What food from your home country...

DrMom ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 1:13 am

I cannot think if any staple foods that I need to import myself. If someone is flying in, I may ask for an occasional treat (a breakfast cereal, for example), but there is no food that I "must" import because my family won't eat the local food.

I think the food in Israel is quite good!

amother

Outerspace

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 1:42 am

Golden syrup can be found at selected locations in Israel. (Cheaperkol)

I miss English butter. When I go to England I bring some back as a treat, but it's not something you can ask people to bring.

amother

↑ Rainbow ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 1:44 am

DrMom wrote:

The food in Israel is amazing in terms of quality and variety.... however there are certain products -not even necessarily better than here- that just transport me back to my hometown and childhood when I bite into them....

That being said, I don't import them myself, but every time friends or family come for a visit, I order a little something.

Elfrida ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 1:46 am

amother Caramel wrote:

What are the jaffa cakes,? What make?
I vaguely remember sonething when I was little but they dont do it anymore...

Jaffa cakes might be cakes or might be biscuits. There's quite some controversy on the subject.

The bottom layer is sponge, covered by a layer of orange jelly, and a thin layer of dark chocolate. They used to be one of my favourites, but I haven't had them in years.

↑ Reality ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 5:40 am

DrMom wrote:

100% true. Clearly the food in Israel is delicious if I can only list a few items that we like the American version so much better.

↑ Reality ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 5:42 am

Opposite twist: What foods from your home country can you no longer eat after getting used to the taste from your new county?

We cannot eat American chumus anymore and the sweetened yogurts are way too sweet except for a few exceptions.

amother

↑ Rainbow

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 5:48 am

Reality wrote:

I'm in Israel and no longer care for most dairy products in my home country. They are way too fatty ...even the fat reduced ones

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 5:53 am

Reality wrote:

Hellman's mayonnaise - used to spend extra for it. Then I found a local brand that is way better. I think Hellmans tastes like eggs now.

essie14 ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 5:54 am

I import the Trader Joe's spices - green goddess, chili lime, etc.
Only buy Heinz ketchup, we can't stand the Osem.
Also only buy American or European mustard.

My husband likes the different imported bbq sauces we can get here. The Israeli brands are very plain.
My kids like certain American cereals that we buy at Rami Levi.

When we are visiting the states we like to browse the supermarket aisles and bring back interesting things but I don't really ask people to bring us anything.
Between Amazon and iHerb and all the imported stuff available here, we do ok 😀

rdmom ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 7:09 am

Not my home country. But I used to visit a lot and I’m still dreaming about. Guarana from Brasil. I know I can get it on Amazon. And I sometimes do to treat myself but that’s it. I was recently in Miami and found it in the grocery there. And got my kid hooked on it too.
The smell is enough for me. It brings back memories and it tastes amazing too.

amother

↑ PlumPink ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 7:41 am

amother Wheat wrote:

Trader Joe's has crumpets?? I've never seen near me but I haven't been in a while. Which location do you get them at if you don't mind sharing?

Can your share your meat pie recipe? If it tastes anything like Solomon's I'm sold...

I'm in Miami. It's on the shelves with the breads. They come six in a semi - vacuumed pack.

I don't have a real recipe for the meat pies. I've made with stew meat and mince meat and found I prefer the mince meat. Although it's less authentic.
Once upon a time when I was crazy I made my own shortcrust pastry for the base. Now I buy the Israeli one and use that. For the top you can use shortcrust or puff.
For the filling, I saute onion, add mince and spices - tjs umami, osem gravy (for the junk food taste), onion powder. Then I pour in a bottle of beer and let it mostly evaporate. I bake in little ceramic pie dishes (that can double as serving plates for dips on shabbos).
For the stew meat, try following a recipe for ale beef stew (you slow cook beef cubes and then shred it). You can add the same spices to the mix before filling the pies

amother

↑ PlumPink

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 7:43 am

ra_mom wrote:

Can you post a link to kosher vegemite? I always wanted to try it.

Any jars that say product of Australia are OK. I suggest starting off with a layer of butter on toast and then a very thin layer of vegemite on that!

↑ rdmom

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 8:04 am

amother Yolk wrote:

Oh how I wish we'd have "shoko besakit" and Israeli cottage cheese in New York!! I'd pay good money!!

Yes to the Israeli cottage cheese. The American ones can’t compare. And I’m not even Israeli. Just visited a couple of times and fell in love with the cottage cheese there.

↑ Elfrida

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 8:04 am

amother Yolk wrote:

Oh how I wish we'd have "shoko besakit" and Israeli cottage cheese in New York!! I'd pay good money!!

There must be somewhere in New York that imports it!

Don't know about shoko, but surely cottage.

amother

↑ Wheat ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 8:04 am

amother PlumPink wrote:

Sounds amazing, thank you!! Will have to try after yom tov when things calm down...maybe when it's freezing in December instead of 40 degrees Tongue Out

juggling ↓

Wed, Sep 20 2023, 8:18 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Kedem is around 32-34 NIS these days AFAIK.

There are two sizes of kedem grape juice sold in similar-looking bottles. Most stores have the 1.89 liter one. The ones in osher ad are closer to 3 liters (don't remember exactly).

I was in osher ad the other day and they had a special on the nice Israeli tirosh grape juice. Out of curiousity I checked the unit price on the tirosh as well as the kedem, and the kedem still came out significantly cheaper per 100 ml.

Once upon a time I used to buy Israeli grape juice because kedem was a splurge. For quite a few years now Kedem is priced cheaper than Israeli grape juice.