Waffler, I'm sorry you can't get any decent eggs locally. Tomorrow at the Bakewell Farmers' Market there will be a stall which sells free range eggs, and I shall buy a tray (30 eggs). When I get there the label will say 'laid this morning' and they are really fresh. I have two or three left from last month, and they are still fresher than anything you can buy in a supermarket

When you poach eggs, do you put any salt in the water? This breaks down the egg whites. To poach eggs you should only use water and a smidge of vinegar. (Hope I'm not teaching granny to poach, rather than suck!!)

You don't say what part of the country you live, so can't advise re anything local to your area.

NickTG - Chatsworth Farm Shop is a delight. Nothing is too much trouble. Also at Bakewell is a stall 'The Traditional and Rare Breed Meat Company'. The sausages are superb. As you say, Nick, it's sad that the best way to preserve rare breeds is to eat them, but at least they have had a free roaming life, as opposed to being in a cage. We do our best to try to ensure that the meat we eat has not been produced in an inhumane way.

Just as an aside - does anyone on this thread buy supermarket ready-meals?

We prefer to make our meals from that magic substance 'scratch'. In the meals we provide for ourselves the worst sin we commit is to use a stock cube. Apart from that fresh meat, fresh veg and fresh fruit.

valmarg