Bringing a (cooked or frozen) turkey into Spain
 

This may go down as one of the strangest questions ever asked on this forum - but here goes ...

I'm flying to Barcelona to spend Christmas with my daughter - an American college student. She told me how she missed her turkey dinner on Thanksgiving so I thought I'd bring a turkey for Christmas (and maybe a few boxes of Stove Top stuffing). Am I insane to do this? More importantly, will I be able to do this? All suggestions will be appreciated.

I can't answer the EU customs / import question, but let's assume for this discussion that it is ok.

A couple of questions you should ask your daughter first. Does she have access to a full kitchen, including roasting pan, full sized oven, posts, pans, etc? If not, then your options are much more limited.

If she does have access to a kitchen, I'd look to get a packaged 2-3lb turkey breast, maybe even a precooked one to bring with. Box of stove top, cranberry sauce, some gravy mix and you're good to go.

Another option would be to get a roasting chicken in Spain upon arrival at a market. I know turkey is a big part of Thanksgiving, but 'all the fixins', family, etc is actually what most people actually look forward to. A nice roast chicken would make a very good substitute, and give you and your daughter something to remember shopping in a Barcelona market for a fresh bird.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/ille...ib_leaflet.pdf
According to this site, you cannot bring meat into any EU country.

Turkey (pava) shouldn't be impossible to find in Spain, especially not at Christmas time. Bring your own can of cranberry sauce, though.

BTW, I miraculously managed to survive my junior year abroad (not in Spain) back in the Dark Ages without Thanksgiving dinner. I guess I just had a bad mother.

That's "pavo" when typed correctly. Sorry.

Hi T,

You certainly don't want to bring a cooked turkey.

To avoid the risk of food poisoning, your turkey should be taken from the freezer just before you leave for the airport.

((I))

Chicken substitute for turkey? Bah. Humbug.

Make it goose instead; much more festive.

Barcelona is a big international city; are you sure she cannot find one there or order one from a good butcher?

whoa people. Read Scarlett's post. You can't import meat from outside the EU.

The only way this would work would be to fly to the UK, buy a turkey (as it's a British Christmas tradition too) and then take an internal flight to Spain.

A couple of comments - it can't be done legally, and it even if it were, what would you do w/ it once you are in Spain?

If she is in a university hall, bed-sit, or a flat the kitchen will most likely be VERY small. The fridge will be miniscule so you couldn't store it after arrival, and the cooker/stove/oven will be tiny too.

I don't know about Barcelona - but many other major European cities have large ex-pat communities and some restaurants put on special Thanksgiving meals to serve them.

Maybe a Barcelona local will see your post -- or maybe re-post w/ a title something like "Finding a thanksgiving meal in Barcelona?"

Aside from it being illegal, is there any reason to think that you can't buy a turkey in Barcelona, fresh or frozen?
Lots of people around the world eat turkey.

Why can't your daughter simply go down the road to any hypermarket and buy a turkey?

Or just go online and get one delivered?

€35 for a nice, ready stuffed, 3.6kg bird at any Spanish Carrefour. Doubtless cheaper at a market stall.

Over 40 bucks for an 8 pound turkey? Holy, moly!!!! That's as bad as Japanese watermelon prices.

"and maybe a few boxes of Stove Top stuffing'

That was a joke, right? Make the real kind or don't bother.

Are you sitting down, Rufus ? I'll be picking up my 4kg turkey tonight & it's costing me £65... (but then it is a Dinde de Bresse :-) )