Toaster Frenzy

My Dear Princess & Dear Fellows,

This is Wishbone. It is like Wellington Pret. But if you think Pret is pretty ubiquitous, then Wishbone is like Pret, Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Costa combined. They are EVERYWHERE. I pass two of them on my five minute walk to work. I believe they are thinking of opening a branch in my toilet. 

There's a few of them, is what I am saying.

I don't know if they are Wellington-only or NZ-wide. But they're also the closest thing we have to M&S in that they do some nice-looking ready meals.

Ready meals are not really a thing in New Zealand. I mean, you can get them, but they are pretty horrible looking things, and typically confined to the freezer department - mac & cheese, that sort of thing. I would not be surprised if they were still utilising boil-in-the-bag technology here. So it's a bit like Medieval Times, microwaveable-moussaka-wise.

I don't mind this as much as I thought I would. Before we left the UK, I would cruise the expat forums and some ex-Brits seemed beside themselves with grief over the loss of M&S. You have to admit, their range of gourmet ready meals was pretty impressive. Whole rows devoted purely to Italian or Thai or tapas. It was pretty handy after a hard day at the Marketing Mines.

I think the reason it doesn't bother me so much is that I'm home earlier these days and cooking in the evening is pleasureable. Now I am mashing my own spuds and loving it. I can add extra ingredients like yoghurt or olive oil or cumin and NO-ONE CAN STOP ME.

But even if I haven't yet tried them, I have noted that the Wishbone ready-meals look quite nice. There is a difference in emphasis though. Paleo is big here, so a lot of Wishbone's healthy meals are big chunks of meat with no root veges. I'm not sure I would care for that.

Regardless of food, I go in there every morning for my coffee, and I get the banter from the staff like in Pret. I note with displeasure though, that I haven't been given any FREE STUFF yet. They were always giving me free coffee and pastries in Pret. Maybe it is Wishbone company policy, or perhaps they just don't love me enough. 

It is possible I've lost my looks since leaving Edinburgh?

Hang on, I'd better check.

Phew, I am still GORGEOUS.

Company policy it is.

I do enjoy the banter though. I was telling them that I get MOCKED for buying my coffee in Wishbone by the coffee-snobs who surround me and who think I should be going to an artisan coffee place*. 

"Coffee is all about the barista," said Wishbone Lady. "People pretend it's about the roast and the beans and the blend, but actually it all comes down to the skill of the person preparing your coffee."

She then suggested that I organise a "Blind Taste Test" to see if my snobbish colleagues could REALLY tell the difference.

It's tempting, but unnecessary I feel. Soon Wishbone will have taken over Wellington entirely, and then they will have no choice but to join us.

And then there's that whole "toaster" thing...!

S.

* I daren't tell them about Greggs's coffee. I think this would give them the vapours.