Because you were always good but have simply become the best, the most fun and on-point about your life discoveries in Portugal. Sent this to Susan Korthase to post at Americans & Friends, the 16k member best-in-class FB group, to share with the people who are suffering their way thru the shit on YouTube.
Nice to know, thanks for your continuing informative posts! :) Before I took off traveling internationally as a nomad for several years, like many Americans, I thought that there were a lot of things one could only get "at home." Surprise! All over the world, many of the same brands are available (multinational corporations...) Same food brands, toothpaste and cosmetics brands, you name it. Thailand, for instance, has huge grocery stores with tons of US products. Not to mention prescription drugs in the pharmacies at a fraction of the cost. While it is comforting to be able to find some of one's favorite brands abroad, personally, I love trying new, local things (especially foods!), and oftentimes finding I like them even better than what I was used to before. Variety is the spice of life, as they say!
(Also, glad to hear you’ve got your pretzel delivery in progress!)
You can get fresh bagels here in Lisbon at two locations. The name of the place is Raffi’s. Serviceable but not great like many of us are used to back in the states (like House of bagels in the Bay Area). Pingo Doce has a decent cream cheese that has chives in it, not my favorite back home but boy, you have to be flexible here when it comes to food. I’ve heard people go apeshit about not finding pickle relish in Portugal. Come on folks… It should be an adventure!
What's the point of Philadelphia Cream Cheese if you can't get fresh bagels? And don't get me started about pretzels - I don't suppose there are any street vendors who will sell you four soft pretzels in a brown paper bag for a dollar. Ummmm!
I found pretzel sticks at Auchan in Porto! I was so excited! They're not Snyder's but they're pretty good! And a lot longer and a bit thinner than Snyders.
Yay, Hoka shoes! Half of the time I think that once I am living there, I'll just adjust to the things I can't easily get there, and the rest of the time I think about what lengths I'd go through to make I can get the spices or chiles or dog supplies I need-want (need-want=desperately want, either I'm refusing to acknowledge its really a want, or that it's been so hard to source that I don't relish having to start over looking for a similar thing).
Thank you as always for your informative posts- we are so excited about our upcoming trip to find the area we will soon end up moving to.
Nancy, I am a pretzel connoisseur. The best pretzel IS Snyder’s Hard (Dutch Pretzel). Do I hear a possible business opportunity in the making? Importing foods not available in Portugal.
Question, are there health food stores in PT? My wife wants to know can she get Flax seeds, Chia seeds etc?
Have you heard anything further on PT closing borders to Americans. A decision was suppose to have been made yesterday.
Love El Cortes Ingles, but a long drive from the Algarve where we are. Oh! you bring me back to those days I worked in London and I roamed the food halls of Harrods. We do have the British Supermarket in Albufeira where at least I can find a few good things from a retailer in UK called Waitrose and I found lemongrass paste there recently. My biggest problem is finding spices here (besides Canela) hence I brought 60 of them over with me from the USA. I'm making pesto with the abundance of basil I have now in the best growing herb garden I have ever had in my life. (Thank you sunny Portugal). Having to substitute pine nuts with cashews and walnuts as they are hard to find and are Euros12.99 for 125g in Intermarche. I will be bringing back a big pack from Costco when we return to US this Fall.
A big question I have is for eating out if you are a Vegan or Vegetarian, oy it's going to be tres hard when some of my Vegan friends visit. The average Portuguese restaurant is so fish/meat based and vegetables are served bland.
Because you were always good but have simply become the best, the most fun and on-point about your life discoveries in Portugal. Sent this to Susan Korthase to post at Americans & Friends, the 16k member best-in-class FB group, to share with the people who are suffering their way thru the shit on YouTube.
Nice to know, thanks for your continuing informative posts! :) Before I took off traveling internationally as a nomad for several years, like many Americans, I thought that there were a lot of things one could only get "at home." Surprise! All over the world, many of the same brands are available (multinational corporations...) Same food brands, toothpaste and cosmetics brands, you name it. Thailand, for instance, has huge grocery stores with tons of US products. Not to mention prescription drugs in the pharmacies at a fraction of the cost. While it is comforting to be able to find some of one's favorite brands abroad, personally, I love trying new, local things (especially foods!), and oftentimes finding I like them even better than what I was used to before. Variety is the spice of life, as they say!
(Also, glad to hear you’ve got your pretzel delivery in progress!)
Hi Nancy (and Denise) - truly enjoy your sense of humor, descriptions and your blog... (as does the hubby). Please don't stop :)
Re: fresh bagels - I see a lady on FB sells them - homemade... Av's pastries and catering... (have not had them but they sure look good!!
Love it! I am sure you could imagine since it’s shopping involved but I LOVE El Corte Ingles and visit it multiple times whenever in Spain!
You can get fresh bagels here in Lisbon at two locations. The name of the place is Raffi’s. Serviceable but not great like many of us are used to back in the states (like House of bagels in the Bay Area). Pingo Doce has a decent cream cheese that has chives in it, not my favorite back home but boy, you have to be flexible here when it comes to food. I’ve heard people go apeshit about not finding pickle relish in Portugal. Come on folks… It should be an adventure!
What's the point of Philadelphia Cream Cheese if you can't get fresh bagels? And don't get me started about pretzels - I don't suppose there are any street vendors who will sell you four soft pretzels in a brown paper bag for a dollar. Ummmm!
I found pretzel sticks at Auchan in Porto! I was so excited! They're not Snyder's but they're pretty good! And a lot longer and a bit thinner than Snyders.
Yay, Hoka shoes! Half of the time I think that once I am living there, I'll just adjust to the things I can't easily get there, and the rest of the time I think about what lengths I'd go through to make I can get the spices or chiles or dog supplies I need-want (need-want=desperately want, either I'm refusing to acknowledge its really a want, or that it's been so hard to source that I don't relish having to start over looking for a similar thing).
Thank you as always for your informative posts- we are so excited about our upcoming trip to find the area we will soon end up moving to.
Nancy, I am a pretzel connoisseur. The best pretzel IS Snyder’s Hard (Dutch Pretzel). Do I hear a possible business opportunity in the making? Importing foods not available in Portugal.
Question, are there health food stores in PT? My wife wants to know can she get Flax seeds, Chia seeds etc?
Have you heard anything further on PT closing borders to Americans. A decision was suppose to have been made yesterday.
Love El Cortes Ingles, but a long drive from the Algarve where we are. Oh! you bring me back to those days I worked in London and I roamed the food halls of Harrods. We do have the British Supermarket in Albufeira where at least I can find a few good things from a retailer in UK called Waitrose and I found lemongrass paste there recently. My biggest problem is finding spices here (besides Canela) hence I brought 60 of them over with me from the USA. I'm making pesto with the abundance of basil I have now in the best growing herb garden I have ever had in my life. (Thank you sunny Portugal). Having to substitute pine nuts with cashews and walnuts as they are hard to find and are Euros12.99 for 125g in Intermarche. I will be bringing back a big pack from Costco when we return to US this Fall.
A big question I have is for eating out if you are a Vegan or Vegetarian, oy it's going to be tres hard when some of my Vegan friends visit. The average Portuguese restaurant is so fish/meat based and vegetables are served bland.