I know I promised to talk about our new flat (aka apartment) today. But seriously – who am I kidding? – I really need to share the wonders of the British supermarket with you first.
No, that wasn’t sarcasm, but genuine pleasure.
Milk tastes SO good here! I was expecting the milk situation here to be similar to that in France (where every bottle of milk is pasteurized ten billion times so it can be stored on the dry goods shelves like Parmalat) but I forgot that Britain is a country of dairy farmers – and their milk ROCKS! And not just the organic stuff – just normal grocery store brand milk is SO GOOD! You should come visit just to try the milk.
Milk’s probiotic cousin, yogurt, comes in amazing flavors here (just like France.) Exhibit A:
That label on the right reads “notoriously nutty” – a delicious hazelnut yogurt (or yoghurt because the Brits also don’t know how to spell) with lots of hazelnut pieces inside. The Activia flavor (or flavour) is rhubarb and it is DELICIOUS! Yet another lactose-linked reason to visit.
Now on to a product I am sure you are all very familiar with: behold, Nutella. Everyone knows how wonderful it is. But... I swear it tastes better here!! (Attention all my study-abroad friends – didn’t Nutella taste better in France too?? Back me up here!) I hypothesize that it’s because of the glass jars. I think the plastic jars they use to ship their product to the states doesn’t retain the flavor as well. But for whatever reason, it tastes sublime, and I – unfortunately – discovered a disastrously dangerous combination.
*Drumroll please*
Pretzels dipped in Nutella!!!!
My poor husband scoured several stores and many aisles in a quest for pretzels last night, and now when he comes home he’ll find his stash obliterated. Oh well. It was worth it. In fact, I suggest going out and buying some (superior) American pretzels and (inferior) American Nutella and going to town.
Attention Nutella execs! I’m available for promotional gigs!
(Life rule #1 - always lick the spoon.)
Another way you can share in my British supermarket adventure is head to a fancy Manhattan grocery store and buy some of these McVitie's biscuits.They are delicious. And definitely expensive when imported, but not expensive here! Yum! Milk chocolate coated whole-wheat biscuits. My heart just skipped a beat. (not sure if it was gastronomic excitement or cholestrol.)
Lastly, since we’re meeting some of Chris’ British friends for drinks and dinner tonight, I though I’d end with some philosophizing on the state of alcoholic beverages in British grocery stores.
You remember how yesterday I said that the Brits are perfect embodiments of moderation? Well, you can just throw that theory out the window where alcoholic consumption is concerned. They drink SO much. Particularly, SO much BEER! But not necessarily good beer. In fact Budweiser is pervasive. But at least the Budweisers are super sized. Yup that’s right, every single can of beer (not just Bud) is this size:
Brits complain about Starbucks coffees and BigMacs being too big, but look at the size of the beers! I think this is a cultural difference we could get accustomed to ;)
And to end with a pretty, pretty picture…. Behold! Italian wine in a ….
Can???
Yum! Yes, my friends, not only was it less than two pounds, it was also two glasses worth, and delicious, and fun, and in a can decorated with pink scrolls and flowers! What more could a very tired girl ask for? Not too much.
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