Have you ever wondered about how much stuff we’re not getting? It’s hard to fathom, because we only miss the beer when the keg is kicked, so to speak. I am aware of some tasty commodities that simply aren’t available in the US. Germans in the Frankfurt area have access to apple wine. Nobody, not even the embassy, imports it to the US, although I did see it on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago about 10 years ago. And while the Czech embassy has absinthe, it isn’t available to the American public because its illegal here (contains wormwood). Naturally, this can go down an illegal substances route, but I’m interested in a thread of missed substances and possible sources in the US.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand what it is you’re asking. You want to know what foreign foods are not available in the United States? Or foreign foods that are usually not available in the United States, but are available if you know where to get them?
Both. To my knowledge, apple wine isn’t available anywhere except Germany. But maybe somebody will post a local source for some of the items we list.
Well first, for a little apple wine, just pick up a bottle of Boone’s Farm, or any other variety of cheap “wine” you can get for under $2 at the liquor store.
This probably isn’t the stuff you’re looking for, but you’re generalizing too much to really make a point. There’s a vast number of brands and flavors of beer, wine and liquor that simply aren’t distributed widely within the states, let alone from abroad. Many of which are quite tasty. The German product you may be interested in is Apfelkorn, I’m not sure if its really a wine or a liquor, but its still tasty and nearly impossible to find here in the states, if possible at all.
Considering the vast variety of regional and ethnic foods and drinks, the list could be endless. That only speaks to the culinary topics, let alone things like fashions and cars etc.
Some of the best food I ever ate was prepared in a small push cart on the streets of Tijuana, or the restaurants of other Baja towns like Rosarito. The smell of the cars and the dirt and the people and the animals and the town all combine in the culinary delights. I haven’t been able to find food like that anywhere else. Sure, some places have good chips, or salsa, or margaritas, or a particular entree, but not all of the above. I’ve always chalked it up to our health ordinances screening out what would amount to “the secret ingredient”.
Then again, there’s truth to the statement that ambiance adds to a meal that can’t be duplicated elsewhere.
If anyone knows of good Mexican food anywhere in the New England area, please share.
IMHO is deprived of food threads.
Let’s remedy that right now.
While apfelkorn is quite tasty, it’s distilled grain (that’s the korn part) flavored with apples (apfel), and available in DC liquor stores. Look in the imported liqueur section (the Jaegermeister isle). And while Boones farm may have a domestic version of apple wine, a closer rendition may be the ciders that are now becoming popular.
England produces some really good cider, but only a few make it over to our shores. They also make a hard pear cider called perry, but the closest thing I found to that was in Oregon. That version wouldn’t have cut in in England, it was embellished with carbonated water and pear flavoring.
fortifier is right, hard cider would be a closer match, but not quite the same. Apfelwein has quite a bit more kick to it and I think it’s best that they keep it all to themselves, those crazy Frankfurters. <shudder> IIRC, it tastes like somebody mixed lighter fluid in with the apples.
To this day, I can’t drink Apfelwein or Apfelkorn…I learned to drink in Frankfurt, btw. 