Tuesday, 20 March 2012

It's Daylight Bloody Robbery....


I see you there sitting on the shelf, sitting with all the other “Imported” goods. Looking at me, imploring with me to pick you up, to roll you round in my hands, to take you home.

But I can’t... or rather I won't! It’s not that I can’t afford you; it’s just that I can’t bring myself to spend $4 on you knowing that in London you are a measly 68 pence!

So let’s do the maths, 68p converted at today’s rate would be only $1.30. So not only are you twice the price of the Kiwi equivalent you are 3 times are much as you are in England. So being the principled person that I am and more importantly of Scottish descent, that is simply why I will not be buying you. That is why I leave you sitting on the shelf every time I am in the supermarket.

Because its daylight BLOODY robbery!!

Oh, but you do taste so good. Funny thing is I never liked you until we met again in London. I remember trying you as a youngster, cooked in a billy over an open fire on a school camping trip and “Blech, disgusting, not eating that again!! But then my sister re-introduced us, one soggy Sunday morning along with Marks and Spencer Ultimate Mash..  Ah it was the perfect comfort food for a dodgy hangover.

Hmmm.....  Oh I do so miss having you for brunch on Sunday with my eggs... 

So perhaps you can be my little secret, hidden at the back of the pantry, hidden in amongst the other canned goods. Hidden, so Mr P and the boys don’t see you. They can have the less tasty Kiwi version; they would be none the wiser. I could wait until I am home alone to bring you out, cook you up and scoff you down. Mmmm, I know it’s not nice not to share, but too bad. I make the rules so I can break them...

But, No!!

But really, why not I ask myself? When we were in London I had no problem going to the NZ shop and spending £4 or £5 on a pack of biscuits or some chocolate. Surely this is the same?

No, no of course it isn’t!  Then I just wanted a slice of “home”, something tasty to remind me of what I was missing out on.  To remind me of my childhood.

No, you will not be coming home with me.  I simply cannot bring myself to spend $4 on a can of Baked Beans... 

But I may stop by next time I see you, just so we can have a moment together perhaps even a quick roll in my hands.....

6 comments:

BavarianSojourn said...

Brilliant post, and oh so true... I saw a box of 80 PG Tips the other day and it was 8Euros! I did think about buying them but then I remembered that I don't even like PG tips! I think you should allow yourself the odd tin though, perhaps for your birthday or something?!? :) xx

Frankie Parker said...

8 Euros, blimey that is daylight robbery as well...

Yeah i might spoil myself for my birthday.. oh goodie a tin of beans..... x

Rachel said...

Baked beans are totally, totally worth it. I had to live in England eight years to come to that enlightened view, but now I hold it to be absolute truth. Go on...

Bibsey Mama said...

Ha ha. Mr B cannot live without the Beans. I just try not to look at the price as they go into the trolley.

Almost bedtime said...

Ha! Ha! I had a feeling you were talking about baked beans when I read the first couple of lines. I have lived away from the uk for 14 years and beans (proper British ones not the kind we get in Canada which are far too sweet) are just one thing that I cannot live without. Let's see how long it is before you write your blog post about breaking down over a tin of beans...

Almost bedtime said...

PS Totally unrelated, but you were so right about Canberra :-)