Waitrose is a popular chain of grocery stores in the UK, with a slew of regular full size stores, plus a convenience store brand dubbed "Little Waitrose".
I ventured into a Waitrose during my trip to London, just to do my favorite kind of tourism: grocery shopping! No, really, I love checking out what products are unique to different countries, and being around "regular" people. It is my version of going to see an attraction, just with no entrance fee, and the entire place is basically a gift shop!
I joke, but only kinda. I really love this part of my travel experience. I can't say that the British grocery stores were all that interesting, but I did pick up a few special dessert items to share with my family over the holidays.
"Zesty mince pies made with spiced shortcrust pastry, richly fruited mincemeat, lemon curd and a zesty all butter crumble topping."
The pies came 4 to a package, individual sized, but once you opened the package, they were all exposed, so, you kinda had to use all 4 at once. Instructions were clear that you shouldn't ever reheat them once baked, which I found a bit odd.
The pies removed fairly easily from the packaging, but were a bit fragile as I moved them onto a baking tray, losing some of their crumble top along the way.
The directions were to bake them at 180°C for 10-12 minutes (given in Celsius of course, which lead to a fun discussion on temperature conversions where I learned that most of my family really has no concept of other temperature scales) in an oven.
Easy enough.
After 11 minutes I pulled them out. The pies were piping hot after 11 minutes, and we needed to let them cool a tiny bit before digging in.
The top had changed, the white powder gone, the color deeper, and, more of the mincemeat layer exposed. While it looks a bit too dark, it really wasn't burnt.
I knew this wasn't going to be a traditional pie, but, I was still a bit surprised by the composition.
The crust on the bottom and side was a spiced dark crust, more like a gingerbread than a traditional shortbread. I didn't quite care for it, it was fairly dry, and not as buttery as a shortbread would be. The idea of a spiced crust with mincemeat is a good one, I just didn't particularly like the texture nor dryness.
On top of that was the mincemeat layer, which turned out to be perhaps the thinest layer of the whole thing. There was certainly more crust and more crumble than mincemeat. What was there was fine, but, really, I only had several raisins/currants/sultanas, and about two spoonfuls of flavored sweet goo. It was really quite sweet, and lacked the depth I was hoping for, no citrus elements nor spicing in the mincemeat itself. But really, just not much of it, and it didn't have any chew to it from a more generous fruit filling.
On top of that was the lemon curd, obviously not normally part of mincemeat pie, but, the lemon was a good match for the mincemeat, as orange flavors normally are. I don't care for lemon though, so, I wished it was anything but. And the lemon layer too was sweet. Too sweet.
Finally, the crumble, a blond crumble, good little bits, topped with powdered sugar (yup, more sweet), fine, but not particularly good.
We all agreed it was far too sweet on its own, and tried to cut the sweet somehow. My mom and grandmother added whipped cream. And more whipped cream. And more whipped cream. Basically, they kept getting more to go with every bite, because, you really needed to cut every bite. I thought the whipped cream was still too sweet with it (it was sweetened whipped cream), but moved on to ice cream, which worked better (and gave me the hot and cold combo I like). But still, you shouldn't need to do this. We also all agreed perhaps it would be good for breakfast with a cup of black coffee to cut the sweet.
The size was decent for one person, not huge, but a bit more than I really wanted. My mom commented that she really would have been happy with half, that a full one, particularly when this sweet, was just too much.
Overall, this just didn't quite add up for me, but it had some fantastic thought behind it. Spiced crust and mincemeat is good. Mincemeat and citrus curd is good. Adding a crumble on top of a mincemeat pie sounds great. But ... this just came out too dry and way too sweet.
"Richly fruited Christmas pudding with Remy Martin Fine champagne cognac cream and pecans."
Next up, I had an aged Christmas pudding, loaded with Remy Martin.
Let me back up and say that I didn't entirely know what Christmas pudding really was. Just like mincemeat, we don't exactly celebrate with Christmas pudding in the US. I had a vague understanding that it was much like fruitcake?
The internet tells me that they are similar, but very different. Both have some of the same ingredients, some kind of alcohol (usually brandy), flour, sugar, dried fruits (usually sultanas, raisins, currants, cherries, and mixed citrus peel), sometimes nuts ... but fruitcake is baked, and Christmas pudding is steamed. Christmas pudding uses suet rather than butter, and is often flambéd at serving time. They both do best with aging.
This was already 12 month "matured" (which, I guess is a good thing).
My Christmas pudding was intended to serve 4 (but, given how rich it is, could easily serve 6-8), and came wrapped in red foil.
I ventured into a Waitrose during my trip to London, just to do my favorite kind of tourism: grocery shopping! No, really, I love checking out what products are unique to different countries, and being around "regular" people. It is my version of going to see an attraction, just with no entrance fee, and the entire place is basically a gift shop!
I joke, but only kinda. I really love this part of my travel experience. I can't say that the British grocery stores were all that interesting, but I did pick up a few special dessert items to share with my family over the holidays.
 |
| Heston from Waitrose Spiced Shortcrust Mince Pies Lemon. |
When I was in London in November, I got a tiny bit obsessed with mincemeat pies. Really, it was because the previous year I was in Sydney in December and really liked the mincemeat pies served at the Sheraton on the Park in the Executive Lounge, and then didn't encounter mincemeat again until I was in London right before the holidays. And mincemeat was everywhere there.
I had a few traditional versions whilst in London, but, I didn't really like them. Meh to the pastry, meh to the filling. But I knew I do like some mincemeat, so when I saw that the nearby grocery store, Waitrose, had partnered with Heston Blumenthal to come out with a fancy shelf-stable mince pie ... I had to get a package. (Waitrose is just a chain of British supermarkets, fairly generic. Heston is a 3 Michelin star chef. I was fascinating to see the partnership).
I brought them home to the US, eager to try them, and share them, with my family.
I had a few traditional versions whilst in London, but, I didn't really like them. Meh to the pastry, meh to the filling. But I knew I do like some mincemeat, so when I saw that the nearby grocery store, Waitrose, had partnered with Heston Blumenthal to come out with a fancy shelf-stable mince pie ... I had to get a package. (Waitrose is just a chain of British supermarkets, fairly generic. Heston is a 3 Michelin star chef. I was fascinating to see the partnership).
I brought them home to the US, eager to try them, and share them, with my family.
 |
| Packaging. |
The pies came 4 to a package, individual sized, but once you opened the package, they were all exposed, so, you kinda had to use all 4 at once. Instructions were clear that you shouldn't ever reheat them once baked, which I found a bit odd.
The pies removed fairly easily from the packaging, but were a bit fragile as I moved them onto a baking tray, losing some of their crumble top along the way.
 |
| Oven Ready. |
Easy enough.
 |
| Cooked! |
The top had changed, the white powder gone, the color deeper, and, more of the mincemeat layer exposed. While it looks a bit too dark, it really wasn't burnt.
 |
| Insides. |
The crust on the bottom and side was a spiced dark crust, more like a gingerbread than a traditional shortbread. I didn't quite care for it, it was fairly dry, and not as buttery as a shortbread would be. The idea of a spiced crust with mincemeat is a good one, I just didn't particularly like the texture nor dryness.
On top of that was the mincemeat layer, which turned out to be perhaps the thinest layer of the whole thing. There was certainly more crust and more crumble than mincemeat. What was there was fine, but, really, I only had several raisins/currants/sultanas, and about two spoonfuls of flavored sweet goo. It was really quite sweet, and lacked the depth I was hoping for, no citrus elements nor spicing in the mincemeat itself. But really, just not much of it, and it didn't have any chew to it from a more generous fruit filling.
On top of that was the lemon curd, obviously not normally part of mincemeat pie, but, the lemon was a good match for the mincemeat, as orange flavors normally are. I don't care for lemon though, so, I wished it was anything but. And the lemon layer too was sweet. Too sweet.
Finally, the crumble, a blond crumble, good little bits, topped with powdered sugar (yup, more sweet), fine, but not particularly good.
We all agreed it was far too sweet on its own, and tried to cut the sweet somehow. My mom and grandmother added whipped cream. And more whipped cream. And more whipped cream. Basically, they kept getting more to go with every bite, because, you really needed to cut every bite. I thought the whipped cream was still too sweet with it (it was sweetened whipped cream), but moved on to ice cream, which worked better (and gave me the hot and cold combo I like). But still, you shouldn't need to do this. We also all agreed perhaps it would be good for breakfast with a cup of black coffee to cut the sweet.
The size was decent for one person, not huge, but a bit more than I really wanted. My mom commented that she really would have been happy with half, that a full one, particularly when this sweet, was just too much.
Overall, this just didn't quite add up for me, but it had some fantastic thought behind it. Spiced crust and mincemeat is good. Mincemeat and citrus curd is good. Adding a crumble on top of a mincemeat pie sounds great. But ... this just came out too dry and way too sweet.
 |
| Christmas pudding with Remy Martin champagne cognac. |
Next up, I had an aged Christmas pudding, loaded with Remy Martin.
Let me back up and say that I didn't entirely know what Christmas pudding really was. Just like mincemeat, we don't exactly celebrate with Christmas pudding in the US. I had a vague understanding that it was much like fruitcake?
The internet tells me that they are similar, but very different. Both have some of the same ingredients, some kind of alcohol (usually brandy), flour, sugar, dried fruits (usually sultanas, raisins, currants, cherries, and mixed citrus peel), sometimes nuts ... but fruitcake is baked, and Christmas pudding is steamed. Christmas pudding uses suet rather than butter, and is often flambéd at serving time. They both do best with aging.
This was already 12 month "matured" (which, I guess is a good thing).
 |
| Packaging. |
The instructions recommended steaming it for an hour, but microwave instructions are provided as well.
I usually do *not* microwave things, but, I was trying it alone, so I wanted to just carve out one portion and heat it, as the instructions were incredibly explicit about not reheating any of it. They also cautioned many times not to heat too much, else the sugars, fruit, and alcohol could ignite.
So, the microwave is where I headed, with just one portion.
"Made with plump vine fruit, cream, pecan nuts and a generous splash of Fine Champagne Cognac, and matured for a year to develop a rich, rounded flavour."
Of course I tried a bite at room temperature.
I was pretty fascinated. It reminded me a lot of fruitcake, loaded up with dried fruits, every type of raisin-like thing you could imagine (sultanas, Chilean flame raisins, currants, regular raisins ...), cherries, and citrus peel, which all added up to give quite a bit of chew, and some crunch from both almonds and pecans. But it was slightly crumbly too. A fairly unique texture.
It was also crazy sweet. In addition to the fruit, it had added "glucose-fructose syrup" and sugar. I found it cloying, even moreso once heated. And yes, it was boozy.
I first heated a bit and spread it with Fortum & Mason Spiced Christmas Rum Butter (omg, so good, review coming soon), but, although the rum butter accented the booze and melted in beautifully, this didn't really do it for me. Still just too much sweet and booze.
I didn't have clotted cream nor custard available, so I opted to try vanilla ice cream (it was ok, definitely tempered the sweet a bit, and hot pudding and cold ice cream was nice), and I tried whipped cream (also helped cut the sweet a bit), but neither left me thinking I had found the ideal pairing.
I think the pudding really would be better with custard.
So, the microwave is where I headed, with just one portion.
 |
| Christmas Pudding: Inside. |
Of course I tried a bite at room temperature.
I was pretty fascinated. It reminded me a lot of fruitcake, loaded up with dried fruits, every type of raisin-like thing you could imagine (sultanas, Chilean flame raisins, currants, regular raisins ...), cherries, and citrus peel, which all added up to give quite a bit of chew, and some crunch from both almonds and pecans. But it was slightly crumbly too. A fairly unique texture.
It was also crazy sweet. In addition to the fruit, it had added "glucose-fructose syrup" and sugar. I found it cloying, even moreso once heated. And yes, it was boozy.
I first heated a bit and spread it with Fortum & Mason Spiced Christmas Rum Butter (omg, so good, review coming soon), but, although the rum butter accented the booze and melted in beautifully, this didn't really do it for me. Still just too much sweet and booze.
I didn't have clotted cream nor custard available, so I opted to try vanilla ice cream (it was ok, definitely tempered the sweet a bit, and hot pudding and cold ice cream was nice), and I tried whipped cream (also helped cut the sweet a bit), but neither left me thinking I had found the ideal pairing.
I think the pudding really would be better with custard.
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