It has been a while since I mentioned one of my favorite Latin American blogs. Today I was reading La Gringa’s Blogcito. She had an interesting subject that I hadn’t thought about in a while. It was related to food and other items that are missed when one no longer lives in their native country.
Moving to Latin America offers a unique opportunity to learn new eating habits and to change daily routines. For me, I have learned to eat my main meal at lunchtime and a light meal in the evening. And the meals are very different from what I enjoyed in the US. The best thing is that I eat less than I did in the US. For many, this may cause withdrawals and you need to prepare yourself.
Many foods and spices that I used and that are in many of my recipes, I can’t find.
I missed Rotel tomatoes when I got here. I have several recipes that specifically call for a can of Rotel tomatoes. You have to learn to use the Internet and maybe you can find replacements if you can’t live without it. HERE is a copycat recipe for Rotel Tomatoes.
I miss Papa John’s pizza, but I have now found a great local replacement. Dominoes and Pizza Hut are here, but I never go to them.
Anyway, I was thinking that if people are planning on moving to Panama or another country, they would be wise, on their exploratory trip, to spend a good bit of time walking the aisles in a super market and doing a pretend shopping exercise. Not only will it give you an idea of changes you may have to make, but it will also give you some money comparisons. Typically US products will cost you a lot more than local products.
While food is not a problem for me, I would like to be able to buy an electric pre-shave. You can find plenty of shave creams for a safety razor and plenty of the after shave lotions, but I have yet to find a pre-shave.
After 6 years, there isn’t anything that I don’t have, that really bothers me. If you have recently moved here, what have you found that you really miss.
Get over it. It has been 26 years since I left England. How much do I miss real bacon, bangers and mash, fish and chips, Colemans English Mustard and a good old pint of English Ale? How much do I miss those things? Now you reminded me, I miss them a whole lot. However, when I do go back to “The Olde Country”, I do tend to swallow the high prices and totally pig out.
However, when my sister-in-law goes over the pond from Florida, she does bring back some goodies. Only problem, I have to go to Jacksonville to pick them up.
Real Mexican food. Can`t even make it myself for lack of ingrediants. But, ¡que vida! The pluses outweigh the minuses I am happy to say. Also when I do go up to visit family I tend to pig out on Skinny Cows ice cream sandwiches.
When we lived in Nicaragua, I missed chocolate chips. When we went to Panama in December, the first thing I looked for in the grocery store was chocolate chips. They are still hard to find, but they are available. Also, dunkin donuts. They had a store in Panama City, but they didn’t taste the same.
I have to confess I posted this a couple of days ago on La Gringa’s Blogicito
When I went to live in France I went through the same thing of missing some familiar foods, though being in France was not a culinary deprivation to say the least. The funny thing is what I missed the most were things I almost never ate when I was at home! For example, I developed an enormous craving for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
When one of my brothers asked me what I wanted for Christmas the first year I was there I told him I wanted some Kraft M&C. Just send me the little powder packets, there was no problem getting the pasta where I was. One day shortly before Christmas I received a package with 3 dozen cheese packets. After I’d made the first batch and realized why I didn’t eat much of it at home I found another use for them. One of the expat bars in town had an American girl from New Orleans working as a barmaid. Every once in a while I’d leave her a couple of packets as a tip and she loved that better than money.
Another strange thing happened when I returned home four years later. Though I hadn’t craved it at all while I was away, after I had my first taste of root beer again I went on the most unbelievable binge you can imagine. I couldn’t get enough of the stuff.
One last anecdote. When I was packing up to go to France I carefully packed three large bottles of Crystal hot sauce tenderly in bubble wrap. The only one to use on popcorn. You should try that some time. Well, when I went to the Carrefour for the first time guess what? The only hot sauce available was, besides Tabasco, Crystal.
So, Don… where IS the great local pizza?
If there is anything you need bad enough you can always find a way to get it, But it will cost you$$$
Suze. Here is where I now go for pizza.
http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2008/07/05/pizza-competition-heats-up/
Hi Don: Well, being born in Brooklyn, N.Y. I really miss Bakery Bagels (all flavors), Potato Knishes, Pumpernickel bread (really dark), Bakery Corn Rye Bread, Brooklyn pizza from Union St. (I remember when you could get a whole big pie for 50 cents with the olive oil running off it, OMG), Egg Plants the size of watermelons where you could make a hugh tray of Eggplant Parmesan (not those little teeny weeny Eggplants that they sell here no bigger then a carrot), tasty bakery rolls (the round kind) right out of the oven, I could go on and on but after living here for 10 years have learned to enjoy the Panamanian cooking that my Panamanian wife makes for me.
Patrick
Hi Don,
Another great topic for those of us looking at retirement outside of the US.
I really agree with your suggestion to visit local supermarkets. In all my years of international travel, one of the first things I always want to do in a new country is check out the markets. You can learn a lot about a country and it’s culture in everything from the “Supermarkets” to the local grocer and butcher shops.
Other than Cheese-It’s (a daily indulgence since college) Mexican food would be my biggest craving. What Merxican spices are not available in Panama?
My other question would be on availability of good cervezas and single malt scotch. Hey, man cannot live by bread alone.
Don Ray:
The other side of the story: for those of us, original chiricanos living abroad, we miss all the food we can not find here, like sanchocho, almojabanos, pixbaes (pifas), maranones, bienmesabe, hojaldras, tortillas, pan michita, ceviche… I can fill a couple of pages. So, thanks for keeping us up to date with the pictures from restaurants in David.
Jaime
Hi DR – excellent topic. I wholeheartedly agree that high on the to-do list for anyone thinking of moving here is to check out the all the markets – not just the major supermarkets, but the small min-supers, bakeries, community markets, etc. For many, their food addictions may just be their undoing. And, like Chuck, whenever I travel I make a point of looking in the markets, quite often picking up an unusual dried herb or spice mix, a packaged mix of a local favorite or ???. What we miss the most? Good, aged cheddar.
Hey Jaime,
Ceviche is not that hard to make. You can use almost any white fish and jalapeno peppers work almost as well as habeneros. If you can get crappie, I found it even better than corvina for ceviche.
Ceviche Recipe
1 lb. firm white fish
1 lg. onion
2 cloves garlic
2 or 3 hot peppers
1/2 to 3/4 c. fresh lime juice (The large seedless limes work best)
In a ceramic or glass bowl, place the fish which has been cut into 1/2 inch squares. Dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Clean the peppers and cut into very small pieces. Cover with fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure the lime juice covers the fish and the vegetables. Refrigerate for several hours.
Henry
Don: Is it Willlams Electric the stuff you miss? Believe it is green in color- I do not use because I use a razor. Give me a call at: walterterry1313 on Skype and I will mail you a few bottles,if that is the stuff your looking for ?? Walt
I used and liked Williams Elecrtic as well as Afta Pre Electric. I guess not enough people use electric razors in Panama.
Don Ray/Henry:
Thanks for the “receta” for ceviche, I might try it (although I have never made it)
Jaime^
Thanks for the mention, Don. A shopping trip is a good suggestion. Though I couldn’t really think of much in my article, after reading your comments and thinking about the thawed out bagel I ate yesterday, I have to say that I do miss good bagels. I guess I’m going to have to try making them myself.
Thanks also for the Rotel copycat recipe! I’ve only found it once and for some reason, I always forget to check those copycat recipes. Would you believe that I found it at the same time that I found Velvetta? Remember that old Rotel dip that was served with tortilla chips at every party?
Hi LG. Yes, Rotel tomatoes are a must. Thans for dropping in. Always good to hear from you.