Jane-Jetson
I can relate to all of that, I’m fully aware that when push comes to shove there are very few things I won’t substitute when our finances get tight. Margarine is probably one of the few places I will not go, I’d stop eating bread before eating it and I don’t think my kids have ever tasted the stuff. I will make a lot of sacrifices before I stop buying large tubs of lurpak and, even with the recent belt-tightening, we still get the milk with cream on top for the kids.
I also agree with the PP who talked about Italian tinned tomatoes. I feel bad about it but Australian ones always seem to be less creamy and sweet.
In terms of parmesan, I prefer pecorino (bonus points if it has pepper) because I don’t really like ‘heat’ in cheese. I don’t do washed rinds for the same reason. If I am buying parmesan I prefer the taste of the chunky Millel Australian one.