Dinner - From Zero to This

It was 6.30pm and dinner had not been thought about. Well, I had salted and drained aubergine but had not thought beyond that. Hadn't been to the shops. Oh oh, what were we going to eat??!

Luckily Friday we get fresh eggs from my kids' egg round. There were a few potatoes and onions (how I love the simple onion, see Naomi Shihab Nye post from a few days ago) so that settled it - tortilla, with grilled aubergines.

There is always something for salad in the fridge. This is allotment lettuce but shop bought everything else. All in my favourite bluebell Michelle Lowe bowl bought as a gift to me from Portobello's Velvet Easel. Each time I wash and safely put that bowl away I give thanks in my head. I'd never, never keep it 'for Good' and it is definitely well below £1 per use now but I will be sad when that breaks.

There were bluebells in my wedding bouquet because my husband brought me a bluebell on our first date (in Pivo in May 2002) and that bluebell design of the bowl hooked me in. That and I had Christmas money from Mum to spend.

Dinner was saved, and the tortilla at least was scoffed in minutes by the family. The salad was eaten, the aubergine was a bit experimental and I have a way to go to perfect it, but I liked it.