Monday, August 1, 2011

Missing Food

When I was in NZ, I had a nearly uncontrollable need for american-style Mac and Cheese. You know, the strangely orange stuff. In NZ all they had was this odd stuff made with "fancy" cheese. Still powdered, but not unhealthily orange.

I wanted nothing to do with it.

My cravings for "mexican" food I could manage--salsa's easy to make, and even in the middle of nowhere they have tortillas, taco shells, seasoning mix and refried beans. I even managed to fake a decent enchilada sauce at one point.

Now here I am in Guatemala, still wanting mac and cheese. I was in the import shop on friday, took a quick peek around. Totally wonderful looking place, with pretty much everything I'm sure I'd crave if I had the common sense to want real food. They even had american beer, which I thought was a bit odd.

So now I want mac and cheese. I didn't see any there. I really didn't look. But even if I found it, I don't have anywhere (yet) to cook it.

Then, tonight, something smells lightly of curry. Now I want Indian food, too. I tried the local idea of samosas. I won't be doing that again. They were... odd. Also, instead of sweet tamarind dipping sauce, they came out with pizza sauce and soy sauce. Samosas (even odd ones) don't go well with either of those flavors.

While I was in Antigua, the whole hour and a half, I walked past two McDonald's, a BK, and a Subway. Actually, I went into the Subway. I might have to go back and actually buy something next time I'm there. It's strange, actually. I don't miss home. I only miss the food.

I suspect I'll be doing eating tour of Charleston when I go back to visit. In a bit more than 3 months. I should probably start saving, huh?

So, what foods do you find you miss, when you can't get them? And can you sub something else, or does it have to be that exact thing? You know, like generic for brand name, or one kind of cheese for another....

Also, would kill for a big bag of chips, some vegan sour cream, and tasty spice mix. Would kill lots.

4 comments:

  1. As disgusting as it sounds, I miss hot dogs! I do the meat thing but not meat foam from badly treated animals. I found an awesome company that makes organic hot dogs from happy free-ranged animals but it's mega-expensive and gotta buy in bulk. No tofu dogs here in my food desert of Kentucky. Closest thing is Morning Star corn dogs and those don't tickle me.

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  2. rats, I totally forgot about cheesy veggie-dogs wrapped in crescent rolls. I understand the hotdog thing, though. I used to love ballpark, broiled until they were black and split. Sooo good, sooo salty, soooo gross.

    Never really understood corn dogs...

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  3. Is there any other way to eat ballpark franks? They have to be black and split and then you absolutely cover them in mustard, onions, whatever you can find on the well supplied condiment shelf!

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  4. Some people like to boil them (blerg). Unfortunately, the veggie-dogs don't take well to the incineration process... they come out tasting extra-plastic/chemically.

    Mmm, onions....

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