What's the most surprising thing you can't find?

[UnderProtest]

Jun 1, 2015 12:59:58 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

Jun 1, 2015 11:27:38 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Supposedly they do have Benadryl here which is the same as a lot of sleep aids.  I haven't looked for it though.  And although I do have my Nyquil imported they do have OTC cold medicines with codeine here.  That can be fun.

I can't remember what I miss.  I know I haven't seen large boxes of baking soda or vinegar but I haven't looked in Asian markets.  I found malt vinegar online.  Press n' Seal isn't popular here, but apparently it isn't popular in a lot of the US.  My lovely MIL sent me that for Christmas.  I miss knowing how to do things and where to find things.  

Yes, sometimes I find that annoying as well. Like, trying to find rubbing alcohol was difficult because it's called something different. Surgical Spirit, I think. Nobody knew wtf I was on about lol.

I do have a British nanny friend who often translates for me.  Apparently she watches even crappy American tv to know what I am talking about.

[Grimmy]

Haha, I was able to Google it. Most of the time people can figure out what I'm on about.

[loira]

May 29, 2015 9:42:53 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

Yeast! I can't find it anywhere! I'm going to have to order it online.

Also, although I'm not that surprised, I can't find spaghetti squash anywhere. I miss it.

Hmm, there have been other things, I just can't remember them right now.

Waitrose, baking supplies shelf, both instant and active dry. Might be harder to find fresh yeast. I've never tried.

You can usually find spaghetti squash at the farmers markets in London.

[loira]

If anyone in London knows of a good place to get hot wings, let me know. Although the pubs here are so much better than in Canada, I do miss 10¢ wings and beer.

[Grimmy]

I rarely go to London

[UnderProtest]

Jun 1, 2015 15:23:30 GMT -5 loira said:

If anyone in London knows of a good place to get hot wings, let me know. Although the pubs here are so much better than in Canada, I do miss 10¢ wings and beer.

My husband eats the wings at Nandos.  He also is saddened by the lack of hot wings.  It is on his list of things to eat when we visit the US this fall.

[dorothyinAus]

Jun 1, 2015 13:03:23 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

May 31, 2015 16:33:36 GMT -5 pittpurple said:

As long as it's not an express store, they will have it at most of those, we are sainsburys and waitrose shoppers and have a bread maker so buy it a lot!

www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplayView?msg=&catalogId=10122&langId=44&storeId=10151&krypto=bLl7ElY1FAROhQbF4J3%2Bfhtp7xpXChL1GCuJGD6VLyhTYw%2FhVgCKXG5nqtU%2BOH7YsSJBDN6qE9q9%0AeDxRLFgZLctiubNh1C3aM3mAUHibdY8LzMTyFk3lAzThU3Tj5vNQvHvxYKWmdEU3tgFeijBst1An%0AnAf6egivEddg8txlIOLmP9TdFKG5%2FvpRlgU6p7zq4pwIXKEDXfBMCVNlgvReDh7Mn6G88%2Ft8003G%0A%2BsRdSbTyFJR0uDhCGtG%2FC9vtRpvf#langId=44&storeId=10151&catalogId=10122&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&top_category=&pageSize=30&orderBy=RELEVANCE&searchTerm=yeast&beginIndex=0&categoryFacetId1=

I want a bread maker, but we don't really have the room for it.

I had one in the US, but found it really wasn't as useful as I thought it would be.  I find I make far more bread now that I don't have one than when I did.  When I'm rushed, I'll do batter breads (no-knead) and even when I'm not the hands-on aspect of traditional breads is minimal.  It's great to get the dough mixed up and then I have an hour or more to do other things.  I find the hands-on time for most breads is 15-20 minutes tops, less if you use your stand mixer.

[mrsukyankee]

Jun 1, 2015 13:03:23 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

May 31, 2015 16:33:36 GMT -5 pittpurple said:

As long as it's not an express store, they will have it at most of those, we are sainsburys and waitrose shoppers and have a bread maker so buy it a lot!

www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplayView?msg=&catalogId=10122&langId=44&storeId=10151&krypto=bLl7ElY1FAROhQbF4J3%2Bfhtp7xpXChL1GCuJGD6VLyhTYw%2FhVgCKXG5nqtU%2BOH7YsSJBDN6qE9q9%0AeDxRLFgZLctiubNh1C3aM3mAUHibdY8LzMTyFk3lAzThU3Tj5vNQvHvxYKWmdEU3tgFeijBst1An%0AnAf6egivEddg8txlIOLmP9TdFKG5%2FvpRlgU6p7zq4pwIXKEDXfBMCVNlgvReDh7Mn6G88%2Ft8003G%0A%2BsRdSbTyFJR0uDhCGtG%2FC9vtRpvf#langId=44&storeId=10151&catalogId=10122&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&top_category=&pageSize=30&orderBy=RELEVANCE&searchTerm=yeast&beginIndex=0&categoryFacetId1=

I want a bread maker, but we don't really have the room for it.

If you ever want any good bread recipes or are in London at any point and want some sourdough starter (I have a 2 yr old one) let me know.

[mrsukyankee]

Jun 1, 2015 15:23:30 GMT -5 loira said:

If anyone in London knows of a good place to get hot wings, let me know. Although the pubs here are so much better than in Canada, I do miss 10¢ wings and beer.

The Bull in Highgate has a Wednesday night wing night, though they are available all week long (plus they have their own brewery so good beer too).  Best wings I've found so far.  Not 10p wings though...sigh. I miss that idea too!

[irish]

May 29, 2015 9:42:53 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

Yeast! I can't find it anywhere! I'm going to have to order it online.

Also, although I'm not that surprised, I can't find spaghetti squash anywhere. I miss it.

Hmm, there have been other things, I just can't remember them right now.

Fresh or dried yeast? Dried is commonly found here (Ireland) in bigger supermarkets. Fresh is harder to find. Maybe try the ethnic shops? Polish shops here have it sometimes. Or even health food stores. Failing that, maybe a local bakery could help with it?

[Brit]

There are so many odd things I can't find here:

Plywood, or any kind of lumber, really.

Peanut sauce. I have searched high and low. I can't find peanut flour to make my own either.

Sport bras that are worth a damn. They sell sport bras here, but none that you could actually run in. (And I'm not even gifted in that area.)

Eye makeup remover pads.

Decent quality bicycle pumps.

[Grimmy]

Jun 2, 2015 2:01:41 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Jun 1, 2015 13:03:23 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

I want a bread maker, but we don't really have the room for it.

If you ever want any good bread recipes or are in London at any point and want some sourdough starter (I have a 2 yr old one) let me know.

It's been so long since I've made bread! My main issue is that store bought bread goes moldy so quickly. I figure if I bake it fresh we'll probably eat more of it because it'll be better and it will last longer. I would love some recipes

Sourdough starter, I don't even know what that is. I'm assuming you need it to make sourdough. I'd love to make a sourdough bread bowl, I miss that.

[mrsukyankee]

Yup - starter is so you can make sourdough.

My fav bread recipe (non-sourdough) is this one.  And another that I like is this one.  I bake bread about every week or two weeks.

[UnderProtest]

Jun 2, 2015 11:28:43 GMT -5 Brit said:

There are so many odd things I can't find here:

Plywood, or any kind of lumber, really.

Peanut sauce. I have searched high and low. I can't find peanut flour to make my own either.

Sport bras that are worth a damn. They sell sport bras here, but none that you could actually run in. (And I'm not even gifted in that area.)

Eye makeup remover pads.

Decent quality bicycle pumps.

Are you talking about the cotton circle/square pads?  They call them cotton wool here (despite having no wool in them).  I got some at Sainsburys or Boots, I can't remember which.

[loira]

Jun 2, 2015 16:16:48 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Jun 2, 2015 11:28:43 GMT -5 Brit said:

There are so many odd things I can't find here:

Plywood, or any kind of lumber, really.

Peanut sauce. I have searched high and low. I can't find peanut flour to make my own either.

Sport bras that are worth a damn. They sell sport bras here, but none that you could actually run in. (And I'm not even gifted in that area.)

Eye makeup remover pads.

Decent quality bicycle pumps.

Are you talking about the cotton circle/square pads?  They call them cotton wool here (despite having no wool in them).  I got some at Sainsburys or Boots, I can't remember which.

I think Brit lives in India.

[UnderProtest]

Jun 3, 2015 3:34:48 GMT -5 loira said:

Jun 2, 2015 16:16:48 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Are you talking about the cotton circle/square pads?  They call them cotton wool here (despite having no wool in them).  I got some at Sainsburys or Boots, I can't remember which.

I think Brit lives in India.

Oops.

[Brit]

Jun 3, 2015 9:49:03 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Jun 3, 2015 3:34:48 GMT -5 loira said:

I think Brit lives in India.

Oops.

I live in Dubai now.

I'm talking about the pre-moistened circle 'cloths' that take off eye makeup. We have a few Boots here, I don't think I have ever checked there. I'll give it a go. Thanks!

[marriedfilingjoint]

I've only been in the UK for a few days, but our furnished apartment didn't have wash cloths and I haven't seen any in the stores (Tesco and a few home shops).

[alleinesein]

Jun 6, 2015 14:51:51 GMT -5 marriedfilingjoint said:

I've only been in the UK for a few days, but our furnished apartment didn't have wash cloths and I haven't seen any in the stores (Tesco and a few home shops).

You can get them from Amazon UK

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dkitchen&field-keywords=face+towels

[mrsukyankee]

I've never had problems buying wash clothes in England. I even bought them at my local pound shop (I like having a lot as I use them daily). You can find them in John Lewis or Debehhams. Don't know where you are but you might want to check out Dunhelm as a home shop - good prices for England.

[Grimmy]

I get wash cloths every time MIL goes out of the country. The most useful and boring souvenir ever, lol!

[GilliC]

I just buy wash cloths at IKEA. Because I'm cheap.

[anna7602]

Oh, I just remembered something as I started packing up for my month abroad with the kids. Flavored Pedialyte-type drinks were nowhere to be found in French pharmacies! They only had plain-old salt flavor, which DD wouldn't drink when she was 3/4/5. I also couldn't find flavored gelatin, another standard go-to when my kid has a stomach virus. 

I just bought a pack of flavored Pedialyte powder (just add water) to take to Paris with us. I'm going to live on the edge and skip the red Jell-O, though...

[Grimmy]

Haha, I haven't even tried to find flavored Pedialyte drinks here!

[irish]

Jun 12, 2015 15:35:39 GMT -5 Grimmy said:

Haha, I haven't even tried to find flavored Pedialyte drinks here!

We have orange or black currant here in Ireland, so I'd imagine they are also available in the UK

[Grimmy]

That's good info to know for the future, haha. My mom used to get them for when she got drunk at a party or something, apparently they help prevent hangovers.