Top 10 Foods That Americans Miss While Abroad

[utalkin2me]

5190NG2QBZL._SY300_1.jpgI have a friend that's lived in Thailand since 1989 and he misses this the most, in fact whenever anyone visits we bring him a can or 2 in our suitcase.

That's interesting because you couldn't pay me to eat canned corned beef hash. Isn't that like dog food?

I agree with you here jingthing as I can get it whenever I want and still don't eat it. I guess it's just something that reminds him of his youth and also that it's unavailable anywhere in Thailand.

I think if I lived in Thailand I would miss the great selection of microbrews/imported beers we have in the USA now.

Anybody else miss a good beer?

I recently found this place thanks to another ThaiVisa post, Has anyone tried them? I'm going to order a case before I arrive next trip in October and it looks like a pretty good company.

http://www.seekbeervana.com/home/

Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks.

I dont miss "good" bear at all. I do miss wines though, or I miss the US prices is more appropriate. Back to the beer though, if I have got it, i'm fine.

[orchidlady]

Almost anything from Trader Joes, especially their wines (not two buck chuck!). black beans ( I cook my own but they still don't taste the same. maybe it's the water like NY pizza joints claim!

Panera (think they would do great over here). Corned beef. Zangkhou chicken with the garlic sauce

Chipotle or Baja Fresh mexican food. A baja Fresh did open in Singapore. I was there the week after they opened--great food but very very pricey-maybe 3 times what I paid on my last visit home to So Cal.

yellow peaches- I've tried the imported ones ($$$$$) from NZ or OZ but not the same and waste of money

You can get imported fresh berries here--just pay through the nose for them. I spend a few minutes inspecting each pack because of the price many stores still sell them when they have mold.

Sweet potatoes(orange flesh). I buy them at villa as a special treat and pay about 140 baht a potato--lately they have not been of very good quality. They are imported, I don't know why they aren't grown here. I keep thinking I may try to grow them in a barrel on my patio.

Costco chocolate hand dipped ice cream bars drenched in almonds.(magnum doesn't come close)

buttermilk (fresh or dried) for cooking. Thais told me they have buttermilk here-yellow carton --it's banana!

desserts made with meringue--the few places that sell something with meringue the topping is like rubber. You can't make it in a high humidity environment and have the same product.

Milton's wheat and multi-grain bread. I've come close with my bread machine but still not close enough

[isawasnake]

When peaches used to come into season, we used to buy these 5 dollar peach pies at marie calendars i think (i was always too drunk too remember), buy a gallon of vanilla ice cream for about 2 bucks, and we'd all eat that pie in about 10 minutes.

i miss that somethin fierce. there aint nothin like that here. maybe it is my buddies i miss more than anything.

[zydeco]

I would kill my mother-in-law for a corn dog.

Where is "K-Village" ???

Last time I was there it was closed down already, like 1.5 months ago. The guy was super friendly...but almost too friendly. I think he was Armenian, but claimed to live in the states for a while. They were decent, kind of like foster farms....

K-Village is mostly Japanese families and for lack of a better word, hi-so Thais. So yeah, not an easy crowd to make a profit on corn dogs

Bought corn dogs there a couple of weeks ago. Was still in business. The owner is a Frenchman who lived in Los Angeles. Yeah, he's very friendly. Not a bad thing.

[anotheruser]

I would kill my mother-in-law for a corn dog.

Where is "K-Village" ???

Last time I was there it was closed down already, like 1.5 months ago. The guy was super friendly...but almost too friendly. I think he was Armenian, but claimed to live in the states for a while. They were decent, kind of like foster farms....

K-Village is mostly Japanese families and for lack of a better word, hi-so Thais. So yeah, not an easy crowd to make a profit on corn dogs

Japanese people do eat corn dogs. When I lived in Tokyo every 7 11 had them, they called them American dogs. They would give you a handy little packet of ketchup and mustard so when you opened it the perfect amount of both went onto the dog.

[GinBoy2]

Spent most of my adult life in Sonoma County California, got spoilt with the choice of wines (its a food group, right?) As with a previous post, I severely miss the price I would pay in the US for a decent wine vs the outrageous price I pay for a crappy bottle of aussie plonk. And as a rider to that, I'm not saying all Aussie wine is bad, a lot really good, just commenting on the price here in Thailand

[PoolDoctor]

Wheat thins and triscuits? party mix (with real chex cereal). slim jims. A&W weiners...the list can go on and on...

[zydeco]

This time of year, I'm really missing pecan pie. And speaking of pecans, I sure could use a few of Lammes' Chewey Texas Pecan Pralines and some White Divinity.

Edited December 27, 2013 by zydeco

[Ulysses G.]

This time of year, I'm really missing pecan pie.

I've only had really tasty pecan pie once in Southeast Asia. An American expat in Hanoi made it from scratch using very expensive ingredients and it was as good as my moms. That was 15 years ago and I've never forgotten it.

I think that good pecan pie is too expensive to make and earn a profit for commercial bakers in Thailand. There are some lousy versions around, but, to me, they are not even worth bothering with.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[NewlyMintedThai]

The one at Bourbon Street will do in a pinch.

[zydeco]

This time of year, I'm really missing pecan pie.

I've only had really tasty pecan pie once in Southeast Asia. An American expat in Hanoi made it from scratch using very expensive ingredients and it was as good as my moms. That was 15 years ago and I've never forgotten it.

I think that good pecan pie is too expensive to make and earn a profit for commercial bakers in Thailand. There are some lousy versions around, but, to me, they are not even worth bothering with.

Well, if I can't get a pecan pie, I can at least make some apricot and peach fried pies.

[Jingthing]

Pecan pie has become problematical:

The cost of pecans is fully exposed to the economic push and pull of supply and demand—the government doesn’t support pecan prices the way it does sugar prices, for instance. So when the most populous country in the world suddenly developed an insatiable and totally unprecedented hunger for pecans, demand skyrocketed. The price of pecans did, too.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/holidays/2013/11/pecan_prices_why_china_s_demand_has_made_thanksgiving_pies_more_expensive.html

[smokie36]

This time of year, I'm really missing pecan pie.

I've only had really tasty pecan pie once in Southeast Asia. An American expat in Hanoi made it from scratch using very expensive ingredients and it was as good as my moms. That was 15 years ago and I've never forgotten it.

I think that good pecan pie is too expensive to make and earn a profit for commercial bakers in Thailand. There are some lousy versions around, but, to me, they are not even worth bothering with.

Damn you UG...you have the knack of making me hungry for things I have never tried.

Merry Xmas to ya....

[Ulysses G.]

The one at Bourbon Street will do in a pinch.

I think that they have two different styles. At least they did a few years ago. The New Orleans Cafe in Pattaya had one too. None of them was up to scratch in my opinion, but not bad if you have never had a really good one.

To me, a really excellent pecan pie is the food of the Gods, but not easy to find anywhere, especially Thailand.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Agreed. It will do in a pinch, but it does not reach the ethereal level of a really good homemade pecan pie.

[GaryB1263]

I miss:

1) really good sandwich bread (Does anyone know where to get bread around Jomtien or Patts)

2) Fried bologna and cheese sandwiches with yellow mustard from Swenson's in the Akron, Oh area.

3) cured spiral sliced hams

4) chili dogs

5) I like pie. Pecan, apple, cherry.

6) Peach crisp and cherry crisp.

7) Broasted chicken

8) Grinders

9) Luncheon Meats.

The list goes on from here.

[rice555]

The one at Bourbon Street will do in a pinch.

I think that they have two different styles. At least they did a few years ago. The New Orleans Cafe in Pattaya had one too. None of them was up to scratch in my opinion, but not bad if you have never had a really good one.

To me, a really excellent pecan pie is the food of the Gods, but not easy to find anywhere, especially Thailand.

Hello All, you could make your own!

This is 100g, they did have 500's which I was scared to look at the price.

This is from a baking supply store in Korat.

rice555

[kimbathewhitelion]

Won't look at the URL as I find other peoples opinions just opinions, but as I'm going back next month, I will be gorging myself in food:

1) Many & many USDA Beef Steaks with baked potatoes of even better, yams & fresh peas.

2) Mexican food galore - from of course non-English speaking restaurants or shacks, illegals bring the best quality recipes.

3) Barones Pizza (still real pizza) (most US pizza is & over the last 15 years has run into crap with pre-cooked, microwave & processed everything)

4) "In & Out" Burger & "Carneys" for of the similar

5) Bangers & Mash (though English, anywhere in Thailand will have you running to the toilet; however in America, many British expats have done well with their restaurant duties in staying true to taste)

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kimbathewhitelion]

By the way, thanks to OP for the refreshing post.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kimbathewhitelion]

And to add...Costco. Can buy either a large Salmon fillet (1lb) or a family feast of Giant Alaskan crab for $20 or less.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kimbathewhitelion]

I would kill my mother-in-law for a corn dog.

Where is "K-Village" ???

Last time I was there it was closed down already, like 1.5 months ago. The guy was super friendly...but almost too friendly. I think he was Armenian, but claimed to live in the states for a while. They were decent, kind of like foster farms....

K-Village is mostly Japanese families and for lack of a better word, hi-so Thais. So yeah, not an easy crowd to make a profit on corn dogs

Japanese people do eat corn dogs. When I lived in Tokyo every 7 11 had them, they called them American dogs. They would give you a handy little packet of ketchup and mustard so when you opened it the perfect amount of both went onto the dog.

Many do, you'd be surprised. Waffle Dogs as well. No people can be generalized.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[zydeco]

I would kill my mother-in-law for a corn dog.

Where is "K-Village" ???

Last time I was there it was closed down already, like 1.5 months ago. The guy was super friendly...but almost too friendly. I think he was Armenian, but claimed to live in the states for a while. They were decent, kind of like foster farms....

K-Village is mostly Japanese families and for lack of a better word, hi-so Thais. So yeah, not an easy crowd to make a profit on corn dogs

Just heard last month that the Corn Dog Dude guy is now selling from a truck in the same area. Some friends brought corn dogs in late Feb. Just need to find out his route.

[NewlyMintedThai]

He's in Sukhumvit Soi 23, by the second entrance to the university.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[jerry921]

Re in-n-out burger: I grew up on the US east coast and never went to one until I moved to CA when I was 40. Honestly, I didn't think they were very good. I went a few times in 5 years before moving away, and they don't have them here in Seattle AFAIK.

They were absolutely packed with people whenever I went to one, more than half waiting on their order (maybe that's their secret). So they are definitely popular with the Californians, but I think the attraction must be half nostalgia/atmosphere. Anyway, I decided the place wasn't worth the wait.

[Ace of Pop]

Lobster.

[EmptyHead]

You never ate hambugers? What's wrong with you man!

[debrakfurlow]

Grits

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ignis]

Friend came last night, stopped off at KFC on the way and arrived with something called Black Magic Chicken Burger !!!

Is this American ? totally revolting bun, my dogs appeared to like it

[zydeco]

Chitlinns and mustard greens with cornbread

It's really hard to get cornbread mix, here. It comes sporadically. I've found it in Villa on Soi 33 but not since 2012, so stopped looking. The Central World carried it for about a year and stopped six months or so ago. I always bring back Martha White's Mexican cornbread when in the US--but that happens less and less. Do agree about the greens, collard and mustard, whether I cook my own or Sunshine brand canned. Put that with salmon croquettes and some Louisiana Pepper Sauce and I'm read to go.

[robertthebruce]

A Decent Healthy Salad, with various Pulses and Beans and some nice low Cal Dressing....

I really miss the "Whole food Stores" in California......

But I do LOVE the fantastic variation of Fruits here.... So it balances things out...