The internet shop Holland at Home is frequented by the Dutch contingent in Manchester, as a convenient way to stock up on much missed Dutch produce. Amongst other things, it has chocolate letters and marzipan at the holidays, clogs, syrup, cooking oils, butter, cheese, alcohol, books.. But not everything, as I noticed when I was back in The Netherlands. I wrote them, but unfortunately they cannot deliver it. So here's a wee testament.. Look out for the links interspersed with text ;o)

What I would not give for the leisurely pleasure of cycling to Albert Heijn, to buy Tivall vegetarian pate. Lottie too found out it tastes wonderful on bread, toast and crackers, especially when accompanied by a glass wine and interspersed with Danish Blue and Brie on other crackers. I know, I'm snobbish, but what can I do? I can't get anything the like in the UK. It gets worse.. A few years ago a Dutch dairy producer made an advance into the lucrative vegetarian freezer section with Valess. The dairy-based alternative for meat blasted Quorn out of the water. Err, actually, I quite like Quorn, but how wonderful is it to have more options? Here's a commercial for Valess (click 'afspelen' to play), and you can read more about it when you click here..

Another luxury I can no longer hope to buy is Dutch alcohol, in its most enticing varieties. A year or so ago I did buy a few bottles of La Trappe at Tesco Metro in Manchester, but I haven't found them since. The best I can get is Grolsch, and while I'll gladly settle for it, I'm snobbish enough to only buy Dutch-brewed Grolsch. In my defence, the UK brewed version gave me a headache, and most chemically laden lagers do.

Anyway, I have to stop! It's midnight, Lottie's home all excited from a horsey do and I need my sleep soon!