Being such a creature of habit I have found that when I find a product that I enjoy using or consuming, then I will find ways to source that product even if it means I have to go out of my way to obtain it. I will structure my weekly shop around it and incorporate it into my regular schedule.
I have a probable, unhealthy obsession with cottage cheese. As far as I’m concerned there is only one brand in the UK that I consider superior in the cottage cheese world. Its called Longley Farm and they produce a cottage cheese that is simply sublime. I buy both the plain and the chive variety and have had many difficult years where I haven’t been able to find the product locally ( usually due to some price-war dispute between the manufacturer and retailer ). However, I am happy to say that in recent years, I can find it without it requiring too much effort on my part.
Living in France for part of the year as I do, my cottage cheese issue is far more problematic because the French don’t consider it a necessary food product given that they think, sorry, KNOW, their selection of cheeses are far superior , the best in the world and this bland , sorry excuse for cheese is only purchased by ignorant foreigners.
There was however, a faint glimmer of hope when I found that Danone made a cottage cheese under the label ‘ Jockey ‘ and joy of joys, I could purchase it at my local supermarket as well as a larger chain of supermarkets that could easily be incorporated into my weekly shopping run. I would buy 6 at a time and that would last me until my next shop.
Then disaster struck. Both the venues that stocked the product have mysteriously ceased to place it on their shelves and it would appear that I can no longer expect to find it anywhere within 60 kms of where I live. Now I’m prepared to drive a considerable distance to satisfy my desires but this is ridiculous.
I’m trying to adjust to this travesty when I got another hit in the solar plexus by discovering that the chain that sold the best take-away coffee in France has also decided to remove cappuccinos from all its outlets. Seriously, this coffee was always consistently good, reasonably priced and I could access one of the restaurants it was sold in anywhere in France. They are all over the place and they are called McDonalds. I kid you not! Why, oh why have they decided to remove all traces of cappuccinos from their outlets?????
I have a dichotomy. Do I just let go and try to recover and get over this cottage cheese and coffee void in my life or do I spend time and energy trying to source them elsewhere? It would look really pathetic and sad if I start making my own cottage cheese and taking a flask of coffee with me every time I go out shopping.
I guess you can call me sad and pathetic then.
