My mate Marmite

CORINNA’S DIARY: Friday, 12th March

It is a rest day today after all our travelling since Monday. We are all taking it easy and are all reflecting upon our findings concerning the mysterious blue dogs. The plot has definitely thickened and we have found ourselves in one of those head-scratching situations where we have found ourselves traversing quite a few interesting tangents. More will transpire in the coming week it is hoped and although it is clear the whole phenomenon will be not be solved by the time we board our plane to return home, perhaps we will have some more information to stir into what is fast becoming a very big cauldron of possibilities.

After Morgan and Jo from Minnow Films had left to travel back to Houston, Richie cooked up some delicious American pancakes before Jon and I went out with him to do some errands. One of our stops was a visit to the local supermarket to obtain some provisions. OK, walking around a supermarket may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but after so many trips to Asda or Morrisons back in good old Blighty, a trip to an American supermarket is somewhat of a treat and certainly one that makes you drool with envy at the variety of provender available.

However, I was still surprised to be confronted with a small display of English food this morning. Last time I visited the States such things as Marmite was not easily available (or advocaat, but that is a different matter) – in California at least – but there it was; that distinctively shaped bottle of dark and delicious goodness, sat amongst jars of Hartley’s jam (first made incidentally by the wonderfully named William Pickles Hartley of Lancashire, a grocer who decided to make his own jam when a consignment didn’t show up) and boxes of Tetley and PG Tips. However, I do feel that the price tag of $7.99 (or £5.27 back home) for the smallest bottle of dark magic is a bit exorbitant for those who wish to indulge in its tongue-tingling delight over here in the US.

Mind you, there is a certain American cereal that is no longer freely available in the UK and costs around £7 a box in Selfridges Food Hall, which is - I believe - one of the few places that sells it. And I am charged with purchasing 4 boxes of it at its more reasonable US price to take back to my daughters and their respective other halves!

The suitcases on our return trip are going to be filled with a pretty eclectic assortment of groceries, methinks - once Jon has also raided the steak-seasoning section in the local supermarket.