Thursday, 27 November 2014

Living in luxury

The Oxford online dictionary defines the word, "luxury" in the following manner:
1. An inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain.
2. A state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense.
3. A pleasure obtained only rarely.

So, where am I going with this? Earlier this week, as I am currently off work recovering from weight loss surgery (at least 20 grams for a gall bladder), I accompanied Mrs B to that great emporium that is Sainsbury's. On the way, we discussed the forthcoming celebration that is Christmas. Having decided that we would participate this year, the conversation turned to food for the aforementioned feast. I mentioned that I rather liked bread sauce. This is in direct opposition to my usual distaste for all foods made from soggy bread. However, there is always the exception that proves the rule.

Here comes the point of this particular post.

I found a packet of bread sauce mix in the supermarket as we were dodging old people who had forgotten what they were in there for and had stopped right in the middle of the aisle. Why do they do that? I have been known to place random items in their trolleys when they were not looking. The ensuing confusion at the checkouts is hilarious. I digress, back to the point.

This packet was labelled, "Luxury Bread Sauce Mix".
1. I agree. Bread sauce mix is not essential, but is desirable (for me anyway). However, at 90 pence it is not expensive. Neither is it difficult to obtain - there were dozens of packets on the shelf.
2.  Bread sauce provides neither comfort nor elegance and, as previously stated, is not expensive.
3. It is obtained only rarely. I could have it every week if I wanted to. Pleasure? Well, I quite like it, but my life would not be over if I were to never have it again.

Given that none of the above apply, it would be reasonable to assume that it is made from luxury ingredients. Such rare spices and constituents that would make an oil sheikh blanch at the very cost of them. Not so, a perusal of the ingredients (in order of quantity) shows that 71% of it is bread crumbs. The remaining 29% being a mixture of onion powder, cream powder, white pepper and ground clove.

Perhaps the "luxury" label is intended to differentiate it from lesser bread sauce mixes. However, on investigation, I could find no other mixes labelled, "spartan", "basic" or "this is so shit, you really shouldn't buy it". So that is not it either.

I am totally at a loss and would be grateful for any suggestions as to why this sauce mix is deserving of such an inaccurate and misleading claim.

3 comments:

  1. Good question (i.e. one I don't know the answer to.) It's the same reason that Waitrose use the word 'essential' to mean 'cheap'.

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  2. I think Sainsbury's have other brands. I seem to remember they have a "Fair King Sauce"

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  3. Hard to see how bread sauce can be a luxury however desirable it may be. It is nice though. I wonder if Waitrose has an 'essential' version.

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