Exit plan from the food rut

When the seasons change, I find it takes a little while to get in sync food-wise. And how miserable to find on your plate something which though delicious in the dark days of February, feels somehow like punishment when the sun is shining on a beautiful April afternoon.

But deliverance has arrived and it came in a cardboard box. See, a kindly soul wondered if I'd care to review a  veg box from Abel and Cole.


Delighted! Even if it was ever so slightly embarrassing to be caught by the neighbours piling produce into bowls in the middle of the lawn in order to take pictures. Well, they were very good looking fruit and veg. It's that clean organic living.

 
Now these don't claim to be the cheapest products you can stock your larder with. But in a way, the fact that they are a bit more expensive made me all the more determined to derive maximum value from them. Because it is so easy to treat cheap food in a careless manner. These babies, on the other hand, are first class all the way. We even fancied up the potatoes:

 

Rosti is one of those things that I don't make for ages and them make and wonder why not. Peel spuds and par boil gently for 5 mins. Drain and allow to cool a little. Coarsely grate, season with salt and pepper and pour in some melted butter. Mix around, then fry in a non stick pan with a little olive oil and another knob of butter. Use a plate to flip it halfway through cooking - you're aiming for cooked through with a lovely crunchy surface. Mine took around 15 mins on a fairly gentle heat, but obviously it depends on how thick your rosti is. Very moreish. You can stop licking your lips now. We're meant to be reviewing produce, not salivating.

Somehow, the idea of a mystery food parcel appeals to me - the creative challenge of feeding everyone from what lies inside. And not wasting it. Which is not a problem with fruit, which gets hoovered up fairly swiftly round here, with no fancification required. But the cauliflower was in danger of languishing, so ended up becoming  Sarah Raven's Cauliflower soup with ground almonds for supper later on in the week.

Based on my sample box, the fruit and veg were excellent quality. I'm not sure I would get a box every week, because I like to go to support our local farm shop and inevitably a box will not always cater to your specific larder requirements. But as a once in a while, and particularly as an injection of inspiration, it was a brilliant thing. And Abel and Cole delivered exactly when they promised and have an easy-to-use website, complete with very good recipie ideas.

I like this product reviewing thing.

Comments

[Laura VW]

I love rostis, and yours looks delicious. We've been on holiday to Switzerland a few times and always bring some of these back (in addition to my own weight in Swiss chocolate). I inspired to try making my own this week now - thank you!

[Kitty]

I haven't made rostis in waaaaay too long. Thanks for the prompt - I think that'll be on our menu this week now. I'll tell the kids Ali told me to do it!

That produce does all look wonderfully healthy, I must admit.

x

[Dragonfly]

I've had their leaflet on my table for, oh, months now, but have yet to give it a whirl.
I'm tempted to make rosti now too - never made them before either... they look delish!

[April]

I know what you mean, I get so fed up of trying to think of what to have for dinner each night - anything for some inspiration!

April xx

[Angie]

Oooh, I gotta try to make rosti. Sounds so good!

[rhubarb]

Gosh that looks good, makes me want to make rosti again, it's been ages!

Aside - I ordered plums in my food shopping this week. Yum!

[Fancy Elastic]

oooh. Rosti. mmmm.

[kristina]

Lucky you with the product reviewing job! The fruit and veggies look absolutely delicious!

I really had to change how I thought about cooking with the allotment--coming up with a recipe to match the fruit or vegetable on hand, rather than buying a particular fruit or vegetable to suit a recipe. Actually more fun in a way...

I've been trying to convince G to get an Abel & Cole box in the months when our allotment pickings are slim. Maybe your review will do the trick!

K x

[alice]

Good review! I get their small mixed fruit and veg box each week, it suits us pretty well. I like that I can say what I like and dislike and they alter what they deliver accordingly :)

[driftwood]

mmm tasty. we got a box for a while, it was always intriguing when we got something we'd never had before...... love the idea that you treat the food with more care because it cost a bit more x

[Jo]

I used to get a box every week from Abel and Cole, but sometimes, as tasty as the veg is, you can end up with too much of a good thing. My friends still talk about my butternut squash glut of 2005...

that rosti looks incredibly tasty.

[A Thrifty Mrs]

We have an Abel and Cole box weekly. My in laws gave it to us as a year long gift and it's terrific I have to say.

I like that they have great communitcation, the food lasts a long time (unlike Tesco!), the delivery man is friendly and always delivers on time.
We did however get to a day when we couldn't eat or even look at another celeriac! But you can go online and strike them from your box for a while which is a great idea.

Our box goes a long way, it means we have started buying more meat locally and only very rarely go to the supermarket for other bits and bobs.

I look forward to Fridays to see what we have in our box.

[Louise]

Yummo! I so agree with you on the seasonal thing. It is absolutely freezing here all of sudden and I'm now dying to eat soup! I did make up a very good broccoli and cauliflower salad with a lemon mustard dressing the other night though. And now I have to go and buy some potatoes!!

[Michaela]

I had an Organic Veg Box delivered once and was so disappointed. The stuff in it was awful, half of it was mouldy and couldn't be used. When I complained they were not helpful and refused to give me a refund. None of it looked remotely like anything in your box. So I stick with Sainsburys now instead. Sad but true.

[Helen]

We too are an Abel and Cole family. We started just over a month ago and have been really pleased with it so far. Potatoes that taste like potatoes used to taste! And yes, there's the odd wild card, like kohlrabi, but that's half the fun.

ps the hungry caterpillar party looked like so much fun - you must have had a great time getting ready for it!

[Junie Moon]

Your post makes me hungry. I do know what you mean about the neighbors thinking you're somewhat odd in your photographic efforts. Mine are being pretty used to the idea of me doing strange things as I try to take photographs to share on my blog. I've even stood in the middle of the street with my camera on a tripod trying to get a shot of the full moon with a saguaro cactus silhouetted against it. They just waved and drove around me.

[Emma]

Those veg do look excellent (and rather beautiful) and many thanks for the tips on making rosti. It always seems rather exotic but you've made it sound attractively simple. I agree about veg boxes - we have a farm shop just down the road too.

[juliab]

Yummy, that soup sounds nice. I usually make Cauliflower and sweetcorn chowder from Cranks. I too love the magical mystery of organic boxes and seasonal veg but like you, like to support our more local growers most of the time. x

[The Coffee Lady]

It's the grating that gets me. I'd like to say it really grates on me, but that would be too cheesy.

[Cat]

Oh, how we like Abel and Cole. Although, I have to confess - they were one of the first 'luxuries' to go when I was made redundant. They have a fantastic recipe bank on their website. x

[Kate]

We've gone back and forth several times on the idea of a box, but ultimately, I am a planner, so I don't really like not knowing what I am going to get. I know you can adjust them a lot more than you used to be able to but still... I do also really like to go to our Farmer's Market, though I don't make that as often as I like. And of course, we've just started the pick-your-own season (at a local PYO farm, not, I hasten to add, in my own garden, which only stretches to a handful of tomatoes) with the first crop (asparagus) - not much on until mid to late May, but it's great when it all starts happening...

[Thimbleina]

That rosti looks good, I am going to have to try that. We go through phases of having out local organic veg & fruit delivery. Mine also devour the fruit quite quickly but the veg some of it when I was surprised at what would come would be difficult to use up each time especially on busy weeks where I didn't have the energy to look recipes up and prepare them all. They are good though, yours looks very tasty

[Gill]

We've been Abel and Cole-ing for many years now and love having seasonal foods. I love that it comes with a bit of dirt on and no packaging!! It lasts longer I find too and so nothing ever goes to waste.
G
xx

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Product Reviewing sounds fantastic if you get a fabulous box full of goodies like that! Your rosti looks and sounds gorgeous too! Lucy x

[frances]

Wonderful photos, Ali! I love the collage of the items in your Abel And Cole's box. What a visually pleasing post (as so many of yours are)--you continue to inspire!.

frances

[Julie]

Yummy pictures Ali - I've never made rosti but am definitely feeling the need to now! I love your pictures from the very hungry caterpillar party too - they make me wish I was 5 again!

[Rebecca]

I would love to have been a fly on the wall in your neighbour's house!

I like the idea of a veg box and think it would force me to be more creative but so far I haven't been able to find one that will deliver in my area. I might go and investigate again....

[Thimbleanna]

Oh dear -- I better hurry and type my comment -- I fear the drool on my keyboard might short it out in a few more minutes. So sorry you suffered picture taking embarrassment, but it was SO worth it. And thanks for the aerial alphabet link -- my peeks out of the airplane window will never be the same!

[Gina]

I see leeks..one my favorite to cook with. They look like they're straight from a real garden! I would never had guess delivery service.