Roberts & Speight - Our Saturday Saviour

Do you ever have those days when, despite your best intentions, you just can't face cooking at the end of the day?  For us, it's usually on a Saturday when we've been happily busy in the shop but all the rushing around has left us feeling hungry, exhausted and ready to flop down in front of the TV.  On those days, we can be easily tempted to the land of takeaway but we also have a foodie secret weapon - Roberts & Speight.

This brilliant food shop on Norwood is (oh joy!) open until 7pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.  Even though we don't close until 5.30pm ourselves, we still have time to make it as it involves only a slight detour on the way home.

The only thing I can complain about is that the level of temptation is overwhelming.  Quite often our Saturday evening dinner ends up being a few of their wonderful cheeses with whatever condiments and nibbles we buy or can rustle up at home.

Their selection of cheeses include many award-winning British cheeses such as the fabulous Cornish Yarg (a favourite) and cheeses such as Harrogate Blue from the North Yorkshire based Shepherds Purse.

Sometimes we branch out into their cooked meats and almost always can't resist leaving without at least one of their homemade Chicken & Pancetta pies (when they have some left).  They are sublime.  If you buy one thing from them, make it one of these.  You won't regret it!!

So, what else have they got?  Olives, sundried tomatoes etc...

... bread, a whole selection of delicious crackers...

... pates, chutneys, pasta, condiments, cooking sauces...

... a chilled cabinet full of assorted goodies (goose fat for perfect roast potatoes anyone?) and we even noticed some Naan bread, which we've been managing without because we didn't think we could find it from anywhere little and local.  Their big freezer cabinet is similarly packed with house made ready meals ready to put in the oven plus things like Vegetarian Pates from Welsh company Patchwork.

There's a big selection of tea and coffee from companies like The Blending Room (see our Saturday Market post from a couple of days ago) and TeaPigs.

And two sections dedicated to sweets and biscuits.  Now we're talking.  Check out the Yorkshire made products, like Yorkshire Parkin from Lottie Shaw's.

They also have deep south inspired sweets from Walkington's own Dixie Kitchen where owner Sally McIntosh (originally from Alabama) whips up American classics such as Butter Almond Crunch, Pecan Rocky Road, Peanut Butter Balls and these Creamy Louisiani Pralines (which just happened to fall into our basket on Saturday).  What's a few calories between friends?

But we've really left the best to last.  Just look at their wine collection.  Makes me go all dreamy :-)

But last Saturday it was for beer that we rushed to Roberts & Speight after work.  Just look at those beautiful labels calling out to be bought.

Their British beers include good selections from the local Wold Top and Great Newsome Breweries.  But they also have (very exciting) American craft beers including two of our favourites - Goose Island and Brooklyn Brewery.

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A basket full of lovely beer and Sunday to look forward to.  Happy smile.