Stonemanor

After this little intermission, I propose to pick up the story where we left off last Tuesday. I believe I was about to tell you all about our visit to the Stonemanor store in our village and our British lunch. Telling about my week off is lot easier when I’m proceeding in a chronological order. The Châteaux of La Roche-en-Ardenne and Bouillon will come next.

Now Stonemar, remember, is a kind of grocery store catering for the many British and American Expats living in and around Brussels. It carries a vast assortment of dry and fresh food of the main overseas brands. To us Belgians, it looks all very exotic and unusual. Having spent some time in England as a teenager, I do know a few of them and seeing their familiar labels and packaging brings back a lot of happy memories. Click here to learn more about Stonemar and the assortment that they carry.

Impressive assortment of British cheeses. Never knew there were so many!

I usually shop there once a year for Christmas Cards, ‘bangers’ and steak and kidney pie. Although I love steak and kidney pie, I’ve never managed to make one that tasted as good as the ones from Marks and Spencer’s, not to mention the excellent pies my ‘second mum’ in Deal used to prepare. If you have a recipe you would like to share with me and other readers, please to so.

After our first visit on Monday, when I bought some Christmas cards, we returned there on Tuesday to get some fresh produce. We arrived somewhere around 10.30 a.m., just in time to see a gigantic supply lorry pulling out. It crosses the Channel several times per week bringing in fresh produce from the UK.

We immediately walked over to cheese and meat counter and were greeted by the delightful smell of freshly baked steak and kidney pies. We bought two + a roasted chicken pie, which looked delicious too. We also bought a bottle of Babychamp, a most ghastly sweet bubbly that reminds me of my childhood when it came in cute one portion size bottles. Right now, it’s still sitting in the fridge waiting for a special occasion, when we are ready to take a trip down memory lane. Winter evenings always make a sentimental!

Next we returned to the second floor to get some more Christmas cards and a pair of fluffy slippers/home socks that had caught my eye the day before. As I couldn’t decide on which colour to take, I solved my dilemma by buying two pairs; one pink and one lilac. They look very kitschy but are great to slip into when watching TV on a cold winter evening.

The store was very busy, with people buying shiny Christmas crackers, typical Christmas pudding, eggnog and various ingredients that they will be using to prepare a typical British or American Christmas dinner. The staff is very helpful, and unlike cashiers in Belgian supermarkets, helps you putting your stuff in boxes and plastic bags. Although you have to pay for these flimsy bags nowadays (and that goes for all supermarkets in Belgium), a lot of people don’t mind and still don’t bring their own shopping bag. The trend is changing though … slowly but surely.

Anyone interested in a baggle?

Driving home, the tantalizing aroma of the freshly baked pies filled the car. Yet, it was too early to eat, so we stopped at our favourite local bar for a pre-luncheon drink. Half an hour later, our pies were warming up in the oven, while my friend set the table and opened a bottle of Saumur Champigny.

Steak and kidney pies and a roasted chicken pie
all crispy and warm from the oven.

We had some ‘mache’ and cold finely sliced Belgian endives with our pies. It was an unusual, internationally tinted meal, full of flavour and utterly delightful. Is this post making you hungry?

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