Plastic free snacks - a recipe for muesli bars in a hurry

Plastic free snacks - a recipe for muesli bars in a hurry

One of the items that comes wrapped in plastic by default and that we get through a lot of on a weekly basis is snacks. I’ve come up with these muesli bars which went down a storm and can be made at the same time as buttering approximately a thousand sandwiches and pointlessly shouting at everyone to get their blimming shoes on.

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8 unique items to buy from an Italian supermarket

Here are 8 unusual items you could* buy in an Italian supermarket. *Could does not always mean should.  Personally, one of my favourite parts of travelling is food shopping. We usually end up renting an apartment rather than staying at a hotel (sitting in a darkened hotel room while the kid sleeps is never an inspiring travel experience) and part of the joy of this is getting to shop for and cook local foods whether in markets, specialised grocers or just exploring the local supermarkets. There's something about the mundane setting of a supermarket that really highlights the foreignness of what's on offer.

 

Luckily my family is for the most part pretty tolerant of this enthusiasm, although there have been a few experimental meals when we lived in Japan when it was suggested that we try and work out how to call for a pizza instead of eat what I had made (more of that another day, but basically being able to Whatsapp photos of food packaging from the shops to my bilingual friend Nuria to translate was an absolute lifeline and meant that at least we never ate soap powder instead of sugar).

 

Anyway, we are in Italy at the moment, so I thought I'd share a few of the oddities that I've come across that mark out the difference between our local stores: upmarket Esselunga and good value Pennymarket and what's available back in the UK.

 

1. Ready prepared prickly pear

Now I'm not normally a fan of fruit imprisoned in a rigid plastic box. Its such a waste of packaging, and I just prefer to choose which fruit I want and the quantity we need. But this is brilliant. I really love prickly pears (and the kid, being a Jungle Book fan is at least in love with the idea of them) but after a few near suicidal attempts at gathering them in the wild, and discovering that they really do live up to their prickly name, I'm in love with whoever came up with this; prickly pears with the prickles removed. Thank you.

 

2. Nutella

You probably already know that Nutella is quite a big thing in Italy. On this occasion we arrived at about 4pm and clearly a few people had already suffered a Nutella emergency. Its available in a variety of sizes from single serving (quite tempted to get a few to keep in my handbag just in case) up to 1.5kg. You will note that the own brand version just doesn't seem to cut it. We should probably buy some and carry out a blind taste test, in the interests of science of course. Shame about the palm oil.

 

3. Fresh yeast

OK so this packaging is not inspiring, but bear with me, this stuff is the business. If you bake bread, make sure you bring some home, it costs about €0.15 for enough to make 4 loaves and is so much better than dried yeast. It keeps for a week or so in the fridge. You can occasionally find it in health food shops in the UK, or by sweet talking the supermarket in store bakery, but I digress. Anyway, it is usually hiding somewhere around the ready made pizza dough and pastry (which you should also take home in your hand luggage if you've got space).

 

4. Pure alcohol

This alarming looking concoction is not for cleaning, but if you want to make your own liqueurs (it's ideal for Limoncello) or home bottled fruit. I suppose if you have a couple of fruit trees this would be win-win. You'll find it on the same shelf as the Scotch Whisky that costs about 50% less then it does in Scotland, because VAT or Brexit or something.

 

5. Whole frozen octopus

I'm not really sure about this. While I do love octopus, I haven't the first clue what to do with a whole one that size. Some stores have a frozen fish pick-n-mix section where you just fill a bag by weight and the fish isn't shrink wrapped. I find the massive box of suckery tentacles slightly alarming.

 

6. Unpasturised milk vending machine

If you are really lucky you will find one of these in the supermarket car park. I don't think you are actually supposed to drink this milk, it is for making cheeses at home. There is some sort of disclaimer that you should boil it before using but I suspect nobody does. Usually there are two machines next to each other, one sells sterilised glass jars, and the second dispenses milk into them. This one is styled as an incongruous alpine hut in a car park on a busy roundabout. I'm planning to make some Ricotta this week.

 

7. Vast selection of fresh fruit and vegetables and local cheeses and cured meats

It goes without saying that Italians take their food very seriously and particularly regional and seasonal specialities. The range and quality of what's on offer is always impressive and leads to most air freighted fruit and vegetables tasting of cardboard when we go back home (OK this last photo clearly wasn't taken in the supermarket, its our neighbour's front steps and represents about 10% of his apple collection. I'm wondering what on earth he's going to do with them all)

 

8. Anchovy flavoured toothpaste

Anchovy paste in tube in an Italian supermarket

Obviously not actually toothpaste, and you can get this in the UK, it just costs 10x more. I add this to almost everything for a salty, umami kick. Just don't actually brush your teeth with it.

 

Bonus tip, this is the shelf of wine that comes in a Tetra-pak and costs under €1 per litre. This is one thing I'd recommend not buying

Dishoom Edinburgh review + giveaway

Dishoom Edinburgh review + giveaway

I'll start this post with a massive hurrah that with the arrival of Dishoom we can finally enjoy delicious Indian food in Edinburgh. Having opened four popular Bombay Irani-style cafés in London, they have now colonised Edinburgh with their winning mix of delicious food, cocktails, casual dining and retro interior. If you would like to try it for yourself, scroll down and subscribe to be in for a chance of winning breakfast at Dishoom.

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Three minute restaurant review - Lovage Edinburgh

Three minute restaurant review - Lovage Edinburgh

An impromptu date night led to a quick search for somewhere new to try. We found ourselves at Edinburgh restaurant Lovage. The two chefs behind this, brothers Lukasz and Bartek Jedrejek have a surprising pedigree, with a background in biomedical sciences as well as fine dining. Their menu is packed with seasonal and local produce, and while they make use of innovative techniques, it doesn't feel like showing off, simply striving to get the best out of these wonderful ingredients. 

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Restaurant review - Rib Aye Steakhouse and Whisky bar

Restaurant review - Rib Aye Steakhouse and Whisky bar

Away from the bright lights of the city centre you will find Edinburgh's newest steak restaurant, the wittily named Rib Aye, tucked away in a corner of Leith, the location belies the ambition of Chef Colin Hinds, whose focus is impeccably sourced Scottish beef and produce from small farms, along with a careful selection of whiskies and other drinks designed to bring out the best in the ingredients.

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