Chilli con Carne revisited

We're finally home after our week long road trip.  Three destinations, two hotels, one spare bedroom and 600 miles.  Dorothy was right, there's no place like home.  The first thing to check on getting back was the fridge, what joy, the remains of last weeks chilli and some perfectly chilled beer.  It's not an exciting meal but chilli does get better with age and after struggling with the rush hour traffic around Manchester, I wasn't in the mood for a big cook-off (that can wait for tomorrow).

In the mean time I have a couple of evening meals to let you in on.  The last leg of our holiday took us to a Shropshire village on the Welsh border, to stay with the Father-in-law.  The trip was great.  Lots of country roads.  Motorway driving can be very dull, but winding country roads are just one wrong turn from disaster at any time.  Tight corners, oncoming tractors in the middle of the road, death-wish wild animals.  I love the lot.

The disaster came in the shape of my directions, who'd have thought that Kington and Knighton were different places?  A quick detour later and a roaring fire awaited our arrival, as did a mass of antipasti followed by Risotto.  I love risotto so all was good with the world.

The following day we took a trip to Ludlow, a foodie Mecca.  Wandering around staring into butchers, green grocers, purveyors of fine cheese and stores run buy local farmers, is my kind of day out.  But it was cold.  After a couple of hours we headed back to a Beef and Guinness stew that had been simmering in the slow cooker since the morning.  The evening was rounded off by a cheese board which included a local cheese coated in hops that was both bitter and creamy.

 

So now a night in my own bed and tomorrow, a trip to Leeds Kirkgate Market to look for inspiration for Tonight's Menu.