One of the things I've noticed about myself which I sort of wish I hadn't is that I seem to be some sort of snack gourmet (or perhaps junkie). Whenever I arrive at a destination in a different country, one of the things I really look forward to is going to the equivalent of the newsagent or street-food vendor and enjoying all those exotic yet cheap, everyday items we don't have at home. Yes - I'm that classy! For example:
Belgium: Waffles - just as they are with nothing on them from a vendor at the Gare Centrale. Or frites with cocktail sauce from Fritland by the Bourse. Or Chokotoffs.
Sweden: Straight to the Pressbyrå for an ice cream sandwich or an 88 - or maybe some Marabou chocolate if it's cold...
Netherlands: A broodje kaas and a Chocomel.
Germany: A piece of Streuselkuchen or a 'Teilchen' from the baker's with a Milchkaffee, or if I'm feeling more savoury, a Bockwurst with mustard from a railway station vendor, or Reibekuchen with Apfelmus.
Ah yes - it's the simple things of life which make all the difference.
Is it just me, or does anyone else do similar?
Posted by Eurodan at July 8, 2003 10:08 AMI've fallen out with snacks... since some fool removed scampi and lemon nik-naks from the shelves there hardly seems any point.
On a forgiving day, it is however possible to substitute kit-kats (does anyone else think they taste different abroad) - but only if it's 'buy one get one free' (packets, that is)... in which case it is criminal to eat just one. Or even two. And if two, why not four. Or seven. And hey, the second pack was free, and therefore invisible (no calories), so why not polish that off too...
Eurodan!
You should try Cacaolat sold all over Spain - but Belgian waffles certainly do the trick.
And yes Kit-Kats do taste different - maybe it was the metal wrapper they are now phasing out. And the Kit-Kats now seem to taste the same all over Europe...
Stuart
Posted by: Stuart Parkinson at July 8, 2003 10:26 PMI must say I love Tamsin's idea about free KitKats therefore having no calories!
My Dad's favourite hobby is going around the supermarket buying whatever's available as part of a 'buy-one get-one-free' offer (which he delights in calling a 'Bog-off' (B.O.G.O.F. - geddit?) If the theory was true, I should lose weight whenever I go home for the weekend, which, alas, isn't the case...
Posted by: Eurodan at July 8, 2003 11:09 PMMost things taste better abroad :-) I suspect that a law was passed sometime in the late 19th century, requiring that "food shall not be excessively flavoursome, as to offend the sensitive British palate"
I´m rather partial to various European chocolate milks (e.g. chocomel, cacaolat) and vanilla desert as sold in Belgium, which I haven´t yet found elsewhere.
Posted by: Shyboy at July 11, 2003 8:16 AMOoh yes, Belgian 'nilla dessert! I'd forgotten about that! Mmmmm...
Posted by: Eurodan at July 11, 2003 9:14 AMBring me back a crate of 'nilla dessert from Brussels ;-)
Posted by: Shyboy at July 11, 2003 9:31 PM