Abel and Cole

I know I've mentioned it before but reading blogs is an inspiration on all kinds of levels - creative, personal and lifestyle. One of my favourite blogs is written by Rebecca and reading her blog and others has definitely made me more aware of the impact of modern living on the environment. Here in suburbia we don't have a very big back garden  and even if we did work over it and try and grow some veggies they wouldn't last long with the Tobster around. Growing some of our own is something that I hope to do in the future but for now I have just been wanting to get away from buying my fruit and veggies from the big supermarkets with their green beans from Kenya, stawbs from Israel and so on. I've been frequenting farmers markets around here but the local one is only monthly.  So when I received a leaflet through my door from Abel & Cole it seemed like destiny and I decided to give them a try. They pledge to supply quality organic produce, which is ethically produced, with zero airmiles, in reusable packaging, free delivery and supporting UK farmers ....

I've now had deliveries every week for the last 5 weeks and I am a convert. After being used to sanitised veggies, marshalled in perfect little rows in plastic trays and swaddled in layers of clingfilm it took a little getting used to a box full of mixed and slightly-muddied produce but now I quite like it - I just store them dirty and wash them before use. The nice thing is that you know what you're getting and can substitute things you don't like. You can also order single extra items either as one-off orders or weekly.

The day my delivery arrives on is now known as chopping day. This week I've cooked up a big vat of minestrone soup with the goodies from this week's box - Swiss Chard, carrots, jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and courgettes.

I'm certain that these veggies taste so much nicer than those I was previously buying from half way across the world and it's making me try new veg (have never cooked with jerusalem artichokes before!). If you are looking for organic food that is affordable, ethical and delicious please check them out - I'd certainly recommend them.

Comments

[Zoe]

Oh how lovely, that soup looks delicious. I've just registered with them as they don't deliver here yet. Our Farmers Market is only monthly too.

[carolyn]

That soup does look good and you are so right veg with the mud left on it tastes soo much better.I don't mean cook it with the mud on, oh I'm sure you know what I mean.

[Tracy]

Can i come round for Supper????
Veg box deliveries are such a great idea - we have quite a few to choose from in our area of Kent, we also are blessed with so many fantastic farm shops and farmers markets. As a household we hardly buy anything at the awful supermarket now - partly because the nearest Sainsburys is a 30 minute drive away!!
When we move to Scotland we will be building an Eco House and my Boyfriend is about to set-up a website which will be full of like-minded Eco aware companies.
It has to be the way forward - we all have children and future grandchildren to consider.
Have a great week and the soup looks like my ideal meal!
Tracy x

[Megan]

All of that looks just so incredibly edibly wonderful. I love it when veges look like veges, and that soup - my mouth is watering.

[Isobel]

Yummy looking soup and bread. I made some wonderful organic soup last week with cheese tortellini. We had it Friday night and as we were out of town for the weekend again last night and it tasted even better. Tonight we are having veggi lasanga from the freezer that I made last month with organic veggies. I love it when they taste like the vegetables I used to have as a child. Tomatoes these days tend to be tastless. Thank goodness for the organics.

[Maddy]

I find Rebecca a total inspiration too.

On the other side of the world here in Australia, the land of sunshine, we buy our oranges from Spain, of all places. I have no idea when they were picked or how long they spent either flying or sailing around the planet. Not only is it environmentally ridicules but our own farmers grow lovely oranges which they sell to Dubai or some other far off land.

Your box of veg looks wonderful and with no pesticides you know it's got to be good for you as well as taste amazing.

[Cazzie]

Soo glad you posted this up - I had a leaflet of theirs and was tempted to try them - had tried another lcoal provider but was a little disappointed in them. So I may try again with Abel & Cole - I want to move away from our rut of supermarket broccoli all the time :)

[Rashida]

My oh my that soup looks scrumptious and the veggies look unreal! I'm not sure if we have a service such as this state side but, I will be looking into it. We've got a great farmer's market here in Manhattan, but the home delivery would be a quite a convenience. Especially with two under two! ^_^

[Melissa]

This looks delicious. My husband used to belong to an organic food co-op here in the States. We've moved out of their pick-up/delivery range, but now we grow some of our own (or, I should say, more properly, my husband does - I'm a terrible gardener) - butter lettuce, green beans, yellow and red cherry tomatoes, basil, chives, etc., etc. It's amazing just how much more flavor everything has than stuff you buy at the local supermarket.

[Indigoshirl]

Fantastic pictures.......:0). I bet that soup tasted as good as, or even better, than it looks and it looks fantastic.

BWs, Shirl

[kristin]

what a great service to have!! that produce looks perfect!! i have just signed up for my yearly CSA (community shared agriculture) program which operates basically the same way...it's not delivered...you just pick it up. seeing yours, now i can't wait for my first produce of the season!! :)

[ramona]

what a great thing to do. we have this organic delivery service, too. and i love it. i use ist for more than 5 years now and don't want to miss it. it is always a joy for all senses to get it delivered on wednesday. yay!

[Rebecca (living sustainably in rural Ireland)]

What a brilliant thing to do. And you know, leaving some soil on the plants until their needed helps keep them very fresh, its the next best thing to picking them out of the ground half hour before dinner (which is what we do!).

I've started milking my goats now, and we are getting chickens in 2 weeks, so our air miles will be right down. We are really hoping to sell surplus veg, perhaps even a limited veg box scheme for neighbours, or selling to parents at the school gates where they/we drive anyway.

Did you know that although an organic and supermarket fruit/veg can look identical, and in some cases taste identical (altho organic is nearly always yummier), the vitamin, mineral and nutrient levels in organic can be 20 times or more the value of their counterparts!

[donna]

Oh that takes me back. I used to have Abel and Cole deliveries when I lived in London. They were fantastic. Some of the products came from where I live now and am lucky enough to be able to buy locally. It was always a nice feeling to come home from work on a Thursday and find their delicious box on the doorstop.

[Rebecca (Sallygardens Smallholding)]

That box makes my mouth water! You are very right to leave them muddy until needed, it helps to conserve their freshness.

You could plant tumbling toms in hanging baskets, Tobster couldn't reach them, but I'm sure he'd love eating them when they're ripe!