We're well pickled

I love writing and I love food; ergo I love writing about food. Thanks, by the way, for giving us a busy Easter; we did well and we hope you enjoyed the British eggs and other goodies you bought during your visit here.

The new shipment of Walkers Potato Crisps has arrived. Since we still had a considerable quantity of the old batch left we are offering the expired date crisps at 2 bags for 99 cents or 10 bags for $4 to clear them out. It seems a lot of folks like the 10 bag deal because the clearance bin is a lot lighter now than when I filled it this morning.

Customers frequently request new products and I always strive to oblige. Consequently I am pleased to outline some of the new additions in today's post. I recommend that you don't read the following if you are hungry. I developed a keen appetite just writing it.

1. Libby's Creamed Rice Pudding

A while ago we had a batch of Nestle Rice Pudding in the store. It sold very well but we were unable to get hold of any further supplies. This week I am pleased to introduce Libby's rice pud. Just like the Nestle product, this one is in a tall can offering 45% more than regular sized cans. That means you get a whopping 624g of great rice pud made with full cream British milk. Blighty's has it on the shelves at $3.49 which compares favourably with Canadian rice pudding in the much smaller cans.

2. McVities Digestive Biscuits

You have probably seen the 500g packages of McVities Digestives on the shelves here for some time. The latest ocean freighter to cross the Atlantic brought a new batch, now in a new 300g package. Following swashbuckling negotiations with the importers, Blighty's is pleased to be able to sell these new size packages at only a slightly higher price than they sell for in the UK. The packages are marked at 69p and Blighty's has them on special for $1.79.

3. Haywards Mixed Pickles

Haywards is a division of Chivers Hartley foods based in Lincolnshire, England. Haywards Pickled Onions have been flying off the shelves since we opened. We introduced their Piccalilli and Pickled Red Cabbage some time ago and now I have added these delicious chunky vegetable pieces in light vinegar for a very reasonable $6.99 for a spanking big jar. We British love our pickles and these are sure to be a hit on the Sunday dinner table.

4. Rob Roy Scottish Brisling Sardines

These are real Scottish sardines packed in your choice of vegetable oil, springwater or tomato sauce. They come in easy open 106g tins priced at only $2.29. Mum used to serve us sardines on toast for tea when I was a kid. Sardines are a good energy food and contain a fair amount of protein too. Fish is supposed to be food for the brain, but I didn't care, they just tasted good.

5. Taveners Sweets

I have had several requests for these. Taveners sweets come in handy little tins with plastic lids. Some people keep a tin in the car for Sunday outings. They are made in Blackpool, Lancashire. We have three flavours; Fruit Drops, Coffee Drops and Sour Lemon Drops. The price is $2.99 per tin. When you have finished the sweets you can re-use the tin in your sewing box or in the workshop.

6. Shaws Pickles

Since I mentioned a new product from Lancashire I thought I had better balance the post with mention of products from t'other side o' Pennines. Shaws of Huddersfield has been making pickles in Yorkshire since 1889. For a while now Blighty's has carried their Pickled Baby Beets and Pickled Sliced Beet. Now we have added more from Shaws. Shaws Pickled Onions and Shaws Plum & Ginger Chutney have joined the lineup. Do I have your tastebuds working overtime yet? I know mine are growing anxious with anticipation just writing about all the tasty foods from our former home and native land.

7. Milky Bar Chunky

Do you remember those old British TV commercials featuring the "Milky Bar Kid"? Cute little fella dressed up in cowboy gear brandishing a toy six-shooter. If the lad ate the product he was promoting he has probably transformed into Milky Bar chunky now. I ate a lot of it and I know I have. Never mind, I am back to my summer exercise routine now so I will soon be shedding those extra pounds. That's a very long introduction to the fact that Blighty's has added the "Milky Bar Chunky" to our Candy Island (if you shop here you'll be very familiar with "Candy Island").

I am sure I must have added some other new products over the last couple of days but I'll leave you with the opportunity to come in and discover them. It's much more fun that way.