animal vegetable mineral

You knew already...

2008-08-21T07:29:00.000+10:00

THE financial belt may be tightening because of the economic downturn and high mortgage repayments but smart Sydneysiders are still eating the best produce - and cooking it at home.
Let the party begin, Good Living

Of course animal vegetable mineral customers already knew that this was an option, without having to be a resident of Mosman for the privilege! So get your friends over for a meal with some clever options with top notch produce:

do it yourself -
you're a confident cook with a flair for flavour and enjoy trying new recipes, simply order great quality fresh produce and have us deliver it to your door.

meal packs -
you've got the basics but perhaps lacking in time or inclination to put it all together; select a meal pack, give us the numbers and we'll deliver the correct ingredients to your door.

something special -
a bespoke solution; whether it's a proposal dinner for two, a special dinner for 8 or a party for 30 (or more) contact us for help

Don your pinny...

2008-08-20T07:18:00.002+10:00

We know that sense of pride when you know you're cooking with great quality, fresh produce. It's hard to screw up a meal if you keep it simple, and it's easy to impress if you've started off with the right ingredients!

Now you can show the world (or whoever comes by your kitchen) why you're cooking with such confidence and how you're feeding the household a variety of meals you never thought you'd have the time to - when they see your animal vegetable mineral pinny, they'll finally understand!

We've put together a small range of merchandise using the logo our customers love with a few simple products on cafepress* - apron, hat, ceramic travel mug, cloth tote bag, pet bowls, and t-shirts.

Check them out now!

*cafepress is an American based business.

Life is like a box of chocolates

2008-08-11T16:00:00.000+10:00

There's lots to like about eggs. They're a natural phenomenon being so versatile.

I really enjoy the surprise factor when you crack a free range egg - you never know certain what the yolks will look like. It's influenced by what the chook has been eating. As the seasons change and the creatures in the soil go through their life cycles, and the plants go through theirs, the yolk changes too.

A few weeks ago egg yolks were mustard-yellow in colour. It didn't detract from their flavour - in fact a rather earthy almost truffle-like tone was evident. This week, they're back to a vibrant orange, with less truffle taste and more of the googy-egg factor.

We hope you're enjoying them as much as we are.

The week that was...

2008-08-10T08:09:00.022+10:00

At the start of the week I posted about being a bit organised and the thought process behind how I plan meals. I said it wasn't set in stone and typically there are variations.

To refresh your memory, "the menu" or rather a list of possibilities from our larder:

Beef Rendang
Jamie Oliver's chicken in milk
Lamb shanks
Avgolemono
Curried Pumpkin soup
Home-made pasta

I also mentioned recently that Kathryn Elliot at Limes and Lycopene is running 31 days to a better diet so that has also played a part in the way the week unfolded. That started last Friday being the first of the month.

To bring you up to speed the first few days of the 31-day plan, they were:

Day 1 - Make a commitment
Day 2 - Keep a diet diary
Day 3 - Which food group don't you eat?

I didn't see the third post until late in the afternoon; by that stage it was too late in the day to fulfill so I made a mental note to fit it into the week ahead.

Monday (day 4 - build a stock of useful plastic containers)
In maintaining diplomatic relations at the Garden Club I refrained from purchasing any more containers. We do tend to have a lot of containers as I am obsessed with them.

That night, we had a minor misunderstanding in the household- I had thought Mr Grocer was preparing the chicken and he had forgotten. So after the dog walk the lamb shanks went into the oven and we made some mash. Having options is a good thing.

Tuesday (day 5 - salad splurges)
Earlier in the day I bought some polenta - something I've struggled to enjoy in the past, hence usually avoided. I served it with the chicken in milk, fulfilling the challenge for day 3. As a concession to the day's challenge we served that with mixed leaves from the markets and I made a mental note to properly splurge on salad later in the week.

Wednesday (day 6 - do you know when you're hungry)
Duh! Of course I do, I'm hungry all the time - it's a permanent state of being! Especially when there's delicious beef rendang to be eaten - served with stir fried baby bok choi and handsome broccoli.

Facetiousness aside, this was an excellent exercise - being conscious of when my thoughts started to drift toward comestibles, thinking about physical triggers (if any) and becoming very aware that as I don't drink as much fluid in winter I am prone to confusing thirst with hunger.

Thursday (day 7 - practice cooking & make something new for dinner)
Too easy - this is my hobby! I had already sourced some lamb rump portions as I need a fast to prepare meal for Thursdays. I sealed them on either side after marinating with lemon, garlic and rosemary and bunged in the oven. I served this with another experiment dubbed "winter salad" (thus fulfilling the aforementioned salad splurge) - pearl barley tossed with grated white radish, fresh oregano and roasted beetroot wedges, onion and garlic roasted in foil "bag" in the oven. I made a red wine reduction in the pan used to sear the lamb. Dinner was pink!

Friday (day 8 - spend some time on your meals)
Tick! After socialising at the dog park (with owners of course) it was probably a bit late, but I set about preparing a meal rather than (a) getting takeaway or (b) doing something quickly.

We sat down (rather late) to a beautiful meal of toulouse sausages (delivered on the day) served with roasted kipflers and onions and braised red cabbage. It was much later than we should have eaten, but it was going to be a late night with the Olympic opening ceremony.

What happened to the other meals on the "menu"?

The pumpkin soup, as predicted, was gone by Monday lunch time.

The avgolemono base (chicken stock was whittled away somewhat - a last minute broccoli soup for my lunch one day, a bit slopped in to the stir fry, a bit on the sausages with the roasted onions for a bit of gravy. The remainder will get tipped into something - maybe even boiled up with rice sort of congee style (something a former flat mate introduced me to many moons ago).

The home-made pasta likewise didn't get eaten during the week, but with a delivery of pancetta and eggs on Friday I suspect that orecchiette will make way for a long pasta to make a delicious and easy carbonara.

And the other ingredients? We munched through the fruit for snacks and lunches, some of the bananas also went into porridge. Carrots went into stock base and got munched on generally and ditto for celery (celery is great diced finely to compliment or supplement onions in just about anything). The kransky didn't survive last weekend and they went with the sourdough baguette. Other vegies were slowly eaten away at in a bit of this or that - a roasted tomato soup, lunches, and snacking amongst other things.

So dear readers, that is how I factor fresh food and variety into a busy week - a bit of organisation, some fast meals, some slow-cooked meals, basic cooking techniques, an outline, and a lot of flexibility. Which is why I put the "menu" on the kitchen splashback - it gives me (and Mr Grocer) and idea of what the possibilities are on those occasions when we're too tired to think. As something is eaten (or the ingredients pilfered for something else) the item is wiped off the "menu".

Now it's your turn - what are your thoughts on getting dinner on the table with fresh produce? What are the challenges in you busy week? Do you have fall-back options? Are you confident in your cooking skills? What would be of use for you?

animal vegetable mineral: dinner this week

2008-08-06T10:38:00.004+10:00

Two great articles online by food guru Steve Manfredi have caught my eye this week - worth pointing out to animal vegetable mineral customers and would-be customers.

In a cut above the rest he looks at butchery, the limited choice of cuts in the stupidmarket, and good old-fashioned advice from the butcher. His focus is on beef rump caps and the article includes two recipes for roasting a rump.

In fritter it all away it's all about the cauliflower which (little did I previously know) is related to horseradish and wasabi and thus the further down the stem one travels (away from the florets) the bitier it gets. A great idea for remoulade and recipes for cauliflower fritters and cauliflower with hazelnuts in Gorgonzola sauce are included.

I think the first article is particularly relevant. I was lucky to grow up in a household with an expert on meat. Unfortunately many people are turned off eating red meat owing to poor preparation as a result of not understanding cuts of meat and their usefulness.

Does this apply to you and/or people you know? What information would you like?

Sign up now!

2008-08-04T14:22:00.001+10:00

All new customers placing an order this week will receive a coupon for 10% of their first purchase redeemable against any subsequent orders.

dinner this week

2008-08-03T10:35:00.005+10:00

Running a home grocery service you'd think I'd always be organised when it comes to what we eat at the garden club, but in reality I get caught up in writing menu plans, updating the website, sending out newsletters and squeezing in some admin alongside the actual business of buying and delivering great quality fresh produce.

Last week was one of those weeks. Despite getting off to a good start with goulash made over the previous weekend, and char-grilled tandoori spatchcock with a vegie biryani and dahl, the rest of the week was a bit of "mother hubbard" week, pulling random left-over ingredients together for dinner and in the end, a Thai takeaway (which we thoroughly enjoyed and as everyone in Erskineville will tell you, "Maggie's Back").

This week is another story. We picked up an order of meat Saturday morning - some beef chuck tender, lamb shanks, a free-range Glenloth chicken, veal bones and chicken carcasses. We then headed off to Chipping Norton to investigate Warwick Farm farmers markets. Run by a company owned by farmers it is one of the (rare) genuine markets. I particularly enjoyed the approach by the stall selling carrots - "to see how fresh they are we've left the leaves on" and offering to trim them on purchase.

Recently I have heard a few people say they haven't learned to cook and putting meals together doesn't come naturally. Apparently saying cooking "is not hard" is condescending and demeaning so I have decided to share with you my thoughts on how this week's "menu" will come together.

The Menu

Beef Rendang
We've got the chuck tender and this is perfect for the rendang. In light of so many of our other ingredients lending toward the European end of the food spectrum, and our love of this Charmaine Solomon recipe, rendang is a good fit. I'll probably start it today and if not, one afternoon during the week (advantage of a home office) for the following evening.

I'll serve it with longrain (jasmine) rice, and either the handsome broccoli acquired at the market or some asian greens & bean sprouts I'll pick up during the week.

Jamie Oliver's chicken in milk
A gem of a dish first executed by Mr Grocer, a whole chicken is cooked in milk with sage, lemon, garlic and cinnamon. Usually this would be served with some wilted greens and mash but I'm thinking some braised red cabbage (picked up at the market) is going to replace the greens.

Lamb shanks
I started these yesterday after getting all excited in the kitchen. After browning the seasoned shanks they've gone into a casserole dish with pickling onions, whole cloves of garlic, some finely diced celery, pitted kalamata olives, a tin of tomatoes (mashed up a bit) and 2 glasses of red wine. We'll pick some rosemary on our walk today to throw in as well.

They've been cooked for at least an hour so during the week I can pop them in the oven when we go on our dog walk. I'm undecided what we'll eat them with as we've already got mash going on elsewhere.

Avgolemono
I've never made this before and found it in Good Living - winter. It's a Greek soup made with chicken, rice and eggs by Brigitte Hafner. We'd bought a mountain of chicken carcasses to make stock, yet some of them had enough flesh on them to be useful, so I thought this could be a tasty experiment.

Curried Pumpkin soup
I've used the butternut pumpkin I bought at the market yesterday. I haven't made pumpkin soup yet this winter, so this baby was earmarked for soup from the outset. I was delighted when I cut into it as the tiny bubbles of syrup started to ooze out. This was going to be one sweet pumpkin, and that's when I decided I'd spice up the soup

The soup isn't going to last long - whilst typing this update I've managed to eat a bowl of it, Mr Grocer has come home from touch football and devoured a bowl, and I've put some aside for my brother. Each served with a dollop of sour cream. We'll be lucky if this baby survives to see Monday lunch at this rate.

Home-made pasta
Because I felt like it. Really!
I have some eggs I'm keen to use up and so I've made a batch of pasta dough by mixing 5 eggs into about 400g flour. I'm thinking of making orecchiete - surely this will be more fun than getting out the pasta mangle, and it'll go superbly with the handsome broccoli.

As you can see, things aren't finalised; they're not set in stone. There's a good chance we'll deviate for a couple of these meals - that and the fact that the pumpkin soup won't survive to see a school night. I've also got some beetroot and half a white radish in the fridge and I'm keen to serve them with some grilled salmon (Mr Grocer, please get the bbq ready).

It's not a rigid meal plan, but we've got a framework of things to eat with the stuff we've got. They'll be plated up with veg and perhaps some grains - all as yet undecided. Unlike a meal plan (which is notionally a good idea) I've worked backwards picking the best seasonal produce and knowing I should be getting through 2&5 each day and creating meals around that.

I've also got a soy and linseed loaf from sonoma, some parmigiano reggiano, some peppery cabanossi, 2 kranski, half a sourdough baguette and tomato jam, oats, milk, apples, bananas, mandarins and a bunch of carrots that I haven't even mentioned in my plan that will invariably work their way into our diet for the week.

Do you have challenges putting together meals, and if so, what are the obstacles? Let us know using the comments form (below).

30 July 2008

2008-07-30T13:28:00.003+10:00

We hope you've kept rugged up over these past few blustery days. Prepare for the week ahead as there's more of the same forecast for this weekend.

Clear out the fridge on Saturday with "weekend soup" - a great way to use up leftover vegies, make space for the next fresh delivery and excellent for lunch at work during the week.

Remember, if you're not getting through the 2&5 seasonal box each week you are not eating enough fruit and vegetables in your diet.

For the colder forecast we've posted Goulash on the meal plan. A hearty beef and paprika dish of Hungarian origin, it's mildly spicy and fantastic served with spuds and a dollop of sour cream - perfect for getting the boys around on Saturday to watch the Rugby.

We're flicking the calendar over to August - check out "what's best"!
Also on our blog are links to Limes & Lycopene for Kathryn Elliot's 31 days to a better diet.

We've also found a new website called cookthink that will be a great tool for using those
lesser-known ingredients that turn up in your seasonal boxes.

...and don't forget, our ambassador programme can earn you cheaper groceries...

Show your friends how much you care - forward this message on so they get the inside scoop too!

Limes & Lycopene

2008-07-30T12:30:00.001+10:00

Sydney nutritionist and herbalist Kathryn Elliot has an open and refreshing approach to nutrition and I have been reading her blog with interest.

For the month of August she's doing 31 Days to a Better Diet.

I quote from her newsletter:

Last year during August I ran a series of posts called 31 Days to Better Energy. Each day of the month I posted a tip. Something quick and easy you could do that day, which would make your energy levels just a bit better.

This year, I’m going to repeat the series, but this time concentrating on what you eat.

It’s easy to think you need to make sweeping, broad changes to improve the way you eat and this can seem too hard. However, during the 31 Days to a Better Diet I hope to show that by making small, incremental, regular changes, you can improve the way you eat. And also the way you feel.

Over the 31 Days there will be a new tip posted every day on Limes & Lycopene. As well as suggestions from me, you’ll also be hearing from others. Some guest bloggers who’ve made changes to what they eat, to improve their health.

How to get involved:
Make a commitment: If you want to change your diet and your health what are you going to do during the 31 Days to a Better Diet? Login each day and try the tasks? Or are you only able to manage three times a week? Make a commitment to yourself now and follow that through during the 31 Days.
Post your experiences in the comments section: If you’re taking part, come back and let the community know how you’re going. Did you find a particular task difficult or easy? How are you feeling? What changes are you making?
Blog about what you’re doing: If you’are a blogger, then write about what you’re doing on your blog – and let me know. The more conversation, discussion and tips the better.
Read the weekly round-up: At the end of each week I’ll post a summary. This will list the tips for the week, but I’ll also be including a round-up of what readers are doing. And if you’re a blogger, write about your experiences and I’ll include this in the weekly round-up.
So let me know how you are going with the tasks in the 31 Days to a Better Diet.

Now I'm not into online challenges and blogging events, but I quite like what Kathryn has to say and she gets me thinking about what and how I eat.

You might like to give it a go.
Visit Limes & Lycopene to participate.

What to do with...

2008-07-30T10:06:00.005+10:00

Here's a neat little website we were introduced to today. It's american, so there'll be a few quirky bits for we Australians, but it looks like a useful tool for using up those "surprise" ingredients in your seasonal box!

Discounted groceries?

2008-07-22T17:04:00.003+10:00

Great news, today we've launched our ambassador programme!

Become an animal vegetable mineral ambassador to get a slice of the action. As an avm ambassador you can shave some expense off your household budget, receive great quality produce each week, and get to catch up with people!

further details...

busy week

2008-07-21T14:06:00.004+10:00

I had a special guest with me last week which was great, not only for the company and a chuckle. We talked about all sorts of things from cuts of meat, ages of cows and sheep, grains used in bread, and of course, good coffee. Some of the questions I was asked however, made me realise how much I take for granted being surrounded by food all day, may not seem as obvious to everyone else.

One thing we kept coming back to was time. In winter we focus a lot on slow-cooked foods that are warm and comforting however these take some advanced preparation and/or organisation. Fast food, the kind of food you want to get on the table once you've walked in the door (from work, walking the dog, picking the kids up, whatever it may be) is another matter.

To kick off the week, we're thinking about quick and simple meals, appropriate for winter and delicious enough to fool the lesser-informed that you are a Stepford Wife (regardless of your gender). This can still be done with fresh, natural produce - convenience without the "con".

Classic Penne Carbonara ($12 per couple)
Italian restaurants around the country have buggered up this dish for years. It's now time to take control with what is a simple, quick and delicious meal. Granted it's not the ideal meal for the healthy diet with eggs, cream and parmesan, but using good quality product means that you need small amounts of each - just over 1 egg yolk, under 1 shot of cream and 30g parmesan per person. It takes about 12 minutes to make, and served with mixed leaves (or even toss baby spinach through whilst cooking) you'll also get a healthy dose of vegetables.

Sirloin, baby bok choi, soy and ginger (from $18 per couple)
One of my favourite weeknight dinners. Grill steak is served on steamed baby bok choy (or other greens) and dressed with a soy ginger dressing. To reduce the washing up, steam the bok choy in foil next to the steak on the grill! Consider serving with some grilled mushrooms (flat or oyster) and adding bean sprouts to the bok choy for a healthy 3-5 vegetable serves per person.

Chicken, fennel and tomato bake (from $15 per couple)
Blanch the fennel and cherry tomatoes, pop in a baking dish and season. Top with chicken scallopine, and bung in the oven for 30 minutes. Leftovers (assuming there are any) can be tossed with pasta and ricotta for another dinner. Mmmmm-mmmmmm, at least 3 vegetable serves per person.

Seared salmon, horseradish and beets. (from $18 per couple)
Boiled baby beetroot are sliced, and marinated in marjoram. Salmon is grilled and served with the beet salad and dressed with creme fraiche seasoned with horseradish. Getting generous with some leafy greens, this dish will provide at least 3 vegetable serves per person.

The only problem is, once you start eating like this, eating out might lose some of its shine.

Happy eating!

Show your friends how much you care - forward this message on so they get the inside scoop too!

animal vegetable mineral - backbreaking

2008-07-16T13:00:00.003+10:00

Not yours, not even ours! It's Wednesday afternoon and we've broken the back of the week - or hump day as many like to call it.

Has your week gone to plan? Did you have a plan? You might think it's a bit late to redeem this week (I know that was my attitude in the office) and you're possibly promising to get this back on track over the weekend - next week will be better, right?

Why not channel that guilt, that planning energy into doing something about it now? Save your weekend for sleeping in, breakfast over the newspaper, meeting up with friends, watching DVD's and sports, or whatever else you like to do - there is no need to queue past the tomatoes and back around the potatoes for great quality, fresh food!

We've taken the liberty to do some planning for you! Take it or leave it, there are meal plans to get you through the week with a healthy dose of vegetables, alternately you might like inventing your own meals but need a well stocked fridge and that's where the seasonal box comes into play. If you're only home a couple of nights a week, you might be better off with a fruit box, some bread and either a meal kit or a small vegetable cooking kit, like the stir fry pack.

The choice is yours. We've made it easy! There aren't many more excuses to make for not looking after yourself.

This week's meal plan:

Chorizo & Beans
Dahl
Lamb with winter salad
Paella
Wonton noodle soup
zucchini & potato stew

For an average of $5 per head per night you can cram your healthy vegetable requirements and eat like you've gone to town! How good is that?

We're also receiving a batches of chorizo and flat pancetta from Quattro Stelle, in time for the weekend - think carbonara, omlettes, veal saltimbocca, etc. Yum!

All this and more online now!

a-z: one for the good guys!

2008-07-15T07:02:00.013+10:00

"Take one seven year old boy named Freddie and his mother as they face the challenge of turning him from a Vegetable-Phobic into a boy who will eat and even enjoy some of life's leafier pleasures. Join us as we work through the A to Z of vegetables!"

Charlotte Hume, The Great Big Vegetable Challenge

This blog caught my eye some time ago and along the way has clearly captured the hearts of many as Charlotte chronicles the journey of Freddie with Alex and friends in tow through the vegetables alphabet. So much so that their adventure is now a published book!

The Great Big Vegetable Challenge goes beyond good parenting - if you ever find yourself wondering what to do with "that vegie" Charlotte has probably documented it.

asparagus, aubergine, artichoke, broccoli, beetroot, butternut squash, brussel sprouts, beans, cauliflower, courgette, celeriac, carrot, cabbage, corn, celery, cucumber, chard, chicory, cress, Daikon, dandelion, edamame beans, eddoes, fennel, garlic, green beans, horseradish, herbs, jerusalem artichokes, jicama, kale, kohlrabi, Karela, lettuce, leeks, mange tout (snow peas), marrow, mushrooms, nettles, nori, nopales, okra, onions, parsnips, pak choi, peas, peppers, pumpkins,potatoes, plantain, radishes, raddicio, rocket, salad shells, samphire, sorrel, squash, sweet potato, tomatoes, turnips, vegetable kebabs, watercress and zucchini.

Thursday arrivals

2008-07-08T10:22:00.004+10:00

We will be receiving the following for immediate delivery on Thursday 10th July:

Quattro Stelle beef, tomato & onion sausages - $8.95
Quattro Stelle short cut bacon 200g pack - $5.95
Fountaindale extra large free range eggs - $5.95

Or, by the lot, one of each for $19.95...

Rump steak

2008-07-08T07:20:00.000+10:00

On Monday night as I was sliding into weariness, increasingly tempted to pass the buck on dinner preparations, my father called. He's a man of few words at the best of times, but this message was to thank me for the Rostbiff steak I had sent home with mum during her visit over the weekend.

Having been at the leading edge of the Australian beef industry during his career, dad is a man that knows his meat. Knowing that I had access to some rump steaks with a marble score of eight (8) I had suggested mum take some back to Byron (where they live) for Dad.
(To put this in perspective, Kingsley's Crab and Steakhouse on Finger Wharf, Woolloomooloo boasts marble scoring of 4 on their menu - the higher the number the more valuable the meat.)

With such glowing appreciation from a man that says so little, I went to the kitchen, got the steaks I had bought for our household out of the fridge. I drizzled a little olive oil on a plate, ground some pepper and a sprinkle of horizon salt flakes, then wiped the steak through it on both sides.

I peeled and diced 4 potatoes, sliced one onion into thin wedges and sauteed them in a non-stick pan. These were later tossed with bunch of washed and cut rocket, a blob of mayonnaise seasoned with hot english mustard (tastes MUCH better than it sounds) and the juice of half a lemon.

The grocer's husband lit our little hibachi-sized weber and once the coals were ready the steak took but minutes to cook.

The result was a superb steak, hardly any cleaning up, and even this morning I knew I felt better for having eaten properly than settling for something that I thought would be, but in reality wouldn't be, easier.

convenience and cost

2008-07-08T00:01:00.000+10:00

Perhaps the Sydney Morning herald is beginning to realise "good living" is not synonymous with "eating out"!

Whilst I enjoyed Growing, growing, gone (children that help grow vegies eat them), there is also an encouraging article titled Home and away in which Kate Duthie examines the time/convenience and cost of eating in and having take away/delivery over a week (for each). Not surprisingly, cooking dinner at home is cheaper costing $88.83 as opposed to the take away bill of $295.85. Duthie apparently spent 12.8 hours on the week of cooked meals including shopping, prepping and cooking time in comparison to 3.8 hours on ordering and delivery/pick up time.

In this little experiment, time is proportional to cost. I personally think the hours are too long on the cooking side of things. Of course a little organisation would reduce that as would selecting meals or preparations that don't necessarily take great amounts of time. I would also discount the time taken to prepare a slow-cooked meal such as a braise as it's possible to do other things concurrently.

What Duthie doesn't talk about is how she felt at the end of each week - it wasn't a subject of the article - I would however, be interested to know. Another thing that gets overlooked in the scenarios is how the time and money spent on home-cooked meals also contributes to lunches, snacks and other household benefits over the week.

animal vegetable mineral customers know that they can shave further time off the weekly meals - not only do we bring the ingredients to your door, but we've also got lots of meal packs and other helpful information to expedite meal preparation. Shopping takes only a few minutes on the website - no rogue supermarket trolleys, flourescent lights or car park scrambles. We're also happy to help with advice on ingredients and our seasonal boxes take the thought out of ensuring you're getting the minimum requirement of fruit & vegetables.

animal vegetable mineral - convenience without the con!

animal vegetable mineral - the week ahead

2008-07-07T15:55:00.006+10:00

Whilst many people associate winter as the season they put on weight, it's actually very easy to eat heart-warming food without the heart groaning.

Seasonal produce in winter is abundant with vegetables great for roasting and braising, not to mention soup, whilst the list of seasonal fruit in winter is shorter than other months there are still great apples (gala especially at the moment), oranges (navels especially at the moment) and fruits for poaching such as quince and rhubarb.

We're running headfirst this week into some blustery winter weather with rain later today and Tuesday, gust winds Thursday and Friday and crisp clear days for the weekend - time to bunker down with some heart-warming home favourites!

Pea & Ham soup
Snapper with roasted tomato, fennel & olives
Corned beef with potato mash, braised cabbage and white sauce
Grilled silken tofu, asian greens and bean thread noodles
Vegetable green curry with long grain rice

Simply have us deliver the ingredients to your door and bunker down for the week!

Show your friends how much you care - forward this message on so they get the inside scoop too!

Pea & Ham soup

2008-07-04T14:18:00.007+10:00

Some people have a favourite season. I have favourite things about each season. Winter is the time to bunker down, enjoy the creature comforts of home, and snuggle up with family, lovers and pets to read books and watch movies.

When it comes to food winter is about slow braises stews and curries, stewed fruits and porridge, crumbles tarts and pies, roasts and soups.

Soup, and here I mean the warm variety of soup, is magical. A bowl of soup can warm the soul, lift the spirits, ease a cold and settle the belly. They can be a quick fix or fill the house with delicious aromas whilst simmering away on a cold winter's day. They come in an array of viscosity, can be chunky or smooth and it's really a matter of personal taste. It can be a bespoke soup that you set out to make or, Saturday soup - the soup you make from the leftover vegies in the fridge to make way for the fresh ones (this used to occur on Saturdays when I had a "real job").

I have been revisiting some of the soups that were a regular winter feature in the kitchen of the Murray Street Hilton. Along with a beef & barley soup brew, pea & ham soup was a regular feature. And as if the food fashionistas were reading my mind, this old school soup started cropping up over town - in Gourmet Traveller, delicious., and BHG. It was a sign - it's time to make pea & ham soup.

Get the ingredients and make it yourself!

Introducing... meal plans

2008-06-30T15:50:00.004+10:00

It's Monday afternoon and we've passed 3pm. In my experience this is a rotten time to be in the office as you begin to comprehend how much work there is to do this week, rue your lack of domestic organisation and wonder how on earth you're going get things done and look after yourself like you keep promising...

Whilst I can't adjust your boss's attitude or adjust your clients' expectations, I can offer you some help when it comes to the important bit - looking after yourself.

Starting with the seasonal box...
The box contains a supply of fruit and veggies for the week (5 days - who eats at home all the time?) per person based on the go for 2&5 principles.

Most Australians do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. If you are not getting through a 2&5 box per person in your household, chances are you are not getting the fibre, vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet.

If you eat out a lot, you're probably not going to want the full box, but remember that restaurants and cafes rarely place enough emphasis on fruit and vegetables in dishes, so you'll want to be stocking up when you do eat at home with fruit and our kits such as stir fry and soups & stews starter pack.

Once you have the produce, what do you do with it? Some people find the volume of produce they receive a little daunting at first, others are excited by the array of things to try, and things that they sometimes might not buy for themselves.

This week, I've tried to demonstrate just how easy it can be to get through the requisite 2&5 with the following meals:

That's 26 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit before breakfast and lunch get a look in!
Give it a go - looking after yourself can be rewarding enjoyable AND delicious!

Happy eating!

Show your friends how much you care - forward this message on so they too can benefit!

3,2,1. Houston, we have lift-off...

2008-06-24T21:29:00.007+10:00

Finally!
The web store is back up again.

It's not quite complete, but it's at a workable stage. If there are any kinks or bugs PLEASE let me know as I haven't tested it as thoroughly as I would have liked - time constraints and all that! You will be prompted to re-enter your details to process an order (apart from email addresses from prior newsletters I have no other customer details).

Things will look a little different, but I am sure that you will find it more than satisfactory, and be able to order enough of Sydney's best produce to give the kitchen a good work out.

The weather forecast for the week ahead is for more of the same crisp days and cooler evenings, so I've picked out some excellent example of meats to suit...

braising beef
chuck tender - cook slowly whole, sliced or diced for a tender heart-warming dinner
400g $7.00

pork rump
Kurobuta breed pork rump, perfect for roasting, this is the finest pork breed in Australia
whole or half rumps available. see store for further details.
from $20

lamb rump
Perfect for mid week dinners as it will roast quickly, or simply cut into steaks and grill or pan fry.
250g portion $7.75

spatchcock
A great ingredient for the weekend as it can be roasted whole, grilled or bbqed butterflied, or cut into smaller portions for finger food.
See how the weather pans out for indoor/outdoor dining, organise dinner or have a bbq lunch, this is a versatile product and lends itself to a variety of seasoning.
$10 each

lamb merguez
This N.african spiced lamb sausage was extremely popular last time. It's a great mid week dinner in it's own right, mixes beautifully with pastas and couscous, and some customers enjoyed them for breakfast on the weekend.
$8.95 per pack (5 sausages, approx. 450g)

bacon
Quattro Stelle short cut beechwood smoked bacon is arguably the best bacon in Sydney; it'll leave you wondering what that slimy supermarket stuff is all about.
$5.95 per 200g pack (limited stock)

ham
Quattro Stelle double smoked leg ham - it's the first time we've had this product but we're confident it, like all other product they make, will rock!
$5.95 per 200g pack (limited stock)

Naturally the infamous 2&5 box is available as are some of the other f&v packs and kits. Dairy hasn't quite made it , and bread is still limited in what I have got up, so if there is anything you need that you can't find just put a note in the order at the checkout stage.

eggs
I've just received a box of eggs today - delivered this morning and date-stamped laid 23rd June
$5.95 per dozen

For the vegetarians, I've always got tofu and legumes listed and am happy to expand this range along with suggestions.

Order by Wednesday 8pm. This week I will deliver Thursday and Friday to make up for the lack of notice / web site availability.

There's lots more on the proverbial plate, which of course will develop over the coming weeks. Stay tuned...
Happy eating!

sausage rolls

2008-06-15T19:16:00.000+10:00

Sausage rolls are a party-time favourite, but you needn't buy them frozen.

Freeze leftover sausages (although rare these days with the increasing popularity of Quattro Stelle) to preserve for a later date. and then thaw, squeeze the meat out of the casing onto puff pastry, wrap, cut to the desired length, and then bake in the oven until the pastry becomes golden.

Sydney weekend breakfast

2008-06-09T12:50:00.007+10:00

grilled cherry tomato

Fountaindale free-range eggs

Quattro Stelle bacon

homemade mayonnaise

Sonoma miche

Welcome back!

2008-06-06T19:14:00.001+10:00

Welcome back to animal vegetable mineral. It's a new format as we've lost the database that comprised the former store. As this took considerable effort at the start of the year to generate, it simply isn't possible to start over again.

So, for the meantime, if you could please bear with me, we're going to run in this format.

There will be some benefits particularly the immediacy and responsiveness to special products available to you as we see them come up. As always, we will still be able to source and deliver any of the core products that you need.

For the meantime, orders will be processed via email to "orders AT animalvegetablemineral DOT net DOT au"

Please send any other queries and suggestions to "info AT animalvegetablemineral DOT net DOT au"

brussel sprouts

2008-06-02T07:38:00.000+10:00

Lamb kebabs

2008-01-06T14:17:00.000+11:00

Braised pork in young coconut

2008-01-06T14:14:00.000+11:00

The recipe for Thit Heo Kho can be found on the SBS Food Safari page.

Vietnamese rice noodles

2008-01-06T14:11:00.000+11:00

Beef carbonade

2008-01-06T14:09:00.000+11:00

Simple ravioli

2008-01-06T14:07:00.001+11:00

Indonesian grilled chicken

2008-01-06T14:03:00.000+11:00

Stroganoff

2008-01-06T13:56:00.000+11:00

Green curry

2008-01-06T12:51:00.000+11:00

Sandwich lesson

2007-09-01T07:46:00.000+10:00