What Can't you get or Live Without in Europe?
It's a nice reprieve from "shopping shackles." 
May 10th, 2006, 05:33 PM
#42
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dental floss -- how funny. We ran out in Slovenia. We went to a pharmacy and low and behold although it was in a strange language, we found the familiar little white plastic case displayed by the toothpaste and figured out the word "dental" on it. Proudly we bought it, took it back to the hotel, opened and discovered it was full of wooden toothpicks!
May 10th, 2006, 07:31 PM
#43
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I second the iced tea response. On a trip to England, while they were suffering from an unusual drought, we were desperate for iced tea. We were visiting a friend who lives near Folkestone and casually mentioned this. She snuck away to the kitchen and came back a while later very proudly carrying a silver tray holding a glass of iced tea with every ice cube from her very tiny freezer. What a sweetheart!
May 11th, 2006, 07:04 AM
#46
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mcnyc
I have to agree on the dog one. I have 8 beautiful cocker spaniels and I always miss them terribly by day 2 and on the way home they are all I can think of.
Except maybe mexican food.
I also bring my own cigs and dental floss how funny people should mention that, like who would think of dental floss except me...duh...
I have to agree on the dog one. I have 8 beautiful cocker spaniels and I always miss them terribly by day 2 and on the way home they are all I can think of.
Except maybe mexican food.
I also bring my own cigs and dental floss how funny people should mention that, like who would think of dental floss except me...duh...
May 11th, 2006, 07:40 AM
#48
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Ditto on the bagels. 99% of the bagels we've tried were bland impostors. Several grocery store chains sell them; none of them are any good. The "best" taste like kaiser rolls with a hole in the middle.
Also ditto on the Mexican or Tex/Mex food.
"Real" Cheerios. Can only get the multi-grain variety, not the original.
Fresh dungeness crab (west coast) or fresh softshell crab (east coast). Neither available in Europe (you can get frozen softshell crab [from Thailand] but you can't get Dungeness, period).
BBQ baby-back ribs. Babybacks are extremely difficult to find, even though Denmark is a major supplier to the U.S. Guess they don't sell em in Europe.
Although I'm usually perfectly happy eating French, Italian, Austrian cuisine, in high summer I long for an old-fashion bbq of babybacks and freshly picked sweet corn. With some homemade sangria to sip after dark on the front porch while watching the lightning bugs. But you can't get front porches or lightning bugs here either.
On very rare occasions, I miss Twizzlers and Cheez-Its. Gibbles cheese pretzels. PA Dutch dried beef.
Also ditto on the Mexican or Tex/Mex food.
"Real" Cheerios. Can only get the multi-grain variety, not the original.
Fresh dungeness crab (west coast) or fresh softshell crab (east coast). Neither available in Europe (you can get frozen softshell crab [from Thailand] but you can't get Dungeness, period).
BBQ baby-back ribs. Babybacks are extremely difficult to find, even though Denmark is a major supplier to the U.S. Guess they don't sell em in Europe.
Although I'm usually perfectly happy eating French, Italian, Austrian cuisine, in high summer I long for an old-fashion bbq of babybacks and freshly picked sweet corn. With some homemade sangria to sip after dark on the front porch while watching the lightning bugs. But you can't get front porches or lightning bugs here either.
On very rare occasions, I miss Twizzlers and Cheez-Its. Gibbles cheese pretzels. PA Dutch dried beef.
May 11th, 2006, 07:53 AM
#49
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After 11 years I honestly am stumped when American friends ask what I want brought over and shocked when I cannot think of anything. I then remember Lipton French onion soup mix...forchips and dip that my Irish Partner thinks is gross (more for me!) It's a rare treat I ration to myself.
These days I get H&H bagels in Dublin (frozen but still good) and I have no crazy desire for sugary ice tea and the lot anymore. I eat differently now that I did 10 years ago and probably less junk. My food choices have improved in Dublin as we get more international so many things are available. Possibly the one thing thats would be impossible to get as its a regional thing in America is Jersey white corn...God I loved that!
I would now miss if I left ireland the Brown bread, veggie soups that are in lots of cafes, Chips from my favourity chipper with garlic mayo and my fab selection of european cheeses in the Cheesemonger down the street from where I work.
These days I get H&H bagels in Dublin (frozen but still good) and I have no crazy desire for sugary ice tea and the lot anymore. I eat differently now that I did 10 years ago and probably less junk. My food choices have improved in Dublin as we get more international so many things are available. Possibly the one thing thats would be impossible to get as its a regional thing in America is Jersey white corn...God I loved that!
I would now miss if I left ireland the Brown bread, veggie soups that are in lots of cafes, Chips from my favourity chipper with garlic mayo and my fab selection of european cheeses in the Cheesemonger down the street from where I work.
May 11th, 2006, 07:58 AM
#50
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Couple other things: good peanut butter (you can buy Jif, but it costs an arm and a leg)
Reeses peanut butter cups
As for the TP, the stores sell the good stuff, but the stuff that unis and hostels/cheap hotels have is considerably worse than in the US.
Reeses peanut butter cups
As for the TP, the stores sell the good stuff, but the stuff that unis and hostels/cheap hotels have is considerably worse than in the US.
May 12th, 2006, 02:02 PM
#51
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Don't know if this qualifies as a 'can't live without', but something I always take with me are postcards from my home.
When we make a new friend or want to thank a bartender who has been particularly helpful, for example, we write a thank you note on the back along with our contact information.
I think it's a nice way to say thanks, and to leave a little something of your home behind.
When we make a new friend or want to thank a bartender who has been particularly helpful, for example, we write a thank you note on the back along with our contact information.
I think it's a nice way to say thanks, and to leave a little something of your home behind.
May 12th, 2006, 03:47 PM
#55
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If you rent an apartment in Italy and have access to a supermarket you will find all kinds of "Mexican food" that is the same that is sold in our US supermarkets. Not exactly the food one eats in Mexico..but what is sold in the US.
May 12th, 2006, 05:38 PM
#56
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I am planning a trip to Europe, thus my being in this forum. I am living in Korea for a year and a half and I miss lots of things. I was recently ill, and my sister spent a fortune sending me barley soup mix and toll house chocolate chips, now I know she loves me! We cannot find decent steak, and turkey in unheard of. When I came here, I brought Libby's pumpkin and evaporated milk so I could bake a pie at Thanksgiving. It's so weird though, for some reason there is an overabundance of french style bakeries, and on practically every corner there is a baskin robbins and a dunkin donuts! We travel quite a distance to Walmart, where we stock up on bagels. Ovens are not too common here, but I invested in one, as I knew I couldn't live without baking or roasting. I am quite popular with the Canadians here, who love pie. Of course, I have to import crisco from the US. When I was in Paris we went to a mexican restaurant and it was awful, everything loaded with cumin. We don't have mexican restaurants here, but I brought tortillas and green chiles with me and pay a fortune for Australian cheddar and I make us mexican when we crave it. Also, for ex-pats, a great company called Penzey's will ship a vast array of spices. It cost me less to do this than to pay exhorbitant prices for spices here. Once a month, we go to the Marriott brunch for a taste of real bacon and things we miss!
May 13th, 2006, 10:40 AM
#58
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Just thought I'd let all you Splenda addicts know, Splenda is freely available in large supermarkets in Dublin. I get it in a supermarket called Dunnes Stores all the time. I'm not sure if its exactly the same as you use in US, but its a sugar substitute and its in a big glass jar with a yellow lid or it comes in tablet form.
I wish the brand Abercrombie & Fitch was available in Europe as my 14yr old son is obsessed with it! as are many other thousands of teenagers here in Ireland.
I wish the brand Abercrombie & Fitch was available in Europe as my 14yr old son is obsessed with it! as are many other thousands of teenagers here in Ireland.
May 13th, 2006, 10:48 AM
#59
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When we leave home my kids miss the good old Kellogs breakfast cereals most, they are not the same when you buy them in mainland Europe, they prefer the ones we have in Ireland. I secretly feel very pleased that I always only eat fruit for breakfast and am always trying to get them to eat more fruit, so i feel very superior when breakfast time arrives on holidays!! ( sad aint i) ? lol
