December is the month in which I traditionally pay a visit to Stonemanor, the British store in a nearby village. I usually have only two items on my shopping list: Christmas cards and … steak and kidney pie. But somehow there always seems to be much more in my trolley by the time I join the queue at the check out counter.
We entered Stonemanor store
under the watchful eye of this life-size Santa Claus.
under the watchful eye of this life-size Santa Claus.
Despite my efforts not to succumb to temptation the following items ended up in my trolley: 2 Scotch eggs, Pastrami, 2 mini pork pies, 2 packets of crisps (salt and vinegar flavour), Twinings chamomile teabags, organic raspberry yoghurt, a jar of mini marshmallows and, of course, three steak and kidney pies and a box of 10 Christmas cards.
Tea anyone?
What's your favourite blend?
What's your favourite blend?
The store was very busy, with people doing their pre-pre-pre Christmas shopping. According to a notice by the entrance, there will be a special delivery of fresh turkeys next Thursday straight from the UK
This is the place to be if you need a new teapot.
I like the one on the top-left, with the black cats ...
We ate the steak and kidney pies as soon as we got home. I warmed them up in the oven while my friend opened a bottle of Côtes du Rhône wine. The pies were delicious. I’m not a big fan of offal – except for veal sweetbreads – but these pies are really yummy. The taste of the kidneys is very subtle and the pieces of meat are bite-size and particularly tender. The sauce that binds everything together is of a deep brown, almost chocolate-like colour. As soon as you put your knife in the crispy crusts it comes oozing out of the pie.
The rich, yet fruity Côtes-de-Rhône wine went very well with this exquisite pie. We didn’t have any vegetables with it, because we had it as a snack after a successful yet very cold and wet shopping trip. But I think some steamed broccoli or peas would have made a perfect side dish.
All this food talk has made me hungry. Time to head for the kitchen and prepare myself some supper! I had two smoked beef – a.k.a. filet d’Anvers’ sandwiches for lunch, which isn’t all that much. No wonder I’m hungry!
The rich, yet fruity Côtes-de-Rhône wine went very well with this exquisite pie. We didn’t have any vegetables with it, because we had it as a snack after a successful yet very cold and wet shopping trip. But I think some steamed broccoli or peas would have made a perfect side dish.
All this food talk has made me hungry. Time to head for the kitchen and prepare myself some supper! I had two smoked beef – a.k.a. filet d’Anvers’ sandwiches for lunch, which isn’t all that much. No wonder I’m hungry!
10 comments:
it must be fun to go to all your speciality stores to get your food items. in the US we just head to the supermarket and suffer going through all the isles. it's not ANY fun at all.
I didn't see any snow under santa's feet, so it looks like you spared yourself the drive in the snow. for some reason it looks like he is in front of a willow tree. Do they grow in belgium?
except for a special gift for the wife, i write a check to my son and daughter and that's all my "shopping" for christmas. when the kids were young, i hated doing all that toy shopping with all the crowds.
hope you are enjhoying the holidays.
Those colorful teapots are so cheerful! (I am doing some catching up reading your past few posts) :
We get snow up the mountains in Southern California. You can go skiing in the morning and go surfing in the afternoon. That is what I real like where I live.
My son is in Hawaii with his grandparents. I will join him next year.
I am so glad you move out of your old place and enjoy the new one so much better. You made your little nest very comfy and pretty.
I love the teapots !!
Here we would probably eat our steak and kidney pies with a glass of English real ale, in a pub...yum I'm hungry again !! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
My favorite tea is Lapsang-Souchong. When I mention that to Susan, of Days on the Claise, she makes fun of me. She powder it and only uses it to cook meat to give it a smoky flavor! To each his/her own. LOL
Every time I read about Filet d'Anvers it brings me back many decades ago when I spent a vacation in Westmalle north east of Antwerp. It tasted so delicious!
WV is dodog. I don't do dogs...Callie can tell you!
I'm with CHM, my favourite tea is lapsang souchong. In fact I'm drinking a cup of it right now. The pies sound delicious and to add to the pint of beer the other accompaniments in a pub might also be...yes some sort of green vegetable, mashed potato and more gravy! The teapots look very nice. Sounds like a fun outing.
Veronica
I love all of those teapots. It makes me wish that I drank tea.
m.
Food shopping is my favorite kind of shopping. You made a real haul and now you have lots of good English meals ahead of you.
Snap!! When we lived in Maastricht we used to go over to the Stonemanor to get pies, tea and occasionally some Iron Bru & salt and vinegar crisps. :-)
This time of year when I have a pie, which is a wonderful indulgence, I have it with a crisp garden salad and a glass of Margaret River sauvignon blanc! I love the life size Santa Claus
Bob, If we are to beleive the weather people, it'll be a green, relatively warm (10°C) and sunny Christmas this year. Makes a nice change from the tons of snow we had last year :)! Yes, we do have have willow trees in Belgium and they are actually doing rather well.
Nadege, I really love my new apartment. It's so cosy and it definitely feels like home. I hope you'll have a safe trip and a lovely time in Hawai!
Jean, When I was in Deal last summer I was surprised not to find any steak and kidney pie on the menu cards in the different pubs I visited. Could it be that they are going out of fashion?
Chm, I remember you telling me about the Filet d'Anvers and the fact that you liked it. That's why I mentioned it in my post ... just to make you feel hungry! :)) Naughty me!
Veronica, We really enjoyed it, but found it hard to resist all the nice food and typical English kitchen and bathroom ware. Maybe I should visit Stonemanor more often?!
Mark, I remember that at one point you had taken to drinking green tea (after I had recommended it). Does your comment mean that you've switched to something else? Wine perhaps? :)
Carolyn, Most of it is already gone. I still have some marshmellows and a bag of crisps. I suppose I'll have those on Christmas Eve with a glass of bubbly. We don't do Christmas Eve dinner, you know, but we do have a nice and elaborate lunch on Christmas Day.
N&A, Wow - great minds DO think alike - lol! Salt and vinegar crisps are my favourite, but they are very hard to find in Belgium. Plain vinegar, yes - but salt and vinegar, no. Pity!
Louise, I like sauvignon blanc. It is so refreshing. You're right about the life-size Santa. He looks almost real, doesn't he?
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