Blackened chicken seasoning is available at Sainsburys (US brands).<BR>Bisquick is available at most UK supermarkets, as is liquid vanilla.<BR><BR>I have Grapenuts most weeks, it is definitely easy to get! <BR><BR>No problem with food coloring either. But Jane's salt, nope. Nor corn syrup.<BR><BR>In France, I love the supermarket brioche! (Bought packaged like bread, not fresh made, but I prefer them to fresh made).<BR><BR>Doug<BR><BR>Different things in different countries, of course.

Thank very much to T and Doug Weller, for a)the blackened recipe and b) where I might find some in Sainsburys. Thanks again

What about the little, white balls of ginger root in syrup, anyone have a source for that? I tried it as an after dinner treat some years ago and really liked it, too.

One of my first and favorite commercials I saw when I moved to the UK last year, was a Pizza commercial. They were selling "US style" pizza, and on the plate was a side of baked beans :). You get baked beans with every meal here. Anyway, when I move back to the states in a couple of months, I will miss the huge selection of sparkling water, esp. the flavored ones. Right now I'm drinking a bottle of Sainsbury's elderflower and pear sparkling water, cost about $1.00 for a litre. It is wonderful. <BR>I also love the markets when I'm traveling. Although I went to a large market in Lyon, France a couple of weeks ago, that was, well un-nerving. The grocery stores in Madrid were a hoot. I just love market days in England, I now know all the local market days by heart, and go to one about twice a week. <BR>I love the Cadbury's, but I do miss a pack of USA twizzlers. ANyone see them here in the UK?

I like stores that sell real-people stuff, like hardware stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, upper floors of department stores (where they sell the lemon reamers, not the $500 purses), and cheapy stores like Tati. <BR><BR>Nobody who lives in Phoenix buys stuff in souvenir stores; if a visitor from Denmark wanted to know about us desert dwellers, he'd find out a lot by going into a Safeway, Ace Hardware and Target. I figure it works the other way, too. <BR><BR>Anyway, after spending 5 hours in a museum where you can't touch anything, it's nice to go somewhere where fondling stuff (not the help) is encouraged.

I've had a timeshare in Mexico since 1980 and I have always loved the grocery stores in Mexico. Now here's a true story: 27 years ago exactly, a busload of semi-drunken, sunburned Norte Americano professionals who had traveled for 14 hours to get to this small Mexican town for a wild week descended on a grocery store. Several of us saw a wonderful huge, white mound of something which resembled cream cheese which tempted us low-lifes to stick a tasting finger into the mound and then into mouth! You will be thrilled to discover that we were paid back for our crudeness as we got mouthfulls of LARD

&gt;You get baked beans with every meal &gt;here. <BR><BR>Where do you eat? Some of the cheap steak restaurant chains have peas with everything, but I've never seen baked beans.

Sorry to dredge this up from the past, but it is a very interesting topic. I don't think I've ever visited a grocery store in another country. Who knew?

I must’ve missed this thread first time around. Hey, Vini, if you’re going to England bring me back about 50 tubes of Coleman’s English mustard WHY can’t we buy it here? Also Nescafe Golden Blend instant coffee. Mix it with hot milk instead of water and it tastes like a world class latte. <BR><BR>Yeah, in the States most stores have iceberg lettuce and maybe romaine…I was in a shop in Paris that must have had 7 different kinds of lettuce. The yogurt, cheese, and breads are better nearly anywhere in Europe than in the U.S. I’m told that, at least in part, it is because they’re not obsessed with pasteurizing and homogenizing everything. <BR>

Absolutely, I love visiting grocery stores in other countries. My last was a Waitrose in London, very nice.<BR><BR>The baked beans thing presumably refers to the fact the baked beans are frequently served with breakfast in the U.K. I can barely tolerate baked beans later in the day, and the sight of them oozing around on my breakfast plate makes me altogether queasy.

I love the Julius Meinl grocery stores-although a little more upscale than, say, Tesco, some of my best souvenirs and interesting food items were purchased there. To me, seeing a familiar European grocery store when I travel is like what I imagine others feel when they see a McDonalds.

In my toiletries I have toothpaste from Mexico, deodorant from France, and hair spray from Italy. When something runs out I replace it in what ever country I am in. My toothpaste is almost gone, so next year in Spain I will buy some there. Needless to say these things stay in my suitcase, it is not used for everyday. I love to go in the grocery stores and look at everything. In Paris and Italy this was really fun. I gained weight just looking at all the lucious things. Even my friend that doesnt like to shop has alot of fun in the European stores.

They sell deodorant in France??!!

on my last trip to france in june i was bombarded with commercials for a new palmolive body wash , an aroma therapy one. I bought some and filled my suit case with it , Jean Louis David shampoo and conditioner, and labratorie garnier 60 sun screen all from Monoprix. I ration the stuff out and look forward to next year when i return to france for toilitries

Jen...I've gotta admit, they set you up, you knowcked 'em down. That was a good one, indeed!

Actually, I always look forward to buying foot products in England. I enjoy Boots as much as the grocery stores ;-)

This is a thank you to Doug Weller, if you ever read this post again, you told me you could get blackened chicken seasoning in Sainsbury and you were right! I finally made it to a Sainsbury's a couple of weeks ago and they had the said seasoning. I never thought I would see this thread again, with it being from May, so thank you again.

I thought I was the only person to do this as well. I live in Ireland and although there are few supermarkets chains I prefer all the little gourmet shops. I love going to big cities and seeing what they have. I am famous for stocking up on any good buys and unusual cooking ingredients.<BR><BR>In france it's always cheese and champagne/wine, Belgium - chocolate , Spain Olive oils, germany - cakes and sweets as well as seckt (sparkling wine!)<BR><BR>What I really now appreciate is when I am visiting the USA, I usually wake up at night from sleeping at the wrong time and head off to the local 24 hr Supermarket and spend 2 hours filling up a cart of food I could not possibly eat in my visit. I just want a taste of things I can't get in europe!<BR><BR>My list for USA food is:<BR><BR>Bisquick (1 place sells here at an awful price!)<BR>Graham Crackers<BR>Salad Dressing in every flavour!<BR>Cannoli shells to make your own<BR>Port Wine Cheese<BR>Sourdough bread<BR>Boboli Pizza Bases<BR>and last but not least...potato chips with onion dip. I know it's junk but I love the taste of it.<BR><BR>Can anyone reccommend a good food place in a european city?? My vote in Ireland is for ther Temple Bar food Market on Saturdays in Meeting House Square all year round. They have organic food, oysters, olive stands, cheese mongers, Crepes etc. It is wonderful, go see this if you are in Dublin!<BR><BR>

wow Im glad Im not the only one. Years ago when I was living in St. Vincent and went back to London on vacation I was standing in a David Greiggs supermarket and a girl asked me if she could help and I said "no thanks, Im just looking at all the lovely food".<BR><BR>Favourite places: Harrods Food Hall, Fortnum and Masons, and the food hall at Galeries Lafayette.<BR><BR>Interesting that at Charles De Gaulle Airport duty free there is a wonderful food shop with all kinds of cheese - but the security people put my Brie through the metal detector !!

It is nice to read all these lovely stores. But, While travelling in Wales last year, there are quite a few towns with only forzen food sotres(I believe a chain store-icelander),it was very depressing.