Food glorious food

We can get more than I imagined to cook with
veg wise can get

avocados
artichokes
aubergines
broccoli
cabbage
cauliflower
chicory (bleurgh)
chillis (green / red / killer madam Jeanette)
courgette
cucumbers
fresh cannelini / kidney beans
green beans
leeks
lettuce (curly and round)
marrow
onion
oyster mushrooms
peas
plantain
potato
pumpkin
radishes
red cabbage
red onions
spring onion
sweet corn
sweet potato
tomatoes

not all are every where always, but they are about - all of the above are organic, since the farmers can't afford chemical fertilisers. The supermarkets are hit and miss if you want a particular item on a particular day but I know now where the indoor big market is, and they have EVERYTHING including peeled garlic - how handy is that!

I've been able to get fresh herbs too, mint, coriander, parsley, rosemary, chives (no dill though)

So I'm missing regular mushrooms, celery and tauge (beansprouts)! No big problem there.

There are imported spices from Kenya - not the best quality, and relatively expensive - and just about everything is there - I've bought them to spice up our lives. Basmati rice, coconut milk and couscous are also available widely.

Beef / lamb (mutton) / goat / pork are widely available and cheap. Chicken is less available and relatively expensive and not nice. I've seen rabbit in the supermarket so may try currying that instead of chicken. Fish is everywhere - so long as you want tilapia or capitaine (nile perch) both of which are nice bland inoffensive fish. Calamari and prawns are flown in deep frozen and the price reflects that they have come half way round the world - but at a weird level its comforting to know I can get them if I'm willing to pay.

I bought a big bag of fresh local beans, and thought they were so pretty they deserved a photo. They didn't deserve an 'after' though, as they were a uniform grey-purple colour.



So we are eating well - especially since I have more time and energy to cook now.

That said, we've found some surprising items available easily - hot cross buns are a spiced sweet currant bun originally available in UK at Easter time, and found here in a supermarket.

Also we can get hold of fresh sauerkraut and sausages from the local german butcher, and these amusingly titled shortbreads...