Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
Dec 6th 2008, 12:25 pm
#16
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
I have seen Riccota here, maybe in Alcampo. Seen some good bread around too....if you want to pay around 3 euro for a small loaf
Dec 6th 2008, 12:27 pm
#17
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
I have to be honest, there is a greater variety in English supermarkets mainly the ready meals if that´s the sort of food you want. Fresh milk has been readily available in Spain for years and we have at least six outlets reasonably close by. I can understand the frustration of trying to source ingredients for an English recipe, no doubt a Spaniard would have the same problem in GB trying to source ingredients for a Spanish recipe. In the end it is still the same old story, we chose to live in Spain.
Graham
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Dec 6th 2008, 1:06 pm
#18
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
Bread smells nice, sure. But there's nowhere near the variety that I would like to see. Where's the pan with semillas?, dark bread? bagels? nice wholemeal bread with lots of whatever those crunchy bits are. There's a limit to how many barras I want to buy in my lifetime. When I think of bread....I think of Germany. Now THEY know how to make bread.
The novelty of a crunchy white bread roll soon wears off in Spain. if I was served the same in a UK restauarant..I'd be miffed to say the least.No doubt Spain will catch up one day.
Dec 6th 2008, 1:24 pm
#19
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
The reason there are no UK companies out here is simple, they couldn`t compete.
They would only sell to holiday makers and a few grumpies that must have UK stuff only, and go out of business in a few weeks.
They would only sell to holiday makers and a few grumpies that must have UK stuff only, and go out of business in a few weeks.
Dec 6th 2008, 1:38 pm
#20
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
I think you've missed the point of what bread is used for by many Spaniards. Why waste money on fancy bread if you are going to use it to mop up the remains of a delicious meal. A bit pointless.
But back to the original point- if it's variety of bread you're looking for, you don't need to go far to find a bakery. Maybe it's just the area you live in. Or maybe people don't like seeded bread or bagels with their pork pies.
Dec 6th 2008, 1:47 pm
#22
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
I have to be honest, there is a greater variety in English supermarkets mainly the ready meals if that´s the sort of food you want. Fresh milk has been readily available in Spain for years and we have at least six outlets reasonably close by. I can understand the frustration of trying to source ingredients for an English recipe, no doubt a Spaniard would have the same problem in GB trying to source ingredients for a Spanish recipe. In the end it is still the same old story, we chose to live in Spain.
Graham
Graham
I don't like your "typical" British food either....Steak and Kidney pie, Sunday roast, FISH AND CHIPS (vomit, vomit, vomit). But I do like to see a good selection of international foods.
Oh, and I found my Ricotta cheese in Hipercor.
Last edited by Veleta; Dec 6th 2008 at 1:52 pm.
Dec 6th 2008, 1:55 pm
#25
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
[QUOTE=Jerezgirl;7042811]I think my real problem is that Spanish supermarkets (almost) only stock Spanish food, whereas British supermarkets are much more international.
QUOTE]
I understand your frustration. I'm just trying to work out what international food you can't find in your supermarket.
QUOTE]
I understand your frustration. I'm just trying to work out what international food you can't find in your supermarket.
Dec 6th 2008, 1:55 pm
#26
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
Catch up one day?
I think you've missed the point of what bread is used for by many Spaniards. Why waste money on fancy bread if you are going to use it to mop up the remains of a delicious meal. A bit pointless.
But back to the original point- if it's variety of bread you're looking for, you don't need to go far to find a bakery. Maybe it's just the area you live in. Or maybe people don't like seeded bread or bagels with their pork pies.
I think you've missed the point of what bread is used for by many Spaniards. Why waste money on fancy bread if you are going to use it to mop up the remains of a delicious meal. A bit pointless.
But back to the original point- if it's variety of bread you're looking for, you don't need to go far to find a bakery. Maybe it's just the area you live in. Or maybe people don't like seeded bread or bagels with their pork pies.
You are probably right about the white bread, yes its good to mop up the juices.
However variety is also nice. Grilled fish or a pan fried lump of meat with say chips, rice and a little salad..that must be healthy too?
Dec 6th 2008, 1:59 pm
#27
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
Dec 6th 2008, 2:16 pm
#28
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
[QUOTE=arko;7042828]
Well, I miss being able to buy FRESH skimmed milk (I know that's not international
).
Cooking sauces are a bit lame. I used to enjoy throwing things into a wok and seeing what I could conjour up, but now I can only find the basic oriental sauces - soja, maybe ostras.
Mercadona is the ONLY supermarket that sells cheddar (and just one brand).
My butcher doesn't stock lamb. What's wrong with lamb I ask? Oh we only stock that at Christmas. That totally effed up my plans to bake the nice Spicy Lamb and Canela Pie I had planned. Mmmmm.
Rhubarb? Custard? Hollandaise sauce? Chocolate bars? Rosewater? Lemongrass? I ought to dig out a few of my discarded shopping lists so I could show what I just can't buy.
I suppose I could solve all my food related problems if I moved somewhere touristy as I guess the supermarket there must cater for alternative nationalities. But I didn't come to Spain to be a tourist! I'm just having difficulty adapting to having to eat the same foodstuffs over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
I think my real problem is that Spanish supermarkets (almost) only stock Spanish food, whereas British supermarkets are much more international.
QUOTE]
I understand your frustration. I'm just trying to work out what international food you can't find in your supermarket.
QUOTE]
I understand your frustration. I'm just trying to work out what international food you can't find in your supermarket.
). Cooking sauces are a bit lame. I used to enjoy throwing things into a wok and seeing what I could conjour up, but now I can only find the basic oriental sauces - soja, maybe ostras.
Mercadona is the ONLY supermarket that sells cheddar (and just one brand).
My butcher doesn't stock lamb. What's wrong with lamb I ask? Oh we only stock that at Christmas. That totally effed up my plans to bake the nice Spicy Lamb and Canela Pie I had planned. Mmmmm.
Rhubarb? Custard? Hollandaise sauce? Chocolate bars? Rosewater? Lemongrass? I ought to dig out a few of my discarded shopping lists so I could show what I just can't buy.
I suppose I could solve all my food related problems if I moved somewhere touristy as I guess the supermarket there must cater for alternative nationalities. But I didn't come to Spain to be a tourist! I'm just having difficulty adapting to having to eat the same foodstuffs over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
Dec 6th 2008, 2:25 pm
#29
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
I suppose I could solve all my food related problems if I moved somewhere touristy as I guess the supermarket there must cater for alternative nationalities. But I didn't come to Spain to be a tourist! I'm just having difficulty adapting to having to eat the same foodstuffs over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.[/QUOTE]
Yep variety is not a word associated with Spanish cooking...bring on the dead fish or lump of meat...grilled or fried sir? Vegatables...what are they sir?
[/QUOTE]Yep variety is not a word associated with Spanish cooking...bring on the dead fish or lump of meat...grilled or fried sir? Vegatables...what are they sir?
Dec 6th 2008, 2:32 pm
#30
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Re: Supermarkets...better in Spain? or in UK?
[QUOTE=Jerezgirl;7042861]
Well, I miss being able to buy FRESH skimmed milk (I know that's not international).
Cooking sauces are a bit lame. I used to enjoy throwing things into a wok and seeing what I could conjour up, but now I can only find the basic oriental sauces - soja, maybe ostras.
Mercadona is the ONLY supermarket that sells cheddar (and just one brand).
My butcher doesn't stock lamb. What's wrong with lamb I ask? Oh we only stock that at Christmas. That totally effed up my plans to bake the nice Spicy Lamb and Canela Pie I had planned. Mmmmm.
Rhubarb? Custard? Hollandaise sauce? Chocolate bars? Rosewater? Lemongrass? I ought to dig out a few of my discarded shopping lists so I could show what I just can't buy.
I suppose I could solve all my food related problems if I moved somewhere touristy as I guess the supermarket there must cater for alternative nationalities. But I didn't come to Spain to be a tourist! I'm just having difficulty adapting to having to eat the same foodstuffs over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
So by international you mean British. You can find all these things in supermarkets in tourist areas, but, as you said, you didn't come to Spain to be a tourist. Sauces for stirfry can't come under 'international', can they? I found it impossible to find a Portuguese cheese I liked when I lived in U.K. I have no idea if I'd have ever found it. Now I buy it when I cross the border into the Algarve every week.
You hit the nail on the head though when you said it's about adapting. I can't cook to save my life, but I'm always trying to learn. Whenever my partner or my friends say 'cook us something typically English' and I can't find the exact ingredient, I adapt. Good old mum always says: 'if you can't find x, z will taste just as good.' It's the same with Spanish food. There are so many varieties, regional favourites and countless foreign influences that add to what can be an unbelievable and always interesting lunch and dinner time!!!
Well, I miss being able to buy FRESH skimmed milk (I know that's not international
). Cooking sauces are a bit lame. I used to enjoy throwing things into a wok and seeing what I could conjour up, but now I can only find the basic oriental sauces - soja, maybe ostras.
Mercadona is the ONLY supermarket that sells cheddar (and just one brand).
My butcher doesn't stock lamb. What's wrong with lamb I ask? Oh we only stock that at Christmas. That totally effed up my plans to bake the nice Spicy Lamb and Canela Pie I had planned. Mmmmm.
Rhubarb? Custard? Hollandaise sauce? Chocolate bars? Rosewater? Lemongrass? I ought to dig out a few of my discarded shopping lists so I could show what I just can't buy.
I suppose I could solve all my food related problems if I moved somewhere touristy as I guess the supermarket there must cater for alternative nationalities. But I didn't come to Spain to be a tourist! I'm just having difficulty adapting to having to eat the same foodstuffs over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
So by international you mean British. You can find all these things in supermarkets in tourist areas, but, as you said, you didn't come to Spain to be a tourist. Sauces for stirfry can't come under 'international', can they? I found it impossible to find a Portuguese cheese I liked when I lived in U.K. I have no idea if I'd have ever found it. Now I buy it when I cross the border into the Algarve every week.
You hit the nail on the head though when you said it's about adapting. I can't cook to save my life, but I'm always trying to learn. Whenever my partner or my friends say 'cook us something typically English' and I can't find the exact ingredient, I adapt. Good old mum always says: 'if you can't find x, z will taste just as good.' It's the same with Spanish food. There are so many varieties, regional favourites and countless foreign influences that add to what can be an unbelievable and always interesting lunch and dinner time!!!