily trot into the sunset (or the drizzle, as the case will probably be!).

It is this latter reason that has prompted my boyfriend and I to embark on our own home-bred holiday in April.  After a recent visit to Fife, we were inspired to contact the owners of a caravan in a beautifully secluded bay tucked closely to the East Neuk.  We’ll only be an hour away from Edinburgh (in fact, we’ll be able to see Edinburgh from across the Firth of Forth), which may not make it sound like the greatest adventure ever undertaken, but that’s actually the point.  In fact, it’s pretty clever when you think about it.  Knowing the surrounding area already, we know what to expect of the weather, there will be none of that stressy ‘must cram as many sights into one day as is humanly possible’ pressure (which I’m guessing often ruins what should really be a nice break away from the doors) and finally, if things do go horribly wrong for any reason, we can come home without having to sacrifice too much.

With the usual holiday strains safely out of our reach, we will be able to simply spend our days in peace and quiet, pottering about in our ‘home for the week’, reading the books we’ve not yet had a chance to start, watching the films we’ve not yet managed to see and (for me at least) writing all those blog posts I currently have stored in my head but don’t yet seem to have committed to screen. These activities will, of course, be sandwiched between walks along the beach, copius amounts of board games and frequent visits to the UK’s most beloved fish and chip shop in Anstruther.  Not the most expensive, nor the most flashy, nor the most tan-inducing break by far, but a holiday in every meaningful respect nonetheless. Long live the staycation!

Image above from Flickr: Paolo Camera.

Incidentially, this year’s Christmas special of The Royle Family sprung to my mind as I was writing this post.  There’s a brilliant scene in there where Jim, Barbara, Denise and Dave are forced to entertain themselves in a caravan for an evening after they discover the dual horror of no TV signal and no chip pan(!).  I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for on YouTube, but I did find this snippet from their car journey to Wales which I thought I’d share instead.  Enjoy!