For North Carolinians originally from New England:

[kasar]

What products/items do you miss that you can't find in N. Carolina?

Our neighbors are moving to Raleigh/Cary and our neighborhood is putting together a "New England" basket so they can remember us and not be too homesick.

When my sister went to UNC she would stock up on marshmellow Fluff and Funny Bones before she went back to school but I don't know if that would be something to add for a family! We've already got Dunkin' Donuts coffee (that's KK territory, isn't it?) and some other regional food stuff. The main gift is a piece of pottery with our town's seal on it - a collector's item around here.

We're putting everything in a huge lobster pot. Let me know if there's something that you miss or something that screams "home" to you! Thanks.

 

[Christine]

Can you not get Marshmallow Fluff everywhere? We get it here in Virginia.

 

[kasar]

Can you not get Marshmallow Fluff everywhere? We get it here in Virginia.

You probably can now, this was in the early 90's. I'm thinking there aren't many "regional" specialties anymore - everything's available at WalMart.

 

[lecach]

Well - KK is my personal fave. But here in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area we only have 1 KK - and we have at least 8 Dunkin Donuts. In Cary alone we have the following:

2740 STATE ROAD 55, CARY, NC 27519, USA

Do you know what neighborhood in Cary they'll be living in?

edited to add: I just checked the Lowes Foods here in Cary, is this what you all are talking about:

Fluff
Marshmallow Cream
7.5 oz
UPC #: 05260011275

 

[Christine]

You probably can now, this was in the early 90's. I'm thinking there aren't many "regional" specialties anymore - everything's available at WalMart.

So true. But I will tell you--most of my family is from New England (not many live there now) and I remember eating raisin and/or date bars that were available in the bakeries up there. They were soooooo good. If I ask around here about such a thing, they look at me like I've got 3 heads!

 

[poohbear1029]

I am in SC now, from MA. I have a cranberry pork recipe and until just this past week, I couldnt find cranberry sauce in the grocery store! Apparently a staple in New England, but seasonal here!

 

[Crankyshank]

Can you get Drake's Cakes, Del's Lemonade, or Autocrat coffee syrup there?

 

[poohbear1029]

What products/items do you miss that you can't find in N. Carolina?

Our neighbors are moving to Raleigh/Cary and our neighborhood is putting together a "New England" basket so they can remember us and not be too homesick.

When my sister went to UNC she would stock up on marshmellow Fluff and Funny Bones before she went back to school but I don't know if that would be something to add for a family! We've already got Dunkin' Donuts coffee (that's KK territory, isn't it?) and some other regional food stuff. The main gift is a piece of pottery with our town's seal on it - a collector's item around here.

We're putting everything in a huge lobster pot. Let me know if there's something that you miss or something that screams "home" to you! Thanks.

Oooh. My family recently sent me some Maple Sugar candy!

 

[poohbear1029]

Can you get Drake's Cakes, Del's Lemonade, or Autocrat coffee syrup there?

Del's is strickly New England I think....havent seen any in SC

 

[WDWAurora]

We've had marshmallow fluff all of my life-my mom has made fudge from the recipe on the side of the container every Christmas since even before I was born (so at least since the early 80s). We also have cranberry sauce year round, but it can be tough to find-it's just placed in a weird area usually. No Drake's, Del's, or Autocrat's that I'm familiar with. That's all I can think of that's been mentioned.

 

[kasar]

 

[chrissyk]

Can you get Drake's Cakes, Del's Lemonade, or Autocrat coffee syrup there?

Autocrat is pretty much a RI thing I think. I'd never even heard of coffee milk until a couple of years ago, and I grew up in MA. Apparently it's the official state drink of RI though

 

[kasar]

Yes, it is. Coffee milk is a R.I./Southern Mass thing (and kinda yucky too, IMO).

How about Cape Cod potato chips - are they available everywhere?

 

[chell]

We've had marshmallow fluff all of my life-my mom has made fudge from the recipe on the side of the container every Christmas since even before I was born (so at least since the early 80s). We also have cranberry sauce year round, but it can be tough to find-it's just placed in a weird area usually. No Drake's, Del's, or Autocrat's that I'm familiar with. That's all I can think of that's been mentioned.

Pretty much what all I was going to say. Marshmallow fluff has always been around down here. Yum.

Is it a certain kind of cranberry sauce you were looking for? Not just the smooth kind? Ones with whole berries may be more difficult to find but I don't think the regular stuff should be hard to find.

 

[kasar]

I suspected this was going to be the case, everyone has everything it seems. Hey, we finally have Cracker Barrell and Krispy Kreme, why wouldn't you have Fluff? I just remember my sister loading up with orders from other northerners when she'd come home!

I remember eating raisin and/or date bars that were available in the bakeries up there

Hermits, possibly?

 

[Crankyshank]

*shrug* I grew up in MA and coffee milk was a staple. I know what I listed is a limited area thing . I was just thinking of things they might like that they can get in this area that tends to be exclusive to this area. I know it was a shock to my cousin in SC that she couldn't get yankee doodles there.

Kasar , you can get the frozen Dels mix in Stop & Shop if that's something you think they might like. Hermits are a primarily New England thing as well.

 

[tar heel]

Plenty of Cape Cod chips here.

While we've always had marshmallow creme, I don't remember seeing the Fluff brand until recent years. It was always Kraft with the Fantasy Fudge recipe on the side.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Lance (crackers) bought Cape Cod chips. Lots of them here.

What a great idea to do for a friend. Throw in a regional cookbook?

Lori

 

[poohbear1029]

The cookbook might be a fun idea. And, even though they can get things in NC, it might be sweet to just put together some things that remind them of home. CC potato chips, Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce, Del's mix, maple sugar candy, a pound of DD coffee!

In fact, you can send the DD coffee my way.....our closest one is 40 miles away! There isnt even a Starbucks in town!

oooh...and Snow's Clam Chowder, yum! Although they can probably get that too!

 

[poohbear1029]

Kasar - you are making me miss home! I would kill for a Papa Ginos mushroom and pepperoni right now!!