Big Black Hole

Yesterday (Sunday) I wrote to Branston Pickle in Bury St Edmunds on their Facebook page. I think quite politely. Here the wording and at the end I attached the link to my Blip of 29th February 2016 (it was a leap year and we got more Blips for our money back then):

As we all know Branston Pickle is a unique British delicacy. Your website says it is available in 50 countries.

In 30 years since moving here, I have never seen it on German supermarket shelves. (I do have some recollection of a supermarket chain offering squeezy bottles of one strange type but only online)

If I am right that you don't export to Germany, why not?

Or is it being used as part of a secret "withholding" tactic for getting a "good deal"! (Sorry!)

And I am fed up with trying to recreate that unique Branston taste with my own "recipe". And if you could arrange for some Cheddar or any other British cheese to appear on the shelves apart from Irish Kerrygold, would be very grateful. And while we are at it: Malt vinegar from your mother Mizkan Group, Mr Kiplings from your former owners Premier Foods, and then there are Carr's Biscuits, Ginger nuts, Colman's Mustard ... never-ending list.

I have been campaigning for Branston for 30 years and although I can't prove it, here my diary entry from 29 February 2016, (pre Referendum) complaining about it! The Branston and Carr's Biscuits in the photo were part of a Red Cross Christmas Parcel from my children in the UK.

Quite to my pleasant surprise, this morning I got the reply show as my Blip today. What on earth is going on in the UK or better still, this is exactly what has been going on in the UK for 40+ years.

I have reported on Blip in the last few months my run-in with Unilever over Hellmann's Mayonnaise who said they were "planning" to roll out in Germany "soon". UNILEVER for heaven's sake, not Elly's Corner Shop.

Then just before Christmas, mad at USA Blipers showing boxes of Mr Kipling's Pies, I wrote to UK's Premier Foods who first replied that they did export their pies to Germany. When I replied doubting this and saying the German import company they quoted was out of business, they were at least honest enough to check and admit I was right, they did not export to Germany.

And now Branston who used to belong to Crosse & Blackwell was sold to the above Premier Foods who sold it on to a Japanese company Mizkan Europe who also own Sarsons Vinegar which also isn't sold here although there is NO competition. You can't get Malt Vinegar here - 50 other sorts but not Malt.

NO, no no. I don't know how much UK agricultural produce ends up in Branston Pickle, theoretically everything: swede, carrots, onions and cauliflower pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, (tomato), apple sugar and spices.

German Wiki evens has a short entry for the stuff!

And then we have the poor UK National Farmers Union President on  Sky News yesterday saying a no.deal Brexit was going to be"savage" for farmers. And today UK Food manufacturers said:

Britain's food industry has threatened to break off cooperation with the government because of the “catastrophic” risk of a no-deal Brexit, in an extraordinary clash.

I have to say I have no sympathy for the food industry for letting down UK farmers for 40 years. And I believe the farmers in general were also strong Leavers but would hope they are now of the opinion, since finding out the facts, that on balance they are better staying in and playing a major role in changing those things that are clearly wrong in the EU including the Common Agricultural policy, Farmers must know one needs patience if one is to nurture fine products as they do all year round,

I don't have any or at least not much of a problem with Leave voters who now are prepared to reconsider their choice, better equipped with facts.

I actually managed to get out earlier today but only because I wanted to sign the Petition Stage 2 for a major change of Bavaria's agricultural policy with the aim of protecting our environment - insects, animals, flowers & plants by a change in the law. I mentioned it about 10 days ago. The head of our parish council bureaucracy did the bit with me and said he had just heard on the news that around 900,000 of the required 1 million signatures were in with the registers closing Wednesday night.

Will report more if the magic mark is achieved.

Then did a walk with Luna in nearby Erkheim as I wanted to check out the English Narcissus Price Index that I follow keenly. A few weeks ago it was at an alarming €0.79c for a bunch of 10, today it has shot back to the price it has been for years €0.99c. So maybe some hope.

The walk was great except towards the end, Luna crossed a grass bridge to get on a field but didn't realise the snow on the side was not on the bridge! She slipped down into the ditch and seemed totally shocked but clearly in no way harmed. She made it out and managed to look for more mice. Extra Photo shows the first picture top left, purely taken by chance as she started to fall, it goes around clockwise.

Geotag is the "Snowbridge"