Stocking Up...Again

We went food shopping this morning. Why is it that supermarkets make their trolleys with baby-seat-and-toddler-seat combos so much smaller than the other trolleys? Is it because they think that shopping with small children in tow is so much fun they ought to make us do it more often, because we can't fit a week's supply of food basics, plus toilet paper, cat food and the like into the trolley all at once? It's not even as if I'm trying to fit all the food in there - I buy quite a bit from the shop in the village, and most of our meat comes from the butcher now (my New Year's Resolution).

Preparations continue for the Easter holiday. My parents are coming to stay, arriving on Thursday, so I've been trying to do a little bit extra every day in order that I can enjoy their company instead of spending all my time cleaning and catering. Still, a bit of extra-curricular kitchen pottering is a great way to wind down. Today I made some Coconut Biscuits (as the biscuit tin was empty and has been for some time) and marinaded some olives, to pick at over the course of the weekend. I'm hoping for good enough weather to accomodate another picnic. Keep everything crossed!

Marinaded Olives

1 x 340g jar pitted black olives in brine

1 large stalk rosemary, needles stripped

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

100-200g feta cheese, diced or crumbled (aesthetic preference, really)

olive oil

Drain and thoroughly rinse the olives. Mix the olives, garlic, rosemary and cheese together, grinding in a little black pepper as you go. Pack the mixture into sterilised jars, then pour in enough olive oil to just cover. Keep the jars in the fridge for a week or two, if they last that long.

I use masses of feta cheese because, if I'm honest, I prefer the cheese to the olives and I don't want to be the cow who's picked out all the cheese and left only olives for everyone else. This way, everyone gets a fair crack of the whip (or something). Use the smaller amount of cheese if you're keener on olives/more restrained in company/less flipping greedy.