I
don’t think you’re ready to shop in a new country.
That’s
not some type of guess at what you have in your kitchen. It’s
not a thought about how you cook. Instead, it’s about the surprises
that await the first time you grab your list, get a cart, and
head to the aisles of a grocery store in a different country.
I
had the pleasure of spending a few weeks in Australia recently,
and I got to experience the wonders of shopping first hand. Everything
was fine overall. Comfortable and even vaguely familiar. But now
I have given a fair amount of consideration to the subject, and
I think I’ve identified the most important reason why it can be
so startling.
It’s
the assumption that we’ll find what we’re looking for.
It’s
not the naming of things. You won’t find peppers in Australia,
but you will find capsicums. Same darn thing. Different name.
It’s not the broad, sweeping ideas of items. The options in the
bakery area may not be perfectly familiar, but there are plenty
of amazing and delicious options for bread.
As
I said, comfortable and familiar, even if not a match. But if
you want or need something very specific, you’re going to find
yourself surprised.
I
was working on a dessert for a gathering while in Australia. I
knew the recipe well. It consisted of a blindingly indulgent assortment
of cool whip, pudding and toffee crumbles built on a crust made
with walnuts. Over many years, it has proven to again and again
to be a treat that exceeds any and all possible expectations.
The
issues began rather quickly during menu discussion—and honestly,
innocently enough—with the reveal of a nut allergy. Buh-bye to
the original crust. Let’s change it… oh… how about a graham cracker
crust?
And
that’s when the spiral began.
There
are no graham crackers in Australia. At least, none that are widely
and easily available. A decision was made to pivot to some type
of plain cookie. Perhaps something like a shortbread. But even
that didn’t stop the wave of issues and changes waiting for me.
Ever
tried try find instant pudding in Australia? It seems like it
wouldn’t be that complicated. But, as it turns out, if you need
a package of instant chocolate pudding powder, it’s far more complicated
than you’d think.
Funny
thing, these Australian grocery stores. Once you feel kind of
happy with the results of adjusting to one ingredient issue, they
don’t let you rest.
Cool
Whip? Nope.
Toffee
chips? Not at all.
And
it’s not that there aren’t alternatives, it’s just that, well…
If
I ask you about a Mars candy bar, would you remember it?
For
many of you reading this essay, my guess is that you might. As
it turns out, I have a feeling that the vast majority of you would
also be wrong.
Since
companies change, we’ll just run with a basic history and not
get into creation and distribution.
For
the American audience, the Mars candy bar has been off the market
for about twenty years. It consisted of a nougat center, a few
almonds on top, and then an envelope of chocolate. Eventually,
it also included a layer of caramel.
Outside
of America, however, when available, that candy bar is actually
known as Mars Almond. It’s a change to the original. An alternative.
The vast majority of the world knows the Mars bar as nougat, caramel
and a chocolate coating. Yup, what the world calls a Mars we in
the United States would identify as a Milky Way.
(And
if you’re seemingly a bit numb by the idea that candy bars do
and don’t exist, with names and availability swirled together
like some wonderful concoction of peanut butter and pretzels,
then I would advise you not to even look at the offerings of Doritos
in Australia. New packaging colors for traditional favorites.
Different flavors. It’s madness.)
Which
brings us to the Blistex. (Kind of.)
At
one point I felt like my lips were drying out. Didn’t want it
to become an issue, so on one of the runs to the shops, I meandered
off into the aisles where I figured I would find some options,
and I did. Turns out, quite a few of the familiar American brands
have some space on the shelves. Blistex. Vaseline. Burt’s Bees.
Even a special collector’s edition from Coca-Cola. Then there
are all sorts of names you won’t readily identify, but have obviously
secured their place in the Australian market. And, there are a
few you will recognize as being offered by the massive cosmetic
companies.
The
result of my efforts was that I found what I needed. Chose a small
container of Blistex. Worked great. Probably could have picked
four or five other options and been quite satisfied. More to the
point…
What
I was looking to find, I found. But every so often, you need to
be ready for something unexpected. Ready for a different label.
Ready to use an alternative. Because graham crackers aren’t the
universal pantry staple item around the world that you may believe
them to be.
(I
never did ask how they made s’mores.)