Meanwhile back in Blighty

I'm looking at my annual pilgrimage back to the North of Essex in a different light this year. One year on from The Big Foody going full time, I am focusing on bringing a tour here from NZ and Aus. In the last few years I have seen more and more changes in the food culture in the UK and definitely all for the better. Going into our local Waitrose supermarket is like partying in an enormous delicatessen. Even though everything is prepacked and you can't for the life of you pick you own veg, the variety and standards of food is much much better.

There are of course some stock standard Waitrose products I have an annual appointment with. Firstly the good old British Pork Pie! Moist pieces of pork with jelly around the outside and the perfect cold short pastry. There have been many attempts at pork pies in New Zealand and finally Mowbray cracked it in possibly the smallest commercial kitchen I have ever seen.  The pork pie reached its popularity in Britain in the 1800's where stage coaches between London and Leeds stopped in Melton Mowbray on the A1 for the pies that were best eaten cold so easily removed!

Just along the deli counter from the pork pies is the pickled herring and marinated anchovies sold by the scoop and and both with the ability to transform a plate of bog standard salad into something much more exciting. I have to admit it's a very rare occasion that the fish make it into a salad as I hopelessly devour them straight from the pottle. The scandinavian pickled herrings have a sweetness to them which make them a wonderful addition in a sandwich. Combined with some grated carrot beetroot and spring cabbage, fresh dill, a couple of chopped capers and a dollop of homemade mayonnaise, they make a fab filling for a couple of slices of dark german rye bread. The marinated anchovies, some olives, fresh cherry tomatoes and sautéed potatoes make a quick Spanish style warm salad for a tasty and different lunch.

At the other end of the counter is the amazing cheese section with European cheeses galore and the occasional antipodean variety thrown in for good measure. It was Waitrose that introduced me to New Zealand cheddars and they have a single counter dedicated to cheddars from all around the world. Even though we can get European cheese in NZ there is such a massive variety that I pick whatever is on offer for lunch and a lump of stilton as backup!

Along with some cherry tomatoes, fresh bread a very satisfying home coming lunch!