maybe we should rename our search function on the site to "Google". Seems Jack found what there is - alternately you can of course request care packages from your US rellies?
Or find someone who is going home to the US-- when I go back, I routinely take orders from friends here in DK, bring an empty suitcase, and end up crossing my fingers that I do not get charged for bieng over the weight limit when returning!
I was home a few weeks ago, and this round was sloppy joe mix, peeps (god are they horrible), easter egg coloring kits and reece's peanut butter cups.
there is also a web shop called *from us to eu*that finds what you need and ships it. It is a Dutch woman who lives in PA:
Or have your rellie bring it. I routinely bring home boxed/canned/bagged stuff on occassion without a problem.
The food quality is MUCH better in CH-- no hormones, little if any pesticides, no GMO at all. Yet I understand how it is nice to get up in the morning and see something from home. Hence I bring back Whole Foods Market Organic Olive Oil (yes, I know I can get organic oil here in DK), for it is nice to see sitting on the kitchen counter top.
I've merged this post with another post about American food - an effort to keep requests for Aunt Jemima and Kraft mac n cheese together
FYI, the Australian version of mac & cheese is pretty close to the American. I've bought from The Aussie Shop (online shop, located in Zurich), and have had a good experience with them.
As for the baking materials, some things like brown sugar, vanilla and self-rising flour don't really exist here, so it is a comfort level thing when it comes to having the ingredients you're used to.
By the way, for those who miss having the little bottles of vanilla, you can make it yourself with cheap rotgut vodka and vanilla beans...but I don't remember how much vodka (a pint rings a bell), beans or how long you let it brew in the back of a dark cabinet (month? more?). My mom used to make it herself that way, but I can't remember how she did it.
Many British products are also very similar to US products. About the only thing I've found a huge difference with was Campbells's Cream of Tomato Soup - the UK stuff was vile, just vile. I've yet to find a recipe to substitute, either....
you can try to get cake mixes and that at gas stations near Cindy's Diner restaurants, but it's better and cheaper if you drive to Germany to a Walmart. Singen is small but has some, Freiburg is better.
Try Taste of America . I've heard good things about them, and they have been responsive to my email inquiries about products. I do agree about her bringing things with. Maybe see what you can source here, from the suggestions already made, and then ask her to bring whatever she considers essential that you can't source in Switzerland.
Several items I brought back from my last US trip: Oberto Beef Jerky (10 large bags) Altoids curiously strong cinnamon mints (Apparently they're Olde English but I've never seen them in the UK ) Wriggleys Rain Spearmint Chewing gum (A retail box) Large jar of Jelly belly Beans (I can't stand them now ) And if my case was large enough I'd have also shipped back several crates of A&W Root beer. Given today's heat I could murder a Root beer ice-cream float right now
Sorry to resurrect another old post...I have just concluded a months-long search for root beer here in Germany, leading me to the gourmet foods section of Karstadt, a ritzy department store. €1,50 gets you a can, which seems on par with some stores. It also had Reese's, name-brand chips, etc. In der Schweiz, this "American Store" in Nyon has a 3-liter of off-brand for 5,90 sfr...which seems like a decent price, per my searching.
Is there any such store in the Zurich area? A journey to another city for root beer would not be unheard of for me, in case there isn't..just curious.
Really, I think all the things your aunt has requested is available in a Swiss/ German version, you can get all the baking/cake/pudding mixes in Dr. Oetker packages or something similar. You might just need to translate the German instructions. I married my German translator, so that makes things easy for me. You might not get 'Devil's Food Cake' exactly, but something similar (better?), honestly this part of the world is known for its baked goods.
Sweets? Honestly, Hersheys vs. Lindt Sprüngli? No competition mate, give 'er a little taste and she'll forget everything she knew about sweets from back home. She's coming to Switzerland, give her something different from what she gets to eat everyday (forcefeed her).
I'll reiterate, that there's always Mickey D's to go to for a McFrosty...
Tip: In the upper left-hand corner of each post there's a date and time to show when the post was originally made. The one you quote is almost 3 years old. I don't post this to discourage you from sharing your opinion, but just to point out that people may have moved on (including the OP who made a total of 3 posts on the forum back in 2007 and probably doesn't live here anymore).
Yeah...I have been trolling old posts and am trying to put them into modern context. I will try to make my apologies for others' clarification clearer. It shows I am "using the search function" as so many are told...