I would add decent steak and kidney pies, but I've made friends with a loal butcher who supplied me with the raw ingredients to make my own. Yummy.
Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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I'm trying to think. There's not much I really can't get here that I had regularly in Dallas. I do miss a few restaurants now and then, but not too much. Penguin was available at Kroger there and, sadly, isn't here, but if I want it I need only go down to the British imports store, which is a bit out of my way but not terribly so. There was a local brand of jarred salsa that I liked there. And of course, the cheapest beef there is better than the expensive stuff here. Texas beef really is good stuff. But the only thing I can think of that I really miss and can't get here, is Bluebell Ice Cream. Mmmmm, Bluebell.
Now, when I was in Dallas, I missed so many things. Trader Joe's (especially chocolate orange sticks), my favorite Pioneer Brown and Serve Sourdough loaves, lavash bread for "Armenian burritos", In-N-Out Burger, El Pollo Loco (there was a local chain that smelled the same but did NOT taste the same), Foster's Donuts (I think I ate a grand total of half a donut the whole time I was there-- and threw it up due to morning sickness), home-grown avocados (which you'd think would do well there but people don't seem to grow them like they do here in L.A.), Meyer lemons, organic free-range chicken, and of course nice big Northern California artichokes. (The wimpy ones we got there were $2 each IN SEASON and did not taste nearly as good.) Really, most fresh produce was inferior to what I was used to and more expensive (the exception being Georgia peaches, which we got in season and which really were heavenly-- I am not a huge peach fan normally but for those peaches I would even brave the fuzzy skin.) I guess it's 'cause I grew up here but this food tastes like home to me.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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umm... If I can't get them locally, then how do I know these foodstuffs exist? so that I know that I can't buy them locally?
I mean - there is probably lots of stuff that KQ can get in California (for example) that I can't get here in Kansas. But since I don't know what she can get, I have no comparison.
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The Lawrence Community Mercantile in my hometown carries cajun spiced sesame sticks in their bulk section. I've never been able to find that flavor in any of the health food stores in Dayton or Columbus. Given that they're anything but healthy, this probably isn't a bad thing, but still.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Well, since I moved to Kansas after living elsewhere, I do have a few thing in mind:
Ideal Bread products (They have the best light bread I've ever had...my husband bought it before we got together and when I asked him about it he said, "I've been buying light bread?")
good bagels (or maybe I just haven't found the right shop
good gnocchi (I import this from St. Louis via my parents when the come to visit.)
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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Macayo chip dip and taco sauce - my sister brings it from Nevada or I order by the case from Scottsdale, AZ
Kuner's Chili Beans - Colorado Stokes Green Chile with pork- Colorado
King Super's bakery (Colorado) pecan cinnamon crispies...Big Bear here used to have them, but the altitude made the texture different...too fluffy.
Posts: 1379 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Utz potato chips. Their lack of distribution outside the mid-Atlantic was the basis of an entire ad campaign: "We're in San Antonio, where you can't get Utz!"
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I remember when I first moved up to Dallas I was on a super strict diet. Before moving, I had picked out things at the grocery store that were healthy and that I actually liked. When I went to the grocery stores here in Dallas, I couldn't find a lot of those things (things like 95% fat free fish sticks, fat free tartar sauce, certain low fat/low cal pizzas, etc.). I was disappointed, as I was limited to mostly bland low fat/low cal foods.
Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005
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Why is everybody from or associated with Wisconsin obsessed with Vernors'? My best friend lo these many years has relatives there, and his clan used to hoard the Vernors' they would bring back to NC like it were gold.
Posts: 3354 | Registered: May 2005
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I really don't know what kinds of things they don't sell locally. That kind of thing is off my radar.
Oh wait. Damson Plum jam. When we moved to New Jersey from Atlanta, my husband wanted that for his PB&J's, but they don't sell it in New Jersey. I think I got him strawberry jam instead. He's coping with the change.
I have friends who live in Baltimore, and when they come to visit, they like to go to the grocery store to see the different and unfamiliar brands. This is not my idea of fun vacation site-seeing, but to each his own.
Question for all you non-New York, non-New Jersey folk: are Stella Doro cookies widely available, or is that just a regional thing? 'Cause if you can't get them, you are missing out. I know people who call those Swiss Fudge Cookies "streimels", because of their pareve tastiness. And their Breakfast Treats are just the thing to dip into your morning coffee. Don't try them undipped, however. That's just not right.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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There's loads of stuff you can't get from Finland, as the selection in Finnish food stores sucks (though it has gotten better in the last few years, especially in terms of vegetables).
(Also, I suppose the food selection in Helsinki - the Finnish capital - is more up to international standards, but here up north the situation is very different.)
In general the fish selection is probably the worst. You can't find lobsters or crabs or anything like that, and there are only those mussels that come in jars.
Meat... you can't find rabbit or duck meat, and lamb meat is really expensive most of the year. All the bird meat sold in Finnish stores is either broiler chicken or turkey. (Though I have seen frozen pheasant at some of the gourmet stores.)
Hmm... I'm sure there are others, when I can think of them. But you can get reindeer and moose meat year in and year out.
Oh. You can't get fresh snails, only the jar variety. But then who'd eat snails?
Posts: 247 | Registered: Dec 2006
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Vernor's is the best. I'm sorry to hear that you've been deprived of it, Tom.
Stewart's ginger beer is very different type of ginger soda from Vernor's, but it's also quite good.
Tante: You can get Stella Doro in the Bay Area, but then again, most things are available here. Whether you have the money and time to obtain them can be an issue -- but they are available.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: Question for all you non-New York, non-New Jersey folk: are Stella Doro cookies widely available, or is that just a regional thing? 'Cause if you can't get them, you are missing out. I know people who call those Swiss Fudge Cookies "streimels", because of their pareve tastiness. And their Breakfast Treats are just the thing to dip into your morning coffee. Don't try them undipped, however. That's just not right.
Stella d'Oro is widely available out here, but I don't know about in non-coast areas.
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I can almost never get cherimoya here. It's my favorite fruit in the whole world, and I get to have it maybe once every couple of years.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: Utz potato chips. Their lack of distribution outside the mid-Atlantic was the basis of an entire ad campaign: "We're in San Antonio, where you can't get Utz!"
In-N-Out has a similar ad where the kid wants to come home from Harvard (I think.) The parents try to argue with him until he says, "But they don't have In-N-Out!" And the dad says, "We'll meet you at the airport!"
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Lisa: I can almost never get cherimoya here. It's my favorite fruit in the whole world, and I get to have it maybe once every couple of years.
Yeah, I never saw that in Dallas, either (although I'm sure there was someplace that carried it.) I have a local produce mart here that regularly carries it for $2.99/lb. (they get it every couple of weeks, so it's there about every other time I shop there.) When I was in Dallas I seriously considered Harry and David's as a source of cherimoya, but we just couldn't afford it. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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It's just not the same. And, from Deep Space Nine: "Where else can you get raw slug liver first thing in the morning?" I can't *believe* how backward it is here. I asked for this at the supermarket and they didn't know what I was talking about!
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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*seriously considers buying out the grocery store and sending them all to Will so she doesn't have to look at them*
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I recently moved from the big city to a VERY small town, and I miss -
Gold Kili 3-in-1 Instant Coffee - the best cup of instant coffee you will ever find. Available in most Asian Grocery Stores. (a good second best is Vina Cafe 3-in-1 coffee) Gold Kili is from Singapore and Vina Cafe is from Vietman.
Stewarts (hot and fiery) Ginger Ale - you've never had real ginger ale until you've tried this stuff. The only drawback is that to offset the fiery ginger flavor they need to add 50g of sugar. All the Stewarts sodas are first rate.
Sprecher's Ginger Ale - moderately hot, hint of vanilla, and very low in sugar. Because it has low sugar, it also has a tiny hint of a bitter taste which I don't mind at all. Brewed naturally in Wisconsin. Sprecher's also make root beer and specialty ales and beers.
Boylan's Ginger Ale - an excellent first rate all-round ginger ale. Moderately hot with moderate amounts of sugar (36g) (natural pure cane sugar not corn syrup).
Bundaberg Australian Ginger Beers - an excellent first rate ginger ale. Equal or better than Boylan's but more expensive because it is imported from Australia.
Ting Ting Jahe ginger candy - this is adult candy, not the balls of sugar you typically feed to your kids. This stuff will set your mouth on fire! I love it. Fortunately I have a large stash of it on hand. Also, available at most Asian Grocery Stores.
To get any of these items, I have to drive 120 miles one-way. Though I usually combine my shopping with other necessary appointments.
Mostly, I miss having a whole city available to me, asian grocery stores, a large selection of diverse restaurants and cafes, the diversity of the people, HUGE grocery stores and lots of them, people watching around the lakes, strolls through neighborhoods looking at cool houses, bars, art, sciene, etc....
The one thing I don't miss is the outrageously high cost of living in a large city. I rent a two bedroom house for the big city cost of a crummy rundown studio apartment. I pay half what I used to pay for minimum liability car insurance, but now I have full coverage plus renter's insurance.
posted
I was going to respond to the Sprecher comment (YUM! And I can't get that around here either) by saying that I can't find Wisconsin beer around here (excepting, of course, Miller and the Beast)...
... but I have finally found a non-major Wisconsin beer here in AZ - not nearly the best, IMHO, but a taste of home nonetheless. Hooray for Leinie's!
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Hmm, kq or rivka or the rest may be able to correct me sinc esome of this I haven't actually gone looking for specifically but:
Sprecher, definately... I miss the days of driving up to get kegs of the rootbeer for our family gatherings...
Green River =p
Canfields Diet Fudge Soda (vile stuff imo, but still can't get it here that I've seen)
Halloumi (except at my one little Iranian grocers)
oddly enough while I can get it most days, Cherry Coke is a relative rarity (I think I buy about 95% of my Von's supply of it every time I go... that being 1-2 12-packs) I'm not sure what it is but everywhere I go in the LA area seems to barely carry the stuff.
Also, while I'm certain I could get some, there was a particular brand of sesame sticks that I grew up on from our local co-op which I've not found in probably 15 years... now if only I knew the brand name (straight sticks, almost circular in crossection about an inch and a half long and half the diameter of a mcdonald's french fry perhaps)
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I developed a taste for a few things while I was in the UK. In particular, Bendick's bittermints. They're like peppermint patties, only way better. Really, really dark chocolate, really strong mint. Heavenly. I haven't found anything like it here in the states.
When I'm at school, I can't get certain foods that I like to eat at home. In particular, good Asian food is hard to find in Tempe. I just wait until I can get back home.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Shigosei: I developed a taste for a few things while I was in the UK. In particular, Bendick's bittermints. They're like peppermint patties, only way better. Really, really dark chocolate, really strong mint. Heavenly. I haven't found anything like it here in the states.
I like those. Get them at our local British import store, too. Mmmm.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Halloumi (except at my one little Iranian grocers)
Haven't we had this conversation? I told you, you're in the wrong part of the L.A. area. I have no problem getting haloumi.
As for Cherry Coke, that's just bizarre. I get that at local supermarkets -- even delivered by Vons.com.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I know rivka, I'm just saying that it's not "easy" to get.
For the Cherry Coke, it's a phenomena that's been puzzling me for years now. It's almost to the conspiracy theory level where stores just rush to hide their supply whenever I enter and put it back out as soon as I leave. No one else seems to notice it, but there have been a number of times in about a half-dozen (or more) grocery stores out here where the aisle has had between 0 and 1 pack of Cherry Coke when I go looking ><
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
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Grimace, you should come shop up here. The cherry coke seems to be the last thing left on the shelf when coca cola products go on sale.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I can get most brands here that I could get on the mainland. But things sell out very quickly here and then it can take months for the stores to re-stock. One day when I was shopping I got very frustrated and used my camera phone to take pictures of all the empty shelves at Safeway to send to my daughter on the mainland. I remember there wasn't a single Pepsi product on the shelf, nor any Frank's sauce or the taco sauce we like. I think they were out of Spam too. The first year I was here, they ran out of milk the day after Thanksgiving and didn't get another shipment for nearly a week.
It gets particularly bad during the holiday season - I'm not sure why, because it's not just the seasonal items.
I think what I miss most from living on the mainland (besides the super low prices) are the fresh potatoes I used to get every fall when I lived in SE Idaho. They were so good and soooooo cheap. The ones I get here just don't even compare, and I'm not surprised that many locals don't really care for potatoes if these are all they've ever had.
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Originally posted by TheGrimace: I know rivka, I'm just saying that it's not "easy" to get.
I know. But if you lived in my neighborhood, it would be.
quote:Originally posted by TheGrimace: For the Cherry Coke, it's a phenomena that's been puzzling me for years now. It's almost to the conspiracy theory level where stores just rush to hide their supply whenever I enter and put it back out as soon as I leave. No one else seems to notice it, but there have been a number of times in about a half-dozen (or more) grocery stores out here where the aisle has had between 0 and 1 pack of Cherry Coke when I go looking ><
I have the same experience with A&W cream soda -- but not the root beer, which I loathe. It has gotten to the point that several stores have STOPPED STOCKING the cream soda, but still carry the nasty root beer. Definitely a conspiracy.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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