For those of you who aren't currently living in your home country...

[bcla]

When I visited Nicaragua the first thing we did when we landed in Miami was get a cheeseburger!!

In he mid 80s I took my first trip to China with a group. Most of the group (the adults) were gung ho on trying out the local cuisine, so all we got as part of our tour package was Chinese food. We kids in the group wanted something familiar like McDonald's or pizza. One morning we arranged to have a European style breakfast, but that was still a bit off.

Still - we could occasionally find some interesting stuff that reminded us of home, even though it was expensive. We could find Tic Tacs, even though they were the European market versions and not the American market versions. Coke was just becoming available (and it wasn't New Coke), and that was pretty reasonably priced.

What we really wanted was McDonald's, although we never quite got to one when we got to Hong Kong. We did have pizza though.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

In he mid 80s I took my first trip to China with a group. Most of the group (the adults) were gung ho on trying out the local cuisine, so all we got as part of our tour package was Chinese food.

My husband travels to China quite often for business. A couple of years ago, his parents went as part of a tour and when they got back their biggest "complaint" was that by the end of the trip, they were getting really tired of Chinese food. My husband "corrected" them by saying, "When you are in China, it isn't Chinese food...it's just food."

 

[dish rag]

When I visited Nicaragua the first thing we did when we landed in Miami was get a cheeseburger!!

The best burger I ever had was in Costa Rica.

 

[bcla]

My husband travels to China quite often for business. A couple of years ago, his parents went as part of a tour and when they got back their biggest "complaint" was that by the end of the trip, they were getting really tired of Chinese food. My husband "corrected" them by saying, "When you are in China, it isn't Chinese food...it's just food."

Reminds me of a line I heard on Man vs Food.

You know what they call Texas toast in Texas? Toast.​

However, I've since returned many times. I have no issue finding familiar names, like KFC, McDonald's, or Pizza Hut. My Mandarin is kind of limited, but I remember an assistant manager at a McDonald's eager to practice his English on me, as well as handing me a picture menu to help with my ordering.

The other thing about China is that they don't really think of there being any kind of "Chinese food". Most types of food are regional. A coworker from the north told me that rice isn't as prevalent in the north because it grows in hot climates. Over there wheat is more common for noodles and wraps compared to steamed rice. Most of what Americans had thought of as Chinese food was southern Chinese, and even more specifically Taishanese. It's frankly a very small part of China with an oversized influence on what Americans think is Chinese. They came as railroad workers and other assorted workers.

 

[jevs]

I lived in the UK for several years and my family used to send over care packages consisting of violet crumbles and twisties - 2 of my most favourite things in the world.

Vegemite is vile, foul stuff and should be thrown in the bin or given to your enemies.

 

[ronandannette]

I would LOVE a recipe!

I'm presuming you can get pre-made frozen tart shells where you are; use them. If not, make any good pie pastry recipe that calls for lard, not butter or shortening. Pre-heat your oven to 425F.

Butter Tart Filling:
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c corn syrup (either light or dark will work)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c raisins (I actually prefer dried currants - they're a little zestier)

Sprinkle raisins evenly in the bottom of about 15 tart shells (you may get a few more if you don't fill them too full). Combine all other ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour filling into tart shells. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. This produces a very lightly-set filling. If you like them firmer DON'T bake them longer. Change the recipe to add an additional egg and go with 3/4 c brown sugar to 1/4 c corn syrup.

 

[NotUrsula]

When I visited Nicaragua the first thing we did when we landed in Miami was get a cheeseburger!!

This isn't the first time I have heard this kind of thing from people who have traveled overseas for an extended time.

I grew up in the American South in an immigrant family, so I go to Europe to visit relatives quite often. First thing I always do when I land in the US is buy a fountain Coke with tons of ice. After a couple of weeks of tepid drinks, I REALLY want that ice!

 

[ronandannette]

I grew up in the American South in an immigrant family, so I go to Europe to visit relatives quite often. First thing I always do when I land in the US is buy a fountain Coke with tons of ice. After a couple of weeks of tepid drinks, I REALLY want that ice!

Where do you go that they don't have it? We were recently in France, Spain, Italy and Monaco - all our drinks came with ice and all without us asking. One of the waiters in Paris joked with us about this North American "myth".

 

[dish rag]

When in Canada I miss having a garbage disposal. It's very cumbersome to not have one and to save the scraps for recycling.

 

[SirDuff]

Where do you go that they don't have it? We were recently in France, Spain, Italy and Monaco - all our drinks came with ice and all without us asking. One of the waiters in Paris joked with us about this North American "myth".

Ice in/around Geneva, Paris, Lyon, and Milan in the last month as well.

 

[ronandannette]

When in Canada I miss having a garbage disposal. It's very cumbersome to not have one and to save the scraps for recycling.

So put a garburator in - they cost about $300 (CAD) supplied and installed.

 

[dish rag]

So put a garburator in - they cost about $300 (CAD) supplied and installed.

I could install one myself and run the electric but I don't think they are allowed were we are at although I've never looked into that. No one seems to have one except one person that we know that lives in another city.

 

[bcla]

Where do you go that they don't have it? We were recently in France, Spain, Italy and Monaco - all our drinks came with ice and all without us asking. One of the waiters in Paris joked with us about this North American "myth".

I don't know about whether or not ice is served, but I've known people from China who request hot beverages all the time. It could be 100ºF and Chinese tourists request hot water. They have this unscientific belief that somehow ice water will cause consumed fats to congeal in the digestive system. It's totally untrue, but I've encountered many people from China who have all these odd beliefs about temperature and health. They certainly had a good reason to boil water because it wasn't always "microbially safe", but I've heard of places where they'll boil water and put it aside to cool. On top of that, there's evidence that too much hot water increases the risk of throat cancer, and in China they're having high incidences of that.

A friend told me about his in-laws ordering steak, which was prepared medium. It was apparently barely pink, but the FIL just stared at it like they were crazy giving it to him. It was taken back and cooked well done.

 

[tcufrog]

Not a different country but a different region in the US. I miss going out and being able to get queso blanco, enchiladas, chicken fried steak, white gravy, and kolaches. A few places have opened that offer the stuff but it isn't nearly as good or readily available in NY.

A couple of decades ago a friend of mine moved to NYC and eventually joined a Texas expat group. She said that it was the first time she saw A&M and UT alums get along. Every year they'd have a chili cook off and the winner got a 6 pack of Shiner that was flown up from Texas for the occasion.

My sister used to live in London and when I'd visit her I'd bring her stuff like tortillas, refried beans and taco seasoning because she missed real tacos most of all.

 

[mummabear]

I'm just curious...what food items do you miss the most from "home" and do you go to any great lengths to acquire them?

Well the most missed are:
-Crest Toothpaste
-Turtles
-A&W Root beer
-Kraft Mac n Cheese
-Jet Puff Marshmallows
-Canned Pumpkin
-Twizzlers
-Timbits (well Tim Hortons in general) so much so DD dressed up for T day at school as:


We clear shelves of these and fill an entire suitcase to take home and get us through (except Timbts and Rootbeer).
Thankfully between our trips, DHs work trips and my BIL who lives in NY (meaning he visits us and MIL vivist him and returns) I get a pretty steady stream of deliveries.

We talk often about moving back to Vancouver. If we do I would miss L&P (especially with my Bourbon), Pineapple lumps (and now Jaffa lumps) Jellytip chocolate and ready made Pavs.

 

[bcla]

A couple of decades ago a friend of mine moved to NYC and eventually joined a Texas expat group. She said that it was the first time she saw A&M and UT alums get along. Every year they'd have a chili cook off and the winner got a 6 pack of Shiner that was flown up from Texas for the occasion.

My sister used to live in London and when I'd visit her I'd bring her stuff like tortillas, refried beans and taco seasoning because she missed real tacos most of all.

Is it really that hard? It's kind of complicated, but one place I worked we had some employees who moved in from Texas as well as some who actually worked in an office in Texas. We would actually have the occasional beer and wine party, and since several of the participants had lived in Texas we got Shiner Bock. It wasn't even all that hard to find since BevMo had it.

 

[ronandannette]

I could install one myself and run the electric but I don't think they are allowed were we are at although I've never looked into that. No one seems to have one except one person that we know that lives in another city.

Impossible to believe they aren't allowed. I've had one in 5 of 7 of the homes I've lived in over the past 30 years. There's nothing inherently "unCanadian" about a garburator.

 

[bcla]

Well - I mentioned my trip to Seattle where a friend of my wife's asked for a special request from our area, which are duck heads. Actually not full duck heads, but the beak, tongue, and about half the head. She's originally from China and when she visited us she kept on getting them when we were in San Francisco or Oakland where we could find it. I actually went looking for them and found a place that had them but was told it would take an hour before they were ready to sale.

https://shanghaietc.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/duck-tails-my-experience-eating-duck-heads/

My wife actually went around looking for them in Seattle and we couldn't find them. I figured that my wife's friend had already tried. We also went to British Columbia and all I could find there were duck tongues at one place in Richmond. I even asked one guy (one of the few who worked at one of these Chinese BBQ meat places who seemed to be a native English speaker) if there was any place that had them, and he said he knew of no place. We bought the tongues, and my wife's friend actually ate them even if it wasn't quite what she wanted. However, what she wanted out of the full heads is that she can just chew on the beak.

The fun part was bringing this stuff back from BC. One place had incredible BBQ pork. And when I said we had duck tongues, the US CPB didn't even blink. We made two trips, and they asked a lot of questions including why we would want Chinese food in the Vancouver area when we were from the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

[mummabear]

I am in Canada but moved from Quebec to BC where there is no St Hubert's. I miss it.

I also miss Laura Secord french mint chocolate bars and get jealous when my FB friends talk about going to Sugar Shack(cabane au sucre) in the Spring.

But now you have White Spot!

@jevs Marmite is just as vile

 

[dish rag]

Impossible to believe they aren't allowed. I've had one in 5 of 7 of the homes I've lived in over the past 30 years. There's nothing inherently "unCanadian" about a garburator.

That's what I think too. One place has a septic tank and is right on Georgian Bay beach so it might not be good there. The other, non of the houses have them and it makes no sense that they weren't put in when the homes were built given the price point ,and the recycle rules are crazy there. Maybe they don't want the extra amount of waiste in the sewage system. So when we get around to it we will check. Every house I know of in Orlando has one but I'm sure there must be some that don't.