The price of everything and the value of nothing

The phrase ‘the price of everything and the value of nothing’ was one of my late father’s favourites. A quick Google search revealed that it comes from Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, in which Lord Darlington describes a cynic as a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

The phrase came to mind today when I had to question my own reaction to the price of a box of quinoa. As I was busy in the office editing a law student’s dissertation OH volunteered to do the shopping. Our approaches to shopping are quite different, but he can always be relied on to get everything on this list, even if my in-built frugality might prevent me from doing likewise.

Following the joint decision to follow a vegetarian diet at home I’d been following up a bit of research on protein sources. We are already using quite a few different beans and pulses, but I was pleased to see chocolate on this list, well, OK, unsweetened cocoa powder… . I also noticed that quinoa had a fairly high proportion of protein at 8g per cup plus nine essential amino acids, so that had to be worth a try.

 

 

Living out in the middle of nowhere in rural France it can be a bit tricky to obtain some of the more unusual vegetarian staples, especially as vegetarianism is generally viewed as some form of radical alternative, hippie lifestyle. However, I was pretty sure I’d seen quinoa on the bio (organic) shelf in the local Intermarche. OH was duly despatched with his list and true to form, he tracked everything including down a 500g box of quinoa for an incredible seven euro! [And he bought it, too].

Now, I would never have paid €7 for a box of dry grains. But, why not? If he’d come back with a bottle of Beaujolais nouveau costing seven euro I would have drunk it in an evening without a second thought. In our more carnivorous past I’ve happily paid seven or eight euro for two bavette steaks in the supermarket, and last Christmas pushed the boat out with two thick rumps from the boucherie costing more than €20. Yet, these protein sources (wine excluded of course, unfortunately) are only sufficient for one meal. I will be able to get three meals out of a 500g box of quinoa, making the ‘cost per use’ €2.33, plus it is certified organic which means premium quality. Having reasoned myself into a more logical position, all I need to do now is find a few suitable recipes.

Postscript: I’ve since found a cheaper version of Quinoa in the ‘normal’ aisle, a 51/49 mix of quinoa and bulgur wheat – it even comes as boil-in-the-bag which will be handy for the campervan!