If there is one thing that you should know about my grandmother, it is that if you ask her for a recipe, it is in your best interest to follow through with making it. This seems like common sense until you’re standing in Tesco looking for buttermilk for her buttermilk pie recipe, only to find out you are destined to leave empty-handed and your phone lights up with a text from her asking if you’ve made it yet and to send pictures.
This was how my St Andrews supermarket spree began. A family buttermilk pie recipe, continuous texts from my grandma, and the dedication to finding buttermilk.
Especially as an American without much knowledge of the different supermarket chains in the UK, it is at first overwhelming to try to figure out what is best to get where. As the holiday season approaches, ripe with holiday dinners and baking, I am here to lay out the results of my marathon to help you in your own search (and hopefully save you some of the panic I endured) if you also are not as knowledgeable about UK grocery store lore as I once was. I hit all the grocery stores, and sometimes the same one multiple times, in the span of two days back-to-back. I hereby present the conclusive results for your reading pleasure.
Tesco: you likely already know her (and love her). She is the linchpin of St Andrews, holding us together with her meal deals and easily accessible packs of Tennents. The Clubcard is a reward system worth joining — it is so easy to rack up points with a Tesco card and the deals can save you enough pounds a week to justify one last pint at Molly’s. Tesco has most of your everyday needs, from pasta accoutrements to flowers for that person in your life who deserves some. The few points Tesco loses for not being the cheapest place in the Bubble she makes up for with convenience, variety, and the people you were hoping to avoid today in the front of the ÂŁ5 bottles of wine. For me, I scored in Tesco when I located pre-rolled pie crusts.Â
Sainsbury’s (in terms of St Andrews) is Tesco’s slightly less relevant younger brother, but he isn’t to be discounted. Steps from the library, he is the ideal snack hub with a fairly impressive range. It is even rumoured that the sandwiches for Sainsbury’s meal deals are of superior quality compared to Tesco. The international corner is close enough to a treasure trove, and if there is ever a day which happens to run St Andrews alcohol resources low (*cough cough* Raisin *cough*), Sainsbury’s usually pulls through with their stock on the shelves behind the counter. Some prices at Sainsbury’s are also lower than Tesco, especially (on most occasions) their Innocent smoothie line. It is also crucial here to recommend trying their Flying Saucers, weirdly sour paper candies that itch a certain part of my brain.
But sometimes you just need the basics, and for that may I introduce: Aldi. Aldi sits with M&S down Largo Road like the big red X on a treasure map. Although to some first years this may seem a tad bit far to go for groceries, it is well worth the walk (and it is possible to get to on the bus as well). Aldi is a great place to bejewel your pantry with the basics like flour, sugar and pasta. Most of their produce is either very similar replicas of things you’ll recognize from Tesco and Sainsbury’s or iconic British name brands. Shopping here feels illegal purely because things are so cheap, so it is also great to find things like tissues and dish soap. When you visit, don’t forget to take your time pursuing the fabled middle aisles. Sometimes they hold great staples, like pots/pans, sewing kits, and oven mitts, but sometimes the results trend towards more fascinating. Here, I have witnessed occasional sightings of a ÂŁ20 inflatable couch, weighted blankets, and whiskey tumblers. These aisles are in constant rotation, so if you see something intriguing, get it while you can. Two quick warnings about Aldi. When it comes to alcohol, some bottles (like vodka) will be a similar price to Tesco and Sainsbury’s because of minimum pricing laws. That being said, I love to come to Aldi to buy the cheap amaretto and there are scarily cheap bottles of wine. Second, and in extension of this, sometimes the low price of goods comes at a price itself. I ended up buying my vanilla from here and it proved to be somewhat tasteless. My best advice is to just be strategic about the allure of Aldi and her prices. Also, a fun fact just for you: according to my grandmother (the one who sent the pie recipe), we’re distantly related to the Aldi founding family? Not sure exactly what that means but at the end of the day I’ll take the credit.
M&S is the rich single aunt of St Andrews supermarkets. Our M&S is a “foodhall”, meaning while some larger locations of M&S carry things like home decor and clothing, ours focuses on groceries. If you’re looking for a certain kind of slightly bougie vegetable or juice (can confirm they are the place for Blood Orange juice) M&S is your best bet. In my experience, during the strawberry season they are the place to go. If you are from the States like me, the best comparison to draw is with Trader Joe’s. Their pre-made food is slightly pricier than you’ll find elsewhere but well made and quality, with a diverse selection. This is also the place in St Andrews to get Percy Pigs, a British staple sweet, iconic for its recognizable pink pig face and slightly marshmallow strawberry flavour. These are a great souvenir to bring back home to family outside of the usual shortbread — in addition to M&S’s range of fancy chocolates. If you’re looking for a really nice bottle of alcohol or spirits, like Martini or Campari, this is also a fair shout to check out — but is (usually, but not always) going to be broadly the most expensive of St Andrews supermarkets.Â
Maybe at this point, you’ve exhausted your options. You scanned the shelves, scoured the aisles, interviewed the employees, and no one has your buttermilk. May I introduce you to the guardian angel of St Andrews: Morrison’s. Morrison’s is by far (for most of St Andrews) the furthest grocery store, but for my American comrades she is likely the closest thing we have to large stores like Randall’s, Tom Thumb, HEB, and Kroger’s. She is a large saving grace with aisles and aisles of almost everything a grocery store could offer. This, like the pot of gold at the end of a long rainbow, was where I found the little yellow containers of buttermilk sitting patiently and awaiting my arrival. For larger grocery hauls, this may be your best bet — especially if you are looking for more uncommon ingredients. The walk really isn’t that bad if you make a trip out of it (for many it makes sense to go down Lade Brae’s, which is a stunning walk you should do even outside your grocery trips) and bus routes to Morrison’s are also plentiful and often.Â
And after all the trials and tribulations, all the tests sent down upon me to test my dedication, I finally was able to concoct my grandmother’s pie. Although I’ll need to tweak my baking technique a bit going forward, I hope this run down is helpful for your holiday season in finding all the things your cooking/baking/snacking heart desires.Â