Spices and Christmas cake mix

I have previously mentioned that i now sell spices and the reason for this was because i found it difficult to be able to buy the selection that i wanted.

Partly the reason was not so simple. Now being retired i don't have a typical 9 - 5 job. Yes i have work to do in the house but that doesn't fill in the time i have on my hands. I used to say to customers in my business in Liverpool it's OK to retire but everybody needs something to do to fill in the time from getting up to going to bed.

I had been to the Miranda do Corvo market a few times and decided that selling at the market would give me something to do. It's not just a case of buying stock and going to the market and selling the stock if only it was so easy.

First there is picking the stock most likely to sell and getting it delivered to Portugal. A set of scales, plastic food grade bags and a heated bag sealer and computer printer labels for both front and rear of the bags. That done almost 80 kilo of Herbs and Spices takes some repackaging just to get ready for sale.

The most difficult part was not creating the front label but the rear label. Under Portuguese law the rear label has to have the ingredients in Portuguese and also you have to include what the Spice or Herb is used for also best before date has also to be done.

Unlike someone who advertises on an a classified adds websie who has a selection of 12 Spices i have with my latest delivery 90 Herbs and Spices. The most common things people say at the market is they have never seen such a selection and i am glad to say they come back again. The second thing they say is how reasonable the prices are. It would be so easy to put the prices up for a quick profit but i want then to come back again and again.

New for this market is Curry powder without chilli for those who don't like heat but want flavour. Seekh Kebab andain without any chilli powder for those who don't like the heat but want the tatse of Seekh Kebabs. Also one i have been asked for a couple of times Lemon grass powder. 

For the next market i have a special for that market only. Christmas cake mix. But not any old Christmas cake mix but my special mix

3 kilo of Sultanas
2 kilo of Currants.
1 kilo of Raisins
1 kilo of dried Apricots
500g Candied Orange peel 
500g Glazes Cherries
70cl bottle of Vodka
1 litre Brandy

This will be a one off Christmas offer and as yet i have to price up the cake mix the usual sugar, flour, eggs etc will be needed. What i have done is make up all the fruit like i do for myself with loads of fruit  but adult fruit soaked in over 2 litre of vodka and brandy.

One recipe i have read asks for Cinnamon and Sweet spice mix  at the moment i haven't added any of this yet.

If that's not enough a local bar that most of use use on the way to Coimbra that's run by an English guy and his staff are also not just English but one is from my home city of Liverpool. As he has a glass display unit with chocolates in i asked if i could put in a selection of spices and he said yes.

What i am trying to say is that retiring to Portugal is great but unless you have nothing to do you will soon get bored. It's easy to g out everyday spending money but having something to do is important or at least for me it is.

I now have a website but at the moment it's not live for selling online but as soon as it is i will soon advertise on here as well as anywhere else i can.