Lockdown diaries, day eleven, buying local

Local free-range organic eggs

Day eleven, Monday 9^th November

I’ve had better starts to a Monday morning. There is nothing quite like the words “Mum, Mini (the dog) has been sick on my bed” to put me off my bowl of apple, walnut and cinnamon oats in the morning. On a positive note however, the dog had looked quite off-colour yesterday, but is much more herself today and the weather this morning was good enough to get the washing dry outside.

 

Buying local

It has now been a week since we used a car and although one of us will need to do a supermarket shop for things like dishwasher tablets, washing liquid and dog food, that aren’t the easiest of items to buy by bike, I’m determined to try and do as much fresh produce shopping from local producers as I can. As well as helping the local economy and reducing the carbon footprint of our food, it gives us a valid reason to get out on the bikes which is a bonus for our mental health. I’ve already identified two vegetable growers and a farm selling meat and homemade sausages, all within ten kilometres from home. 

Buying local

Today’s local shop was a bike ride to get eggs from the organic, free-range egg farm three kilometres from the village. A weekly visit here has become routine for us this year since our three old birds are no longer laying. Last week’s dozen contained a double-yolk egg and going by the size of one of them, this week we might be lucky again, although I can’t help feeling for the chicken that laid it. As well as eggs at 2.50€ a dozen, you can now also buy local honey, which I will be doing once we’ve finished the current pot. We all take a teaspoon of honey every day, so having access to a locally produced one is great news. Honey has many benefits to the immune system including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and I want our bodies to be as ready as they can be to fight off any virus or bacterial infections this winter. 

 

Local honey

Sadly, our area of France is one of forty-six French departments that has been put on raised alert for avian flu. It is migration season and in order to reduce the risk of the wild birds infecting poultry, all birds that are normally allowed access to the outdoors must be shut inside or be protected by netting. This not only affects the larger producers like the one in our village, but individuals with a few backyard birds like us too. Chatting to the farmer this morning, she assured me she would be bringing in as many ‘toys’ as she could, including straw bales for her girls to climb on, so they don’t get bored.

 

The French Village Diaries 2020 new header

Blog updates

With no course to run this week and only the decorating to carry on with, I thought Adrian needed a new project to keep him from getting bored too. It has been over two years since I changed the blog header, so I felt the time was right to update the pictures and make a few changes to the layout. I love the new design he has created for me and hope you do too.

Cooking to cure a cold

Despite the occasional blast of warmth, blue sky and sunshine so far May has been Grey. 

Grey May Go Away. 

I have had enough and due to this weather I now need your sympathy, as I have not one poorly male with a cold, but two poorly males with colds! Poor me, I know, but I have been trying my best to make my favourite tried and trusted remedies to get them back on top form asap.

The first thing I always turn to is my Nan Elizabeth’s fresh juice with honey. Nan lived with us when I was a child, which although had it’s benefits, having three generations under one roof wasn’t easy all the time!  What it did mean was that when we were poorly Nan was there, and let’s face it we all know you get more sympathy from your grandparents than your parents, so I had no complaints. Whatever ailed us Nan would make her freshly squeezed lemon, orange and honey drink, in a large light brown Tupperware jug, so 1970’s. The jug would sit on the kitchen counter and we would be encouraged to help ourselves throughout the day. As a child the juice seemed to magically stay warm and the jug full, but that is probably just my memory playing tricks with me. Whenever the sniffles hit now I make Nan’s juice, but sadly I don’t have a Tupperware jug to keep it in. Packed full of vitamin C and good local honey there is something very comforting about this childhood drink that must be good for you, Nan said so.

Bright vibrant colours

In a 500ml (one pint) jug add 4 teaspoons of honey to the juice of one lemon and two oranges and top up with boiling water. Drink regularly, warm if possible.

The second remedy I like to make is my spicy chicken stock soup. I’m sure chicken stock has magical healing powers and it is light and easy on the stomach, so perfect for when you are poorly. The added garlic, onions, turmeric and chilli are all good for you too, especially when you have a cold. The one I made today certainly blasted through my sinuses and gave them a good clear out.

Spicy chicken soup

Two onions, thinly sliced

Lots of garlic, thinly sliced

Two fresh chillies, I left the seeds in but do whatever you prefer

2 teaspoons of Turmeric

500ml (1 pint) of chicken stock, homemade from boiling a carcass if possible

500ml (1 pint) of water

2 handfuls of fine angel hair pasta

Sauté the onions, garlic, chillies and turmeric in a little olive oil until the onions are soft. Add the liquids and bring to the boil, then add the pasta and simmer until cooked. Serve with sympathy. ps I’m not very good at that bit!