we are finally moving to spain this weekend has anyone got any info that might help us in regards to foods in spain is there anything that we should definatly take with us that we cant buy in spain someone suggested marmite any advance on this thanks schnapps

Things I have gotten requests for (from friends in Spain):

Brownie mix
pancake mix (and syrup)
granola bars (specifically the breakfast ones with fruit filling whose name is escaping me now).

It really depends what part of Spain you are going to...Costa del Sol has many english shops and what you cant find here you can pick up in Gib..Alicante areas too, rest of Spain you will not get, sausages, gravy powder, germaline, marmite (bovril yes)custard powder, pickle..BUT you will not hunger as the food in Spain is excelent quality..dont worry too much about things you are use too..if you intend to live here its better to adapt, you will also find a lot of family and friends come to visit so you can always get them to bring you things that you miss..

many thanks for your replies,i am sure we wont miss anything from u.k the quicker we get away the better.

A very minor point - Ketchup is easily obtainable here, not so the spicy sauce HP and Daddies sold in the UK.
Maybe gravy mix, custard powder and/or curry powder may be worth taking?
(all dependent on your personal tastes of course!)

When I came over in January, I brought marmite, Colman's English mustard, Farrow's Marrowfat Peas and Heinz Baked beans. Things I wish I'd brought include some of those nice home made style sausages from the larger supermarket chains but all in all the food here is great and you won't go hungry.

Hi, Umm you are moving to Spain and you think you'll miss English food lol lol lol, let me say that you are going to be able to enjoy one of the best and most healthy cuisines in the world.
Don't get angry for this comment I was just making some fun about Brit food ;-)
You wont have problems finding HP!!! just go to any supermarket big enought.I am really not trying to offend any British guy, but English food is known in Spain as a nightmare,let spanish flavours conquer your stomach for ever, if you are just a little open minded you won't be disapointed, trust me.

Skunk,
I think that you too need to take your own advice. Open your mind to the delicacies of British food. There's nothing quite like an English tea, slathering Devonshire cream on a hot from the oven scone is fantastic!

Also, keep in mind that people are creatures of habit. Imagine living without your churros and chocolate and the café? Unthinkable. Food is a cultural expression of comfort, and while I prefer not to eat marmite, I can understand the comfort that Marmite must bring to someone used to eating it daily.

I found that the Corte Ingles seem to carry an excellent selection of international foods,BUT, at a very high price.

Buen Provecho, ya'll!
Booklady, a woman who loves her food, and whose food loves her!

I agree with you Booklady we all should be open minded, I really love English tea (I don't drink coffe) and of coruse you have delicius dishes, but you in my opinion that if you are a food lover is not comparable all the delicatesen you have in UK to the spanishs ones, as I recognice as a music lover that Brit music is so so good as I'd like to be the spanish music but unfortunally nowadays is imposible to compare The Stone Roses, Rolling Stones, Spiritualized etc etc etc... with La Macarena or Julio Iglesias and your lovely and huge parks with El Retiro althougt I am madrileño and I really love this park and all the great moments that I had there.
But basically I was just kidding a little bit and if someone has feel bad for my joke in some way I said sorry.
Cheers

One item you might miss, although I don't know if the British use it... but without a doubt, extremely American...peanut butter. Almost impossible to find in Spain. Many years ago I did find it (in Woolworths, just gives you an idea how long ago that was!)...but no where near the quality (now that's a ludicrous statement if ever I have heard) of the American.

When my students ask what they may miss the most...peanut butter always comes to mind. All the other items can be found...and even some of the Spanish equivalents are tolerable (ie: cream cheese), but peanut butter, no.

My students didn't believe me. Everytime I went to Spain and they knew I would be in the area, I would get frantic messages from them asking if I would bring it over.

Sheryl

Almost anything Asian.

I know of a few great Asian food stores in case anyone is looking for one.

Sheryl, I agree, peanut butter. I have a Madrileño friend who lived here for one year and now lives under Skippy's spell. I smuggle at least two large jars from a wholesale club for him everytime I visit.

Silvita--

Personally, I go through phases with Peanut Butter. There are months that I eat it everyday. But, I can go years without it. However, whenever I am abroad for a long period of time, I find that the one item I truly miss (regarding food) is without a doubt...peanut butter.

My husband, who is from Italy, never could stand the stuff. Whenever his parents came to visit, I had to hide it...my mother-in-law would always throw it out if she found it.

By the way...I personally prefer JIF, but Skippy works it in a pinch.

Sheryl

OK Chica, give us the names and locations of your Asian groceries.

When I was in the States I liked almost all the food but sorry... I couldn't stand peanut butter! Puajhhh!

What do you guys find in that horrible thing?!

As for english food I was in London a week and couldn't manage to taste it... almost every restaurant is foreign!

But anyway, every culture has its own superb recipes which must be tasted no matter how horrible/incredible people says the cuisine is.

Booklady: Churros are very typical, but are out of everyday spanish breakfasts It has been almost a year since I last tasted them! (I should put an end to that...). They are unhealthy if eaten everyday because they are full of oil (therefore, you will gain weight if you eat them everyday).

As for the horrible peanut butter you may find the thing in almost every supermarket in Madrid. It is not widespread (understandable...) but you may find it easily in big cities (why the hell you want to find it God!!!! :p ).

Fernando

Fernando--

Like everything else, peanut butter is a matter of culture (and of course, taste). Most of us were raised on it for lunch and/or snacks.

You're dislike for it is not unexpected, ...but by the same token, I could never get the taste nor appreciation for "oreja de cerdo or morcilla."

Frankly, eating a pig's ear is about as unappealing, from my point of view, as one could get. And add to that...when they serve it, I felt like I was before a jigsaw puzzle attempting to put all the pieces back together again.

And "morcilla" is... well, I'll leave that to your imagination.

Sheryl

The thing is... I hate both morcilla and oreja! They are even more disgusting than peanut butter!

I saw the usage of peanut butter when I was in the States. It was usually put on sandwiches along with a variety of other contents... terrible

Why didn't you choose a civilized manner of eating sandwiches? For example with real milk butter hehehe.

As you said, it is partially a matter of culture, and partially a matter of personal preferences.

Fernando

Peanut butter mixed with proper butter and Marmite on crusty bread - heaven

Actually, Fernando...

The concept of peanut butter is really no different than nocilla. What it that? Cream of hazelnuts mixed with chocolate?

I love both nocilla (or Nutella) and Peanut butter. The only thing that I put on my peanut butter sandwiches are either grape jelly (Welch´s if at all possible) OR bananas, but never both at the same time. Peanut butter is also great smeared on apple slices!! And on marshmallows. Yes, I am very golosa!!

Chris R, for starters, there is a great Chinese food store underneath the Plaza de España. Take the pedestrian entrance to the underground parking and you will find a number of shops... one of them being the Chinese food store. I was so excited to find bok choy and chinese sausage there, not to mention patis (Filipino fish sauce).

I have also discovered 3 additional Chinese grocery stores in the Tetuán district. I think the street name is Calle General Margallo... or something like that. The metro stop is Tetuán. I will try to find the exact address and post it here for you.

Is there a specific kind of Asian food that you are looking for? The ones on General Margallo carry a fairly ample selection of vietnamese as Filipino food products along with the Chinese products (including Chinese beer).

I love peanut butter too, with grape jam (never JELLY, Chica!) on soft wheat bread. Cut into triangles, of course!

When Cristina, our exchange student from Madrid, lived with us in high school, she fell deeply and passionately in love with peanut butter. She put it on EVERYTHING--including, memorably, a tuna sandwich.

She also gained about 10 pounds during the summer she lived with us--due, I am sure, to the PB!

I adore Nocilla too--on those little Maria cookies. I used to keep a tube of those and a jar of Nocilla in my residencia in Salamanca--mmmm!!! With the Maria cookies, you don't need a knife, either. Just dip and enjoy!

I guess I should say that I eat peanut butter with strawberry jam or preserves. As far as grape jelly...the only way I eat it...is on a sandwich with cream cheese.

Sheryl

If you are comming to madrid, you can find all that, marmite , pancake mix, ......in some places. For example in the "Boutique del Gourmet" of Serrano´s Corte Ingles (the building that has the books...the shop in the other is smaller).

You will be able to find anything shopping in the delicatessen shops in Madrid, nevertheless pricing will be another story.

Take into account that the spanish brands produce a lot of these products too, (not marmite, but pankakes, and other stuff....)and they will score a better price-quality ratio than the imported ones.