Buying Vegetables from Sainsbury’s
Time for the supermarket giants to take a stance….
A year ago I banged on about Tesco selling asparagus imported from Peru. Well I’ve been into my local Sainsbury’s today and guess what? They’re doing it too. Mexican and Peruvian asparagus for a store situated in the best county in England for aparagus growing.
Now I’m not going to go on like last time, you can read it for yourself! but what annoys me is the way these supermarkets keep advertising themselves as the saviours of fresh, local food. Sainsbury’s are particularly anal about this, they can’t wait to tell you about their ‘Farmer Giles’ Old Laxton Apple Chutney from Somerset’ which Jamie Oliver will tell you is great with ‘John Smith’s Gloucester Old Spot Pork Chop fed on Sage Infused Milk and Sun Kissed Hay’ but then they do this.
What then will be so special when our very own asparagus is ready in late May? Asparagus has such a short window in the calender year that moreshould be made of it but if you can eat it in February why would you bother? Sorry for repeating myself but I hate hypocrisy.
Sort it out Sainsbury’s.
Miles,
I was thinking exactly the same the other day. I could not believe my eyes when I walked into Sainsbury’s - asparagus everywhere. Naturally, I did not touch it, neither do I eat the beans etc.
It was great to hear a mother say to her young son (who wanted some strawberries) that these were out of season here and that we would therefore not eat them until later. Good for her!
Anne
February 25, 2010 @ 9:04 pm
Anne,
Thank God for her. It’s not on really, either practice what you preach or shut up!
Miles
February 25, 2010 @ 9:50 pm
To play Devil’s Advocate:
Is it Sainsbury’s or is it their customers ?
I think we live in a society that thinks and feels along the lines of “I want something and I want it now” to that end the supermarkets cater to us as though we are petulant children.
You could, of course, ask yourself which came first:
‘the cage fed chicken or the ready boiled egg’
Perhaps the supermarkets encourage our ‘anything anytime’ attitude or perhaps they respond to consumer demand - either way it’s in the hands of the consumer.
Every square inch of floor space is accounted for by the big supermarkets in the UK, if it’s there it’s because people want it - the moment they don’t it’ll be gone
Regards
Rod
February 26, 2010 @ 8:26 am
Hi Miles,
Just out of interest: what vegetables and fruit are “in season” in England right now? How do you get locally grown veggies and fruit in the midst of a deep winter? I guess I am just ignorant of what can be seasonally grown there.
Annie
February 26, 2010 @ 7:31 pm
Rod,
Good point, it’s a bit like the paparazzi, everyone hates them but still buy their work. It’s just snowballed over time this greed of ours.
Miles
February 26, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
Annie,
February is about as bad a month as you can get over here. It’s ‘limbo’ month. Rhubarb is good but most other fruits are kept in storage or imported. There are still decent vegetables and winter lettuce to be had but February is all about waiting for spring to arrive.
It’s a frustrating month.
Miles
February 26, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
Hi,
Remember that in a past post I said California had three seasons: earthquake, mudslide, and fire? Well, today we are getting torrential rains (thus the potential for mudslides), and our coastal areas are under a tsunami warning. My friends are listening for the sirens, and my son and daughter-in-law are offering their place as a refuge to their friends who live closer to the water. It is never dull here.
Our sympathies go out to the people of Chile, where a HUGE quake (significantly larger than the Haiti quake) struck early this morning. Chile and California are all part of the Pacific Ring which is highly susceptible to quakes.
Annie
February 27, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
Annie,
I think everyone is getting a battering at the moment, France and Spain have had it bad and we have flood warnings in place again in England
Baton down the hatches!
Miles
February 28, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
Hi,
I read, with interest, your reply about veggies this time of year. How do you include fresh, locally grown vegetable offerings when they are so limited this time of year?
Annie
March 2, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
Annie,
With great difficulty to be honest, I use cabbages, cauliflowers, Jerusalem artichokes…that sort of thing. It’s that in-between period before the first broad beans and peas.
I hate it!
Miles
March 2, 2010 @ 8:52 pm
Rhubarb? I never would have guessed rhubarb. Interesting.
I agree with the sentiments shown above. February and March are rather boring “eat local” seasons. We have several inches of snow on the ground right here in town.
Melissa
March 3, 2010 @ 12:54 am
Melissa,
It is truly dull isn’t it? I can’t wait for the Spring now. Good luck with the weather where you are
Miles
March 3, 2010 @ 4:53 pm