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Hel
Oct 3rd, 2011, 08:10 PM
anyone?

im putting a special package together for a vegan who is from the USA, is there anything amazing that is harder to get in the USA?

things like vegan jelly crystals (jello) are they easy to find?

thanks in advance!

Firestorm
Oct 4th, 2011, 07:09 AM
Hi
I know it can be difficult to get stuff from National Balance Foods (http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/) (Nakd bars, infused raisins) in the states, maybe some of those.
I will have another think today though.

harpy
Oct 4th, 2011, 10:32 AM
Marmite, or preferably Natex :devil: They might be interested to try that but I wouldn't put a lot in in case they don't like it :)

It's not vegan-specific but a US friend always says it's hard to get blackcurranty stuff over there. I got her some freeze-dried blackcurrants which she liked. Those would be easy to ship but I'm not sure you can find them in the shops, as opposed to on the internet.

The selection of chocolate available here is different though not necessarily better. (Same goes for fake cheese but that would be hard to ship.)

Firestorm
Oct 4th, 2011, 11:05 AM
Maybe some raspberry ruffles and humdinger buttons?@harpy blackcurrant plants are not grown in the states because it was found years ago that they are a breeding ground for a bacteria or virus that kills more 'important' trees - Can't remember which tree it is though

harpy
Oct 4th, 2011, 12:24 PM
Oh dear - I wonder if that means sending them there is illegal :eek:?

Firestorm
Oct 4th, 2011, 07:42 PM
I don't think it would be - will have a look at the book I read it in though.:-)

Risker
Oct 4th, 2011, 08:27 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackcurrant#United_States
https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/manual/index.cfm?action=cirReportP&PERMITTED_ID=8569

It may or may not be okay. The website I've linked above only refers to frozen or fresh fruit (for which a permit is required). Whether freeze dried fits in to either of these categories though I don't know. If it's counted as 'processed' then I think it's okay. As far as I can tell though freeze drying does not affect the viability of seeds which are not allowed to be imported without a permit. The whole thing makes my brain ache, I wouldn't worry about it, the recipient can't stop you from sending them and US customs have no power to do anything to you for sending them either, worse they can do is seize them.

Firestorm
Oct 4th, 2011, 08:48 PM
With regards to the OP, a friend I have in the states was saying that they would like Ritter Marzipan Chocolate (or other brands), but I was also thinking about:

Jelly Tots
Moo Free pralines (I dont think these are available in the states at the moment)
Booja booja (I dont think these are available in the states at the moment either - both are on vegan essentials site but not available)
Plamil dark/milk chocolate spread

I was also thinking that we have crisp flavours that the US doesn't (maybe pickled onion, prawn cocktail etc).
There are sites that specialise in selling UK stuff in the US, you could have a browse for ideas there.




It may or may not be okay. The website I've linked above only refers to frozen or fresh fruit (for which a permit is required). Whether freeze dried fits in to either of these categories though I don't know. If it's counted as 'processed' then I think it's okay. As far as I can tell though freeze drying does not affect the viability of seeds which are not allowed to be imported without a permit. The whole thing makes my brain ache, I wouldn't worry about it, the recipient can't stop you from sending them and US customs have no power to do anything to you for sending them either, worse they can do is seize them.

I think Risker is spot on - don't worry about it, some states now allow blackcurrants to be grown so I wouldn't think it was an issue. It does explain why peanut butter with strawberry/grape is eaten in the states instead of the superior blackcurrant though!

missbettie
Oct 4th, 2011, 10:37 PM
you know....It took me a very long time to figure out that a prawn is a shrimp....

I second on the chips, or crisps... or whatever. But yes Marmite!!!! And you guys always seem to have different baked good, like sweets....

harpy
Oct 5th, 2011, 01:20 AM
Whew, thanks chaps - won't worry about raids from the illicit fruit squad then :)

Strangely I've been told baked beans as we know them in the UK don't exist in exactly that form in the US, but whether they're a treat is a moot point.

missbettie
Oct 5th, 2011, 06:51 PM
we have baked beans, I wonder how they would be different?

harpy
Oct 5th, 2011, 06:54 PM
Well, despite the name ours aren't actually baked - they are just canned in tomato sauce. I think someone told me you have something called "vegetarian beans in tomato sauce" which is fairly similar? ETA I'm told your "Heinz vegetarian beans" is close so perhaps it wouldn't be much of a novelty :)

missbettie
Oct 5th, 2011, 08:22 PM
we have a ton of canned beans. but maybe they would be different? some of our baked beans have a really weird flavor that is just plan disgusting.

Gwydion
Oct 5th, 2011, 11:34 PM
God I love the internet!

Where else could you discuss the difference, merits and demerits, between 'your' version of baked beans and the other - a distance of 5000 miles or so between each said bean species.

So cool.

Marrers
Oct 6th, 2011, 02:09 AM
Heinz tinned spaghetti?! :D

I'm not certain whether these are available in the US but here are a few suggestions.

Boiled sweets such as rhubarb and custard, pineapple chunks, rosy apples, flying saucers, sherbet lemons, pear drops and cola cubes might be a hit although you'd need to check the ingredients and e-numbers. Monty Bojangles (http://www.whoismontybojangles.com/rhubarb_custard.html) ones are available in some supermarkets, Bonds brand used to be okay but you can also find them in small sweet shops as well as Julian Graves. The fruit jellies (http://www.juliangraves.com/confectionery/traditional-sweets/fruit-jellies-250g.html) and flying saucers (http://www.juliangraves.com/confectionery/traditional-sweets/flying-saucers-50g.html) from Julian Graves are definitely vegan according to their website.

Veganstore sell some yummy strawberry and black pepper chocolate bars (http://www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=325&Category_Code=510) and you could also treat them to a small box of chocolates or truffles (http://www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=662&Category_Code=540) from there.

Frys chocolate cream, orange cream or peppermint cream may also be worth including if they don't mind 'may contain traces of' contamination warnings. The Organica couverture bars are lovely (especially the almond and raisin (http://www.veggiestuff.com/acatalog/organica_vegan_chocolate_couverture_raisins_almond s.html) one) as are Moo Free's (http://www.moofreechocolates.com/) chocolate drops and bars.

DiaShel
Oct 6th, 2011, 02:19 AM
Definitely Nakd bars, I always really wanted those. I got a UK package of goodies once and my favorite things were these little PB cups. I can't remember finding them in the US. Any kind of jelly sweets are hard to find with gelatin.

Firestorm
Oct 6th, 2011, 06:46 AM
if they don't mind 'may contain traces of' contamination warnings
From what I remember the Meybona chocolate (http://www.confectionaffection.net/meybona-organic-strawberry--pepper-52-dark-chocolate-45g-2270-p.asp), Bojangles sweets and the Organica bars (http://www.simplyfair.co.uk/acatalog/organica-courveture.html) all contain the same warning - so if your friend won't eating anything that "may" contain traces of milk she/he might not eat these either.:-)

missbettie
Oct 6th, 2011, 08:23 PM
everything that Marrers said. I'd be very interested in the canned spagetti.... VERY. is it yummy? it sounds yummy....I've been searching for ages for Vegan Spaghetti O's....haven't found them yet....they always have a cheese sauce....

Risker
Oct 6th, 2011, 08:31 PM
Forget spaghetti O's... Alphabetti spaghetti has all the letters! :D

Problem is of course that tinned food is heavy, but as it lasts long it can go by surface mail (6 week delivery though and still not cheap).

missbettie
Oct 6th, 2011, 08:34 PM
true.....but by golly now I want tinned spag!!!!

Hel
Oct 10th, 2011, 08:24 PM
Oh wow so many fantastic ideas thank you! my parcel is going to be mostly food haha!

Ive just remembered its the west midlands vegan fair before i need to post my parcel too so i can get some even more exciting things there i hope too! and she might like some uk based animal rights stuff maybe? ill stick it in anyway :p

thanks again!
xxx

missbettie
Oct 21st, 2011, 09:08 PM
I FOUND TINNED SPAG!!!! by Heinz. :) Fresh and Easy was the market I found it at, they have a lot of "international" typed foods, and they even have marmite. I'm still too scared to try Marmite though....

Blueberries
Oct 21st, 2011, 09:13 PM
I'm still too scared to try Marmite though....

Try it, it's gorg! If you're too scared to have it on toast (spread it really thinly onto the toast and make sure it mixes in with butter), try putting it in with stock when you're making soups, sauces or gravies to add a salty, yeasty almost beefy flavour.

missbettie
Oct 21st, 2011, 09:19 PM
ooo k....I'm just so scared of it.... lol

DiaShel
Oct 22nd, 2011, 01:48 AM
^ Don't do it MissB!! Listen to your instincts it's vile :wink_ani:

I think it's just one of those things that if you didn't grow up on it you'll never like it. I wish I could like it for the B12 though.