Waitrose

Life blew us towards Northwich this afternoon. If there's a competition for the best supermarket car park in the world, I'm pretty sure the Waitrose in Northwich would be in with a chance of winning. This is the view my car had while we shopped. It's the Northwich Marina on the River Weaver, full of pretty canal boats. And, as this is Waitrose, they have swans on the water.

We didn't really need anything but it's always fun to wander around a Waitrose. For those outside the UK, Waitrose is probably the most upmarket of the supermarket chains. Though, across the north west of England where we are, Booth's gives it a run for its money. Waitrose, which comes from the same company as the John Lewis's department store chain (another staple of middle class, English life), never seems to be overcrowded but makes money hand over fist and is taking business from the big supermarkets at the top end of their demographic while Lidl and ALDI are eating into the lower end of their customer base. It's always very calm and seems to be run by polite, shiny, floppy haired youths and attractive young ladies from the best schools in the locality. In central Manchester which is within reach of some of the most 'interesting' suburbs in the city, I'm convinced they bus them in from the wealthier, southern suburbs to run the Waitrose stores there.

During the recession, all the supermarkets developed a range of products in cheaper packaging to tempt in the shoppers with limited means. ASDA has its 'Smart Price' range, Sainsbury's has its 'Basics' range, TESCO has 'Everyday Value' range and so on. Waitrose did the same and came up with its 'Essential' range. But it's debatable about how essential some of the items are. We decided to have a bit of fun and just buy things from the 'Essential' range. The extra picture is our haul. Somethings, like the little oranges, could be considered essential, they are healthy and packed full of vitamins.

But are profiteroles and tiramisu essential? And what about Essential French Camembert? Well I'm pleased to say that I live in a world where these items ARE essential.

I was hoping to find a tin of the fabled Essential Ratatouille Provençal, but they were out of it (Good grief! Where am I? ALDI?). But I did find a packet of Essential Orzo. I'm sure you all have it in your larders by the tonne but, for those of you who have not yet come across this essential staple of life, it's a kind of pasta that looks like rice. I'm off now to find out what Nigella does with Orzo....