Expats: What products do you miss from Ireland?

FatherTed

The longer I'm here, I miss less and less tbh. But for me, I miss Cidona. Sparkling Cider doesn't have quite the same taste. Stop N' Shop in my area now carries a good but small sampling of Irish products.

Hazys

A quality Guinness

dave2pvd

FatherTed wrote: »

The longer I'm here, I miss less and less tbh. But for me, I miss Cidona. Sparkling Cider doesn't have quite the same taste. Stop N' Shop in my area now carries a good but small sampling of Irish products.

That's it for me. 13 years in and the only thing I could do with a monthly shipment of is Tayto cheese and onion. But seriously, the US has so many other and better 'must have' foods that make up for what I occasionally miss.

As for Guinness, I'm not so sure anymore. Lots of great pubs serving great pints of Guinness near me. But I never drink it. Why would I, when US beer is so much better? Having said that, guess what first pint I'll have on the next visit home?

I realize my opinion comes off as 'the US is just SO much better', but that's not the case. Only when it comes to food and drink.

Black Swan

Miss rashers and home brewed Guinness (not that licensed stuff brewed in another country).

Found a good source for KerryGold at Trader Joe's... Yummy!

FatherTed

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Miss rashers and home brewed Guinness (not that licensed stuff brewed in another country).

Found a good source for KerryGold at Trader Joe's... Yummy!

True about TraderJoes, I just came from there 10 minutes ago
Also, at Costco the other day was a huge section of Kerrygold butter, cheeses etc.

lil_lisa

They love the Kerrygold over here, its great!

I miss breakfast rolls and deli food. I know we have Mexican food instead with burritos and carne asada but I really miss my rasher, sausage and ketchup fix.

ro_chez

FatherTed wrote: »

True about TraderJoes, I just came from there 10 minutes ago
Also, at Costco the other day was a huge section of Kerrygold butter, cheeses etc.

The Kerrygold sure gets around, I found it in a supermarket in Tobago for christ's sake, TOBAGO!

Taceom

ro_chez wrote: »

The Kerrygold sure gets around, I found it in a supermarket in Tobago for christ's sake, TOBAGO!

I found it in China!

silja

Good, strong tea (been lucky and found a local gas station that sells Barry's tea!), and plain tea biscuit. Husband misses rashers (I ama vegetarian).

Black Swan

Oh... I miss Barry's tea! Anyone know of a source in the States, preferably in Southern California?

silja

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Oh... I miss Barry's tea! Anyone know of a source in the States, preferably in Southern California?

Do you have White Oaks gas stations near you? They have it around here, also Tayto crisps and such things. Also some Whole Foods carry it. If you can't find any, I'd be willing to ship (cheaper than having it shipped from Ireland...), just PM me.

Black Swan

silja wrote: »

Also some Whole Foods carry it.

Oh... I think I might have seen their market a few miles from here. Thanks for the tip!

Hazys

dave2pvd wrote: »

That's it for me. 13 years in and the only thing I could do with a monthly shipment of is Tayto cheese and onion. But seriously, the US has so many other and better 'must have' foods that make up for what I occasionally miss.

As for Guinness, I'm not so sure anymore. Lots of great pubs serving great pints of Guinness near me. But I never drink it. Why would I, when US beer is so much better? Having said that, guess what first pint I'll have on the next visit home?

I realize my opinion comes off as 'the US is just SO much better', but that's not the case. Only when it comes to food and drink.

The Guinness you get in the States is brewed in Canada and not Dublin, so there is a difference, but it is getting better.

Tayto is the only thing i can think of that i cant get here. Coming back to the US after this Christmas, my mum filled my carry on bag with so much Cheese and Onion Taytos, that i had to carry my laptop in my hands while boarding the plane. The benefits of living in Boston, is that my local corner shop sells Lucozade, Galtee Rashers and Sausages, Bacholar Baked beans, digestives, etc. TBH the only thing i actually buy is Barry's tea, its the only thing i couldnt live without.

Although at the moment, I have a minor flu so i'm taking the CVS Mixed Berry Cold and Flu sachets, even tho it does the trick for the flu, it tastes manck. I'd murder a Lemsip right about now.

This website apparently delivers to all of the US with irish foods (i've never used it so dont now how good it is):
http://www.foodireland.com lol you can even order Fairy washing up liquid!

dave2pvd

I forgot one: Nurofen Plus.

Much easier to transport than Taytos!

FatherTed

Also these:

Hazys wrote: »

...
This website apparently delivers to all of the US with irish foods (i've never used it so dont now how good it is):
http://www.foodireland.com lol you can even order Fairy washing up liquid!

I understand missing various food and drink. But Fairy Liquid???

SoulTrader

I miss Potato Waffles and Cadbury's Mint Crisp and Golden Crisps. That's about it though.

silja

Oh! Potato farls!

Manic Moran

Almond Fingers and Viscounts.

NTM

InTheTrees

Its not like I miss them all that much but whenever I go back to ireland I have at least one malteaser blowout...

I'll eat three or four big bags until my teeth hurt and i'm feeling sick...

Darren1o1

I have been lucky, living in NH I take trips to Boston (Brighton area) for food. I have found sausage, rashers ham and assorts of other good stuff (in Kiki's and Faneuil st market). Recently I won a $100 voucher on Tommy Moloney's and even manage to find ham ribs!! I guess you need to look around.
The big thing is the chipper, and proper chips (not crisps). I love to see the revulsion on the yanks when I put chips on a sandwich My girlfriend has yet to understand this. There used to be one in Brighton but it closed. Proper butcher's are harder to come by but not impossible.

choppermann

Batch loaf
thats about it , after 25 yrs can't even remember the taste of half the stuff I would have eaten back there

silja

InTheTrees: I found Whoppers quite similar to Maltesers.

CaliforniaDream

silja wrote: »

InTheTrees: I found Whoppers quite similar to Maltesers.

No, just no.

Don't fall for it! Nothing like Maltesers.

InTheTrees

ha ha ha!!

I tried the whopper route early on and they're... different...

bizzaro malteasers. A pale imitation.

InTheTrees

And wtf is up with the sweets names:

A mars bar is a marathon and a snickers is a mars and a marathon is a snickers...

I can never keep it straight and avoid them all...

iMax

Hazys wrote: »

This website apparently delivers to all of the US with irish foods (i've never used it so dont now how good it is):
http://www.foodireland.com lol you can even order Fairy washing up liquid!

I used to use this to ship "Care Packages" to an ex pat mate of mine. Haven't used them in a while, but I can recommend them from back then.

Darren1o1

choppermann wrote: »

Batch loaf
thats about it , after 25 yrs can't even remember the taste of half the stuff I would have eaten back there

Picking a couple of loaves of brennans batch meself later today in Boston mmmm

ciaran67

Black Swan wrote: »

Oh... I miss Barry's tea! Anyone know of a source in the States, preferably in Southern California?

I used to get Dilmah tea from Sri Lanka up in Vancouver. Its really nice and quite strong. Ive seen it in the States as well.

Ruu_Old

I was back home last week and stocked up. My extra bag was full of Tayto, soda bread and tea on the way back. I had some euros left over so grabbed some more crisps in the Loop duty free place and stuffed some more in my carry on.

rockonollie

Black Swan wrote: »

Oh... I miss Barry's tea! Anyone know of a source in the States, preferably in Southern California?

I'm yet to find a Meijer supermarket that doesn't carry Barry's.

If that fails.......www.foodireland.com carries everything, even if it is at a premium price.

choppermann

Darren1o1 wrote: »

Picking a couple of loaves of brennans batch meself later today in Boston mmmm

Sounds good.
I think it's more of the smell I remember walking down to St Catherines bakery off Thomas Street and grabbing a fresh loaf as it came out of the ovens.
The bakery is long gone now.

Hazys

Darren1o1 wrote: »

Picking a couple of loaves of brennans batch meself later today in Boston mmmm

Hey Darren, where in Boston do you go for Brennans?

I never knew you could get irish bread, i presume its frozen?

Darren1o1

Hazys wrote: »

Hey Darren, where in Boston do you go for Brennans?

I never knew you could get irish bread, i presume its frozen?

Yeah it is frozen. There are a few stores I go to (mainly in the Brighton area) but my favorite is Fanueil St. Market. It has batch, sausage, rashers, potato waffles and much more. They even do a mean, dirty, greasy breakfast roll! Mmmmmmmm

boarddotie

Mccambridge bread, ballymaloe relish, tae, proper cadburys bars,

No chance of buying any Irish stuff down South. So to rectify this I have started baking my own soda bread (does the trick), brought over some relish (it wont last much longer though), get the tae in the post or just buy Twinnings Breakfast and I just have to do without the choccie.

I miss a feed of chips and a burger after a night out too. A plate of jambalaya is fine but sometimes you just need the stodge.

Bulmers/Magner/any cider-neigh on improssible to get in any bars here.

Oooh fry up...

Darren1o1

boarddotie wrote: »

Mccambridge bread, ballymaloe relish, tae, proper cadburys bars,

No chance of buying any Irish stuff down South. So to rectify this I have started baking my own soda bread (does the trick), brought over some relish (it wont last much longer though), get the tae in the post or just buy Twinnings Breakfast and I just have to do without the choccie.

I miss a feed of chips and a burger after a night out too. A plate of jambalaya is fine but sometimes you just need the stodge.

Bulmers/Magner/any cider-neigh on improssible to get in any bars here.

Oooh fry up...

You need to move up north to Boston! Also try foodireland.com

boarddotie

Darren1o1 wrote: »

You need to move up north to Boston! Also try foodireland.com

Woah, they have Lucozade and Lucozade Sport-my flu and hangover cures respectively! And lots of crisps with 50% off, I cant eat 60 packets of Tayto before the Use By date, no bother at all :pac:

Why would I move to Boston when i can be a celebrity down here-the only Irish in the village

dave2pvd

boarddotie wrote: »

Bulmers/Magner/any cider-neigh on improssible to get in any bars here.

I take it you don't live near me then?

Marlay House

ciaran67

boarddotie wrote: »

Woah, they have Lucozade and Lucozade Sport-my flu and hangover cures respectively!

Simply get a glass of water. Squeeze a lemon in. Put 25 spoonfuls of sugar in and hey presto, Lucozade!

For the sport version, run on the spot while doing above.

ProudDUB

boarddotie wrote: »

Mccambridge bread, ballymaloe relish, tae, proper cadburys bars,

No chance of buying any Irish stuff down South.

Yes, there is. Where in the south are you? Cost Plus World Market has a great foreign foods section. It's imported from England mainly, but it does the trick if you need your fix of "real" Cadburys chocolate. They are great at Xmas time in particular. You can even stock up on Selection Boxes and Advent Calenders, if your mammy forgets to send you them from home.

Publix supermarkets also do Irish/UK food items. They are usually in with the Asian & Mexican stuff, in the foreign foods aisle. I don't think they are nation wide, but they are deffo in Florida and Georgia. A quick search on Google should throw you up your nearest ones.

sleepyescapade

I miss black pudding. If I reeeally crave it, I can get it in a breakfast in one of the Irish pubs, but dont know where they get it.

I also miss a good chipper!

Cost Plus World Market has everything else I miss (Barry's tea, McVities, Heinz beans etc)

Darren1o1

sleepyescapade wrote: »

I miss black pudding. If I reeeally crave it, I can get it in a breakfast in one of the Irish pubs, but dont know where they get it.

I also miss a good chipper!

Cost Plus World Market has everything else I miss (Barry's tea, McVities, Heinz beans etc)

Where about are you?

sleepyescapade

Darren1o1 wrote: »

Where about are you?

Seattle.

Darren1o1

sleepyescapade wrote: »

Seattle.

You might be able to get some stuff on http://www.foodireland.com or http://www.tommymoloneys.com/
They put it in cooler packs but shipping may be expensive. Luckily Boston is not to far from me and I can stock up on butcher quality stuff.

dave2pvd

Yesterday, for lunch I ate jerk chicken with red beans & rice, covered in a chipotle salsa. Last evening, I had beef, goatcheese and spinach enchiladas smothered in a really good mole sauce. I shared a pitcher of Terrapin beer (all while sitting outside on a patio overlooking the city).
Lunch today will probably be a chicken biscuit with bacon and cheese (on a health kick atmo). Dinner? Not sure. Perhaps a low country boil at the local fish shack? Accompanied by some Sweetwater.

I guess what I am saying is: I don't miss any food or drink from home. After 15yrs here, I am pretty well assimilated. In fact, the longings for things from home stopped after a year or 2. Don't get me wrong - food at home is great. But I've come to the realization that food (and beer) in the US is far better and a lot more diverse. It just takes time to find that out.

Darren1o1

dave2pvd wrote: »

But I've come to the realization that food (and beer) in the US is far better and a lot more diverse. It just takes time to find that out.

I eat a pretty diverse range of food here too. Given the population, geographic and ethic diversity it is not surprising to have that relative to home. Still there is some comfort, even nostalgic about eating food from home. I don't often (say once every three months) but I would not be critical of anyone who did.

ProudDUB

Food in the US is a lot more diverse than it is here. It's great. But the quality of a lot of the things that Irish people would consume every day growing up (sossies, sliced pan, chocolate, tea etc etc) is absolutely dire in the US. Hence most expats putting in a bit of effort to source out the real McCoy when they can.

If you are craving a nice cup of Barrys tea or a Flake, knowing that you have a bad ass Mexican restaurant with 200 different kinds of tequila, on your doorstep, is not going to be of much use to you. If you told a Mexican person living in Ireland, that horsing a dirty great big pint of Guinness and a plate of schpuds into him, is just as good as the enchiladas that his mama makes for him, if he only gives it a chance, you'd get the same reaction.

dave2pvd

Indeed, nothing wrong with the nostalgia of home - whether food, fun, family - even weather!
Certainly, when heading home, I look forward to cooked breakfast, Shepherd's Pie, Guinness, Taytos and so on. I guess I just don't miss all that while here - there's such a choice of comforting replacements that the loss of former favorites is not felt anymore. Sad, in a way.

OU812

Do you guys not have people at home send you stuff ?

I used to do it all the time for one friend, until his wife's family started doing it & am now doing it for another.

lil_lisa

I've had some people send me small things, or bring stuff when they visit, but nothing on a regular basis. I don't need any food items that badly. And its a good reason to stuff my face with tayto when I go home :P

InTheTrees

dave2pvd wrote: »

Indeed, nothing wrong with the nostalgia of home - whether food, fun, family - even weather!
Certainly, when heading home, I look forward to cooked breakfast, Shepherd's Pie, Guinness, Taytos and so on. I guess I just don't miss all that while here - there's such a choice of comforting replacements that the loss of former favorites is not felt anymore. Sad, in a way.

I agree. I tend to adapt and change over time.

Breakfasts for instance. Trying to recreate a proper breakfast here just doesn't work, everythings too different. Weird little eggs, odd "bacon" and funny bread.

For years after I got here I actually thought there was orange in "orange pekoe tea".

GradGirl27

IRISH SAUSAGES!!! OH MY GOD what kind of dirt sausages do they have over here they're rotten!! like sausage patties eugh its sick!!! I actually got irish sausages, mash, and onion gravy in an irish bar off times square a few weeks back! was 16 quid but so worth it. Also lucozade but I actually live near this small jamaican supermarket and saw bottles of lucozade on the shelves the other day was in complete shock! They work out at around 3 euro a bottle though which is way too steep to pay so I'll wait a bit and buy one another day