Quest Bulgaria Property and Lifestyle Magazine

My first experience of shopping in a large Bulgarian market came as something of a shock. I was feeling very proud that I'd worked out how to get there and what time was best; amazed as ever that I had survived a road journey.

There is no better time to give yourself a healthy month to boost your energy and lower those excess pounds. And no better place to do this than in Bulgaria with all the organic fresh fruit and veggies.

Whether you are having a holiday, taking a sabbatical or own a property and live in Bulgaria, there are just those times when, away from home, you miss British foods. This can be anything from a simple cup of 'proper' tea or a full English breakfast, through to a mouthwatering slab of perfect matured British beef. The answer to your dilemma lies with British Foods BG. Owned and run by Kevin Pescott, together with his partner Beth and son William, who have 'set up shop' in Bulgaria. Since as long ago as 1860 the Pescott family have been purveyors of high quality bacon, sausages and choice cuts of meat to both individual and business customers.  Now, with over 140 years of family tradition behind them,  they offer a personal service, customer care and satisfaction for deliveries to your door of fine meat and British grocery produce. 

We are a working couple with no children who enjoy good food. We don't buy 'ready' meals as we find there is little real convenience with them. Not only do they not satisfy us but are full of all sorts of things which can be unidentifiable, preservatives and addditives. We love to eat well with a varied diet and have meat every day. At the end of the week we enjoy a relaxing dinner out in a decent restaurant. Many will have seen the "feed your family for a fiver a day" pitches from Tesco and Sainsbury. Anyone who has tried to do this has certainly found that it really is difficult to do.

 

If you own a property in the country or live in Bulgaria you will be aware that August is a time of abundance and a plethora of magnificent fruit and veg abounds. Time to stock up for winter and here are a couple of perfect recipes for the winter store cupboard. Bottling is a time-tested way of storing foods, using seasonal produce for a better diet and cheap cost of living. Used for fruit and veg it is a simple method of preserving home grown or locally bought harvest to see you through the meagre winter months and home bottling has never lost its appeal in Bulgaria. There is much more to making bottled magic than fruit. Pickled vegetables, chutneys, jams and relishes all add to the winter store.

Even in Bulgaria meat can be a relatively expensive way to feed the family and those looking to cut costs in these strapped-for-cash times are buying less. But for those who still crave their daily portion of meat on the table, there are ways to manage with a limited budget. Today's generation has lost the skills of how to make meat go further. Our grandmothers new something we do not - you can feed meals with meat to a great number of people at very little cost.

Normally our recipes feature traditional Bulgarian dishes, however, often when living overseas, one gets the odd craving for a taste of home! It's not easy here to find really good Indian food unless you are prepared to drive to Sofia or Varna and eat in an Indian restaurant. Here's our recipe for a cheap, authentic tasting, Chicken Balti. In this recipe I'm using leftover chicken from a roast. One essential ingredient in this dish is a Balti Spice Mix available in Bulgaria from the British Lion Food Store, along with many other spice mixes for other indian dishes (Korma, Rogan Josh, Jalfrezi, etc.).