Waitrose Sees Sense!

                                          'In a gentle way, you can shake the world.'
                                           -Mahatma Gandhi

Recently I took issue with supermarket chain Waitrose, see post: 'The great supermarket scandal.' I was angry about the fact that the store wasn't reducing food early enough in the day, even though it had reached its sell by date, and that there wasn't a reduced section.

Well, congratulations to Waitrose because upon visiting the same store this morning I found a reduced section, and as opposed to their ridiculous reductions by mere pence last time, food had been greatly reduced by up to half price or less.

I said I wanted to start a food waste revolution, well, in a very small way it has begun!

Is it sheer coincidence that I challenged Waitrose? I suspect not.

I quess I got my stand up and be counted qualities from my mother. As a child we would visit my grandmother regularly, nan lived in Waterloo where at the time there were large numbers of homeless people, men mostly. These men (named tramps) were filthy, living as they did on park benches or under railway bridges, invariably when awake they were bloodied and blind drunk, I hated even walking past them, they scared me. Not my mum, oh no, she would cover sleeping tramps with whatever rags they to hand, buy them food or give them money and woe betide anyone who tried to stop her.

Generally in life  we stand on the sidelines not wanting to get involved, people feel most comfortable minding their own business. When any oppression begins within society, invariably it's only the oppressed who try to object. We're good at turning a blind eye to things that don't affect us directly. What we're really good at is paying lip service to a cause or situation, however, our comfortable lifestyles are incompatible with our professed moral convictions.

As my mum used to say 'you must be the change you wish to see in the world.' And as much as I love a bargain, my issue with Waitrose and other food corporations is about the colossal food waste within our society and how we can adress it!

                               Having a whoop whoop moment by the reduced section!

One of the bargains I picked up was a lovely piece of gruyere cheese, combined with a few potatoes I made some delicious cheese and potato cakes and served them with a fresh salad with a mango (also reduced) dressing. When you next go shopping look for reduced items, think outside the box, dont shop by rote, experiment, have fun and save money.

Cheese and potato cakes

Recipe
Per cake
2 potatoes, boiled
1 egg, beaten
Piece of cheese, roughly the size of a matchbox (any soft cheese will work: emmental, brie, fontina, camembert)
1 tablespoon flour
Seasoning
Breadcrumbs, to coat (I also used some pumpkin seeds for extra crunch)

Mash the potato with a fork; dont pulverise it as you want some texture
Mix in flour and season to taste
Take a a handful of potato, flatten with your hand, place cheese in the centre then mould into a small cake
Coat in breadcrumbs
Heat a little oil in a pan, place cakes in pan and fry over a medium heat until underside is brown
Flip cakes over, reduce heat and continue to fry until brown on the other side and cooked through

Fresh salad with mango dressing

Recipe
1 mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated orange zest
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Extra virgin olive oil
(For a spicy kick add a finely chopped red chilli)
Place the mango, orange juice, zest, vinegar and honey in a blender, puree until mixture is smooth
Gradually stir in oil until you have a loose dressing, taste as you go
This can be refrigerated for up to 2 days

Slice a mixture of tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil
Place in a moderate oven for 30 minutes to achieve a sundried flavour
Place some mixed salad leaves in a bowl (I used baby green leaf, spinach, baby red leaf and red chard)
Top with tomatoes and dress with mango dressing

Place oozy cheese and potato cake on top and serve

'Do I dare disturb the universe?'
-T. S. Eliot

'Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget.'
-William Arthur Ward

Love Donna xxxxxxx