S/o Food you take with you when living in other countries

[Amira]

Or what you bring back with you when you're moving away. I'm always interested to see what people miss when they're living in another country. My biggest problem always is that most of the food I really want can't be put in a suitcase, but here's what I did take.

 

When we went to Kyrgyzstan, I took vanilla, fish sauce, curry paste, a little coconut milk, and tamarind. The was a lot more that wasn't available in Kyrgyzstan, but we only had a few suitcases. We could get cocoa and decent chocolate though. :) I brought back 70%-strength vinegar, Pakistani rice, and some spices.

 

I'm flying back to Mexico in a few days after a visit to the US and I'm stocking up on dark chocolate, rice noodles, coconut milk, curry paste, red lentils, and spices. When I leave Mexico for good next year, I'll want nopal tostadas and tajin (and I'll wish I could bring 5 different kinds of cheese, lots of salsa, crema and jocoque, and MANGOES!

[regentrude]

When I moved to the US in 2002, I missed German bread (dark, dense whole grain rye bread), good cheese, and quark. Nothing I could have brought from my trips home. Now that I have learned to bake and that Greek yoghurt has become available, I don't miss those anymore. The cheese selections have become much better as well (we are in a small town; the selections are much wider in the big city but that's two hours away)

 

I still bring: hard liquorice, powdered sauce mix for sauce Hollandaise, spice mix for gingerbread.

 

Now, when I first lived in the US in the 1990s, there was hardly any good chocolate and almost no nutella (one store in DH's town in OR carried nutella, and he'd bike an hour to buy some). So, this country has come a long way, chocolate wise.

[ChrissySC]

Hey wait a minute it is not just a "country thing".

 

I sorely missed GRITS! I lived in Pennsylvania for a few years, and the best we could get the grocer to order was instant.  Ack!  

 

Now ... I miss Pennsylvania sausage.  Go figure.

[Cammie]

I used to bring PB and cheese when I visited India in the past, luckily that is all available here now.

 

Things I have my mom send (mostly because the imported versions are TOO expensive):

 

parmesan cheese

American chocolates

Hot chocolate mixes

Sugary, gross, un-Hive approved breakfast cereals

canned pumpkin

molassas

[Heather in Neverland]

All the American food I miss can't be brought in a suitcase.

 

But I do bring back good hairspray! :)

[Cinder]

I grew up in HI and when I moved to the mainland I brought Hawaiian Sweet Bread--which you can get everywhere now--and Diamond Bakery soda crackers which I haven't found anywhere. I still miss Portuguese sausage; haven't found anything else like it. My mom sends soda crackers and furukake, a Japanese seaweed and sesame seed based seasoning, and guava jam. I've been able to find a good guava jelly locally but not jam.

 

When we lived near Cincinnati I could get some favorites from Jungle Jim's which imports foods from all over the world. They carried Portuguese sausage and canned juices we used to drink as kids.

 

I still wish I could find mochi with azuki beans. I could get them frozen at Jungle Jim's but I haven't seen them anywhere around here.

[KrissiK]

I lived in São Paulo, Brasil for 2 years, back in my single days (taught at a missionary school) and I brought with me taco seasoning packets. That's one thing I really missed and we couldn't get. Also, canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving pies. Once, a friend of mine went back to the States to visit and when she got on the plane in Dallas, the last thing she did was buy a Taco Bell burrito for me. She kept it in her pocket the whole flight. I had teased her before she left about bringing Taco Bell back for me, and she did. That was the only fast food I really missed. McDonalds was all over São Paulo and we could get American pizza at the occasional Pizza Hut, but Mexican food was not available.

 

I brought back to the States cans of Guarana, which is one of the most popular soft drinks in Brasil. I also brought back chocolates and pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) mix.

[Cinder]

Cinder, some of that is regional. If you lived in the Northeast you could get that sausage.

I'm so jealous! I'm in the southeast. *sigh*

 

ETA: I also miss that you could get Portuguese sausage for breakfast at Mcdonalds! They used to have a jingle in their ad: Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice 'cuz that's what makes you smile. At McDonalds we do it all for you!

 

 

[gingersmom]

I moved cross country. I miss good bagels so much!! And matzo ball soup and smoked salmon sliced off the whole fish. And good pickles!!!

 

I was recently in New York and packed in my suitcase 50 bialys.

[chiguirre]

In the good old days, I used to take licorice, pretzels and curry paste to Venezuela and bring chocolate and coffee to the US (as gifts).

 

In the crappy current days, I need to pack coffee and harina PAN (corn flour used to make arepas-a Venezuelan staple product) to take on vacation to Venezuela. I'll need to check with my MIL next week to see if I need to pack sugar, powdered milk and pancake mix or if she's been able to find them. I hope she's got cooking oil because that's a real mess to pack. I may also have to take toilet paper. We don't bring anything back anymore because the coffee is awful (even though it's grown in Venezuela) and the cacao plantations were expropriated so the chocolate's no longer very good. This is truly depressing to think about.

[KungFuPanda]

I think this thread is the appropriate place to post your sad stories about having Kinder Eggs confiscated upon reentering the U.S.

[DawnM]

My mom used to take things like instant pudding, chocolate chips, marshmallows, tuna cans.  I will have to ask her what else.

 

Since I grew up in Africa, I didn't even like those instant things nor did I like chocolate chips from the States.  I preferred stove top pudding with the skin on top and I much preferred Cadbury candy bars (the real ones, not the Hershey made ones) cut into chunks for our cookies and such.

 

We only had 5 kinds of soda, so I did miss things like Root Beer, but that isn't easy to take along with you.

 

We did try to take clothing and shoes.  We could get some there, but the quality was definitely better in the States.  Also, the harsh laundry soap in Africa was very hard on clothing.

[Um_2_4]

I can't really think of anything I TAKE other than maybe some "American" chocolate for gifts. The only thing that was hard to find was chinese sauces (oyster sauce, hoisin sauce) and mexican mixes (the basic spices could be found, so just make your own taco seasoning) and things like taco shells. I could find some of them, but they were $$$$$.

 

I knew one woman who packed a whole suitcase of american treats (oreos, cereal, etc, etc) and when it ran out the kids wanted to come home LOL. (They only went for 2 months, but with sharing with cousins, etc I think the suitcase lasted about 2 weeks).

 

I bring a LOT, spices, fresh roasted nuts, special sweets (I can find them here but again $$ and not fresh, like Turkish Delight and a type of candies that look like mini fruits, but are not (sorry don't know the name in English) it's not marzipan, more of a jelly ), and some hard to find ingredients like kishk (a mix of ground wheat soaked in whey and some spices that is cooked like a porridge that DH and the kiddos love) and zattar (we can get homemade fresh from the fields, here it is found, but the bags on the shelf look old). I wish I could bring Pampa drinks, but I don't think that would fly :laugh:  (pun intended).

 

I actually keep in my scrapbooks wrappers or ads for interesting things I've tried. That is part of the fun for me.

[Rjmakmom]

We currently have a Spanish exchange student living with us who had never had a hot fudge sundae before we bought her one...she will be stocking Hershey's fudge in her suitcase! And, as quick as she goes through a jar, we may have to send her care packages. 

[Kareni]

My daughter has been living in South Korea for the past year.  She'll be coming home in a month and then plans to return.  She's already mentioned her intentions to return with her favorite brand of peanut butter (Adam's) and refried beans (Rosarita's).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I think this thread is the appropriate place to post your sad stories about having Kinder Eggs confiscated upon reentering the U.S.

 

Oh, no!  But why were they confiscated?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Caroline]

A friend's daughter spent two years in South Korea. She missed Thin Mints. She recently returned for good, or for a while, at least, and I gave her an entire case of Thin Mints. 

 

I cannot remember what I sent my sister when she lived in London. It was strange things that were more comfort food than things she eat all the time, as I recall. 

[Annie]

When I was in France, I couldn't find nutmeg. It could have to do with my really poor French language skills though. If we end up going back next year, I think I'll pack nutmeg, baking powder, and barbeque sauce.

[KungFuPanda]

Oh, no! But why were they confiscated?

 

Regards,

Kareni

They're illegal here. I have a few friends who have smuggled them in, and a few that got busted.

[QueenCat]

Oh, no!  But why were they confiscated?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I think it has to do with the lack of warning labels for the small parts on the toys inside.

[Kareni]

They're illegal here. I have a few friends who have smuggled them in, and a few that got busted.

 

Ah, I hadn't known.  Thanks for the added information.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Guest]

Hey wait a minute it is not just a "country thing".

 

I sorely missed GRITS! I lived in Pennsylvania for a few years, and the best we could get the grocer to order was instant. Ack!

 

Now ... I miss Pennsylvania sausage. Go figure.

Truly. I have never moved far, even within the US, but the thought of being unable to get Maryland Blue Crabs is heartbreaking! And Old Bay, for seafood!

[YaelAldrich]

They're illegal here. I have a few friends who have smuggled them in, and a few that got busted.

Don't tell anyone that I have seen them in kosher stores in NY....

[Matryoshka]

I think this thread is the appropriate place to post your sad stories about having Kinder Eggs confiscated upon reentering the U.S.

 

I just came back from Germany and accidentally smuggled a Kinder Egg in... I meant to have dd eat it at the Iceland airport, really!!  Unfortunately, it didn't travel well.  The chocolate egg part crumbled, revealing the 'choking hazard' inside...  Dd had to eat the chocolate in little bits!

[regentrude]

They're illegal here. I have a few friends who have smuggled them in, and a few that got busted.

 

because apparently, unlike children elsewhere in the world, American kids can not distinguish between the toy and the chocolate part.

[Arcadia]

Milo and Coffee. I pack those even for vacations as Milo is not easily available except for Australia and Asia. I bring either individual packs of coffee or a small unopened jar.

[aggieamy]

I think this thread is the appropriate place to post your sad stories about having Kinder Eggs confiscated upon reentering the U.S.

 

Too funny!  We had friends over today and were just talking about Kinder Eggs.

[Farrar]

I took grits to China.

 

I also used to use Hong Kong as a giant supermarket when I went.  Jarred tomato sauce and cheese.  Cheese.  Lots of cheese.  Other things too...  I used to buy tortilla chips and make my own salsa.  Chinese people thought it was probably the most disgusting thing they had ever seen.  I still can't figure that one out.  Once I bought okra in Hong Kong and made fried okra at home in China.  Even the other Americans I knew thought that was weird.

[Alessandra]

I had a friend who packed Marshmallow Fluff when she went back to boarding school in England.

 

I have returned with Marmite, in the days before you could get it here.

 

When I moved to the US in 2002, I missed German bread (dark, dense whole grain rye bread), good cheese, and quark. Nothing I could have brought from my trips home. Now that I have learned to bake and that Greek yoghurt has become available, I don't miss those anymore. The cheese selections have become much better as well (we are in a small town; the selections are much wider in the big city but that's two hours away)

 

.

What is quark?

[Matryoshka]

What is quark?

 

Very yummy.  A soft cheese, about the consistency of Greek yogurt, but not as sour.  Can be used as a spread on bread, mixed w/ fruit like yogurt, or to make a really awesome cheesecake that's not as heavy as the stuff we make with cream cheese.  I still miss quark.  Greek yogurt doesn't really work well to substitute in my quark cheesecake recipes (well, a German friend tried it and failed, so I believe her).  However, I just discovered in Iceland that Skyr makes a great quark-like cheesecake, and I can get Skyr at Whole Foods, so I may be trying that!  Also saw in Nutrition Action that there is a brand of quark finally coming to the US, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled!

 

[City Mouse]

Not to another country, but when my DH goes back to Houston he gets a cooler full of Chappel Hill sausage. We can't get anything more exotic than Hilshire farms sausage here.

[Guest]

What is quark?

It's the smallest sub-atomic particle. Right?

[ErinE]

I think this thread is the appropriate place to post your sad stories about having Kinder Eggs confiscated upon reentering the U.S.

A store in Houston used to carry these, I think smuggled in as personal goods. No longer though.

 

I miss Kinder bars with the hazelnut filling and Kit Kat bars made from real chocolate.

[Chris in VA]

After we'd been in Israel for about a month, ds came to visit. We made him bring taco seasoning! No Mexican food around.

 

We had packed Nutella, but we found it easily at the store, as well as peanut butter.

 

And when we came home, dd and I ate an entire pound of bacon. In one morning.

So I'd take that, if we go back and I could!

[Heather in Neverland]

because apparently, unlike children elsewhere in the world, American kids can not distinguish between the toy and the chocolate part.

So true! :)

 

They are legal here and my kids get them at the grocery store checkout line all the time. They love them and have never tried to eat the toy instead of the chocolate.

[Heather in Neverland]

Milo and Coffee. I pack those even for vacations as Milo is not easily available except for Australia and Asia. I bring either individual packs of coffee or a small unopened jar.

Ah yes, when we move back to the states I am bringing a crate of Milo. My kids are obsessed with it.

[TechWife]

Oh, no!  But why were they confiscated?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

The parts are too small to meet US guidelines for toys.

[EmilyGF]

because apparently, unlike children elsewhere in the world, American kids can not distinguish between the toy and the chocolate part.

Ya gotta make it idiot-proof, but the idiots are getting smarter everyday...

[regentrude]

Very yummy.  A soft cheese, about the consistency of Greek yogurt, but not as sour.  Can be used as a spread on bread, mixed w/ fruit like yogurt, or to make a really awesome cheesecake that's not as heavy as the stuff we make with cream cheese.  I still miss quark.  Greek yogurt doesn't really work well to substitute in my quark cheesecake recipes (well, a German friend tried it and failed, so I believe her).  However, I just discovered in Iceland that Skyr makes a great quark-like cheesecake, and I can get Skyr at Whole Foods, so I may be trying that!  Also saw in Nutrition Action that there is a brand of quark finally coming to the US, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled!

 

 

I don't really think there is much of a difference between quark and Greek yoghurt - aside from the fact that in the US most Greek yoghurt is extremely low fat or even fat free. That would heighten the sour note and make it unsuitable to use in recipes. But you can easily recreate a full-fat quark by simply adding a few teaspoons of heavy whipping cream to the non-fat Greek yoghurt. That should work in the quark cake recipes, and it makes it taste much smoother and less tart.

Fat free dairy products are an abomination. I'd rather eat less of something tasty and more satisfying.

[DawnM]

I can get it here in NC at Walmart in the International section.

 

The thing I really wish we could get here is whole milk powder.  As kids we used this with MILO to make hot chocolate.  The whole milk powder would form balls.  We called them "milk turds" as kids.  They were very yummy!

 

 

Ah yes, when we move back to the states I am bringing a crate of Milo. My kids are obsessed with it.

 

[Matryoshka]

I don't really think there is much of a difference between quark and Greek yoghurt - aside from the fact that in the US most Greek yoghurt is extremely low fat or even fat free. That would heighten the sour note and make it unsuitable to use in recipes. But you can easily recreate a full-fat quark by simply adding a few teaspoons of heavy whipping cream to the non-fat Greek yoghurt. That should work in the quark cake recipes, and it makes it taste much smoother and less tart.

Fat free dairy products are an abomination. I'd rather eat less of something tasty and more satisfying.

Wait, but I'm pretty sure I've seen lots of recipes that use Magerquark - isn't that low or fat free? And Fage Greek yogurt commonly comes full fat. Greek yogurt is strained yogurt - Quark is strained Dickmilch I think? I'm pretty sure the difference in sour is different bacteria? My friend who tried Greek yogurt cheesecake said it didn't turn out and was very disappointed... I'll have to ask if it was taste, consistency, or both. My dd who hates yogurt says Skyr is much less sour (and keeps making me buy her skyr), and that's what they make cheesecake either in Iceland, so I may give it a go... But it'll be $$$... I need it in a tub! ;)

[Arcadia]

I can get it here in NC at Walmart in the International section.

 

The thing I really wish we could get here is whole milk powder. As kids we used this with MILO to make hot chocolate.

Would Klim Milk Powder work?

http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/15723799

 

I prefer Dumex though which is made in Malaysia. Milo is made in many countries. We go to the Chinese or Asian Indian supermarkets to get the made in Malaysia ones.

They sell the 3.3lbs Milo tins on Amazon which looks like the tins I have.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00886MIBW

[umsami]

When DH comes back from Egypt, we miss the bread.  The aysh baladi (local bread) that is cheap and wonderful.  No pita bread here comes close.

 

When we visit, we bring chocolate chips, homemade fajita spice mix, and flour tortillas.  We usually bring splenda or stevia for diabetic relatives too.

 

I used to bring back Nutella and Carambar (candy) from France and Kagi Fret from Switzerland.  I also used to smuggle some bread and sausage as well. :)

[TrixieB]

Oh, no!  But why were they confiscated?

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Apparently there's a federal law prohibiting food with toys embedded in it.  Although technically the Kinder Egg toys aren't *embedded* because the eggs are hollow.   

 

My kiddo who recently traveled abroad happily ate all the chocolate from a half-dozen or so Kinder Eggs and brought back the toys for the rest of the family.  Sad to say, the toys aren't as nifty as they were ten or so years ago.  :(

 

[regentrude]

Wait, but I'm pretty sure I've seen lots of recipes that use Magerquark - isn't that low or fat free? And Fage Greek yogurt commonly comes full fat. Greek yogurt is strained yogurt - Quark is strained Dickmilch I think? I'm pretty sure the difference in sour is different bacteria?

 

Magerquark is 10% fat of dry mass; with about 80% of mass being water, that would be a total of 2%.

 

The only Fage Greek yoghurt we can buy in this town is 0%. I have never seen any full fat one.

 

I read up on quark production: apparently the difference to Greek yoghurt is that they use slightly different bacteria cultures in each.

Who knows. I'm happy and it tastes similar enough for me.

[meena]

Very yummy. A soft cheese, about the consistency of Greek yogurt, but not as sour. Can be used as a spread on bread, mixed w/ fruit like yogurt, or to make a really awesome cheesecake that's not as heavy as the stuff we make with cream cheese. I still miss quark. Greek yogurt doesn't really work well to substitute in my quark cheesecake recipes (well, a German friend tried it and failed, so I believe her). However, I just discovered in Iceland that Skyr makes a great quark-like cheesecake, and I can get Skyr at Whole Foods, so I may be trying that! Also saw in Nutrition Action that there is a brand of quark finally coming to the US, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled!

 

Quark sounds delicious! I love most dairy products and cheeses, but 've never loved Greek yogurt as it is a bit too tangy for me. Quark sounds just right, though. I found a recipe online that I think I will try. It only requires milk and buttermilk and time. Here's the link in case you'd like to give it a try: http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/quark

[meena]

When we visited a few missionary friends in Costa Rica we offered to bring them anything they wanted or needed from the US. They asked for peanut butter, Pull-Ups, and gummy vitamins. All of those things were available there; they were just extremely expensive.

 

DH got hooked on the Senseo in Germany, so I got him a machine. But the pods were hard to find and pretty pricey here. When we visited France a few years ago, we brought back a bunch of pods for our Senseo coffee maker. In Paris they were much cheaper, especially the 'generic' store brand kinds, and there were so many varieties. We finally ran out of those and decided to retire the Senseo. If we get back to Europe and bring back more pods we might bring it back. We have a keurig now, but I think DH likes the Senseo coffee (and the foam it makes) better.

[lots-o-rice]

Mountain dew. My dh is always on the look-out for Mountain Dew. It doesn't seem to get imported here.

We can get many western foods, but they are soooo expensive. My dh's parents gave in and bought 2 bags of Fritos at the import store for $6 a piece.

I do always ask for spice packets. Spaghetti, taco, fajita, etc. Convenience food is hard to get, so the packets make things a little quicker. Also, the un-hive-approved, nasty, sugary cereals. We got Cap'n Crunch in our last box. It's even grosser than I remember, but the kids were happy.

Oh, and KinderEggs are good. I have yet to meet someone who has accidentally eaten the toy inside. But thanks for the warning ;)

-K

[KungFuPanda]

Oops. Wrong thread.

[sassenach]

I'm so jealous! I'm in the southeast. *sigh*

 

ETA: I also miss that you could get Portuguese sausage for breakfast at Mcdonalds! They used to have a jingle in their ad: Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice 'cuz that's what makes you smile. At McDonalds we do it all for you!

You can mail order Gaspar's linguisa http://www.gasparssausage.com/gaslin.html

 

That's what we used to do. Now our Safeway carries linguisa so we'll all set.