Valentine Loaf......

The thought of shopping locally in February is about as attractive as jumping in an ice cold water trough. I have to admit my cupboards are stuffed with supermarket plastic bags. Yesterday I drove down to Mylor Harbour to drop the other half off to a rowing practise. The plan was to sit by the side of the harbour in the sun reading two freshly delivered magazine subscriptions. But the boys had already decided to go to the pub after rowing and watch rugby and as the chilly sea breeze started to embrace my ungloved hands I changed my mind and decided to head home.

On the way back I spotted some handmade white signs with red painted writing for a farm shop I had never noticed before "Kale for Sale," "Fresh eggs and Cornish cheeses". I indicated impulsively and made my way in. The thought of a good farm shop just 5 minutes away from home was too much of an opportunity to miss.

I popped into the massive corrugated iron shed and was met by everything I could have hoped for. Tin buckets of spring yellow daffodils, boxes of bright green broccoli and fat turnips hoping to to be taken home for a pasty supper. The freezers were filled with fat cuts of belly pork, frozen berries from the farm, and homemade breads and scones. There were even bursting bags of peppery rocket and leaves for just a pound and I knew I had found my winter larder.

Now a complete juxtaposition. A valentines treat that isn't remotely local. But now I have my new super shop I can clear out my supermarket bursting shelves and start living locally again.

Valentines loaf.....(Makes 15 squares)



6oz butter
8oz galaxy chocolate
4 tbsp syrup
1 mars bar
1 caramel bar
1 small bag maltesers
1lb digestive biscuits




On a very low heat melt the galaxy, syrup and butter together. You might need to give it a good mix with a spatula to make sure the butter and chocolate melt together.

Crumble the biscuits into rough chunks. Take the chocolate mix off the heat and add the biscuits. Give it a good stir to make sure the biscuits are covered in the chocolate mix. When it's covered add the other chocolate bits. I left the caramel chunks whole and the mars bar in big chunks so it didn't melt away but actually I should have chopped the lumps in half because they didn't melt at all!

Press into a foiled of cling filmed tin. Press down and pop in the fridge. I couldn't wait so it ended up in the freezer!

PS. When I was sixteen I started making cakes for local cafes and this was always the most popular! PPS This isn't on my low fat plan!