"Sweet Jesus, they have hot sauce!!"
That was me, yelling down the aisle at Bruce in our neighborhood grocery store. It may seem ridiculous to you but that is a very BIG deal here. When we lived in Invercargill in 2010, I would have sold non essential body parts for a swig of Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce. Its amazing what you miss when you move overseas. People seem to think about big things: I'll miss my car, Ill miss my favorite coffee shop but lets be real, those things can be replaced. You can get another car and you can find a new coffee hangout. What you don't realize is the little parts of your every day. Like Cottonelle Flushable Toilet wipes or Butterfingers candy bars. (Random, I know)
Being away from your home culture really magnifies those things you took for granted that are not even important. I credit our move to New Zealand with making me a better, more inventive cook.
Why? Cause we don't have all of the pre-packaged, processed convenience foods like we do back home. At least we didn't back in 2010. It is amazing how small the world has gotten in just 3 years. Strolling down the aisles of the grocery store in 2010 is VERY different from now. I swear the selection of goods has tripled! I have found all sorts of goodies that I KNOW we didn't have when we lived here before. Hot sauces, condiments, convenience foods, etc are all easy to find. Our local grocery store even has a little corner on the back of one aisle dedicated to "American foods".
My defining moment was when I stumbled upon a store in Auckland that imports food from the USA. I immediately notified the expat community of my find. It was like calling people to tell them they won the Publishers Clearinghouse Lottery.
Me: "OMG I have found Cheetos"
Rachel: "Shut UP!"
Me: "No seriously and they have ChipsAhoy, Ho-ho's and I'm pretty sure I saw some Texas Pete's."
Rachel: "I'm so excited!! Do you think they have barbecue sauce?"
Me: "At least 10 brands"
Rachel: "My LORD"
Me: "Go forth and buy and pass this website on to our people"
Yeah, it was that important.
Yes, I feel silly and shallow but I totally MISS certain things.
Like what? I can't really say. Its the thingie you need when you are cooking something that you can't find here. Or the normal junkie goodies that you have during Superbowl. Little, silly things.
I have learned to be creative and more of a true cook. Like I make my cornbread from SCRATCH now. Not Jiffy cornbread mix but real cornbread! Bruce can whip up the best condiments I've ever tasted. We are learning how to be Kiwi and enjoying more of the foods around us.
I figure in another year or so I won't even need the services of USAFoods.com….just as long as they sell hot sauce at my grocery store.
Ha! I was floored when I found Stubb's BBQ sauce somewhere. But at $20 a bottle I passed on it. I've had to make corn and flour tortillas from scratch but it just isn't the same as Texas. Mom is threatening to send me some (I'll take 'em!). I hate to admit I've bought Old El Paso refried beans at $4 a can, as that was a brand that was a joke in Tx. I finally found some pinto beans though in a can (another $4) but can't find them dried. If you know where to get them, let me know!!
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