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brian1972 · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 73 Location: Pachuca Mexico

I found food to be one of my biggest issues with living in Honduras during the last year. There were so many things I could not find that I missed! The three biggies were cheese, taco seasoning and brown sugar. Sooo, since I am moving to Mexico next month I am bringing with me some dry mix packets from the store (taco seasoning, thai peanut sauce mix, alfredo mix etc.) so I can be sure to have some variety. I am also brining brown sugar for baking!!

Is there anything you miss that you can�t find in Mexico? If so, I would love to know!! I want to be more prepared this year Smile

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

You are bringing taco seasoning dry mix packets to Mexico? MEXICO?? You should be shot. Wink

What kind of cheese do you like? It's hard to find a good strong cheddar here. Costco has a mild variety from the US that somewhat helps. I usually bring back the good stuff on trips home to Canada.

Brown sugar takes a little looking around too, for decent stuff.

On our current Looking For list is allspice.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: Food

AdrianG4 · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 160 Location: Harbin, China

Are you seriously bringing taco seasoning to Mexico ???

Mekyn · Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 30 Location: Cuernavaca

Things that I miss the most are corn meal and miracle whip...although they have an abundance of mayonnaise. I also miss brown sugar as that is the secret ingredient to making really gooy cinnamon rolls...but i live without it. I really like Oaxaca cheese but I am not a big cheese eater so i don't really miss the variety of cheeses we have in the states. When i first moved here I thought it was hilarious that all the cheeses that are part of the "Mexican" cheese blend in the states do not exist in Mexico.

TeresaLopez · Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Posts: 601 Location: Mexico City

Brian: You don't need all those mixes! They are mostly salt! You can make wonderful Thai Peanut sauce and Alfredo from scratch, and all the ingredients are easy to find here. Also, taco seasoning is easy to make too. Look for a book called "Cheaper But Better" it has recipes for making all kinds of seasoning mixes, including several taco mixes. ButI know how to make around 30 kinds of tacos and none of them make use of any kind of mix......so you must be taking about American taco-style thingies. You won't find "taco" shells here either.

Guy: I brought a lot of spices with me last time I went to the US, didn't bring any Allspice, but I have a bottle of Nutmeg, if you'd like that.

Merky: You can make pretty good cinnamon rolls with the large grained sugar you get in the market, it isn't all the way brown, but it is halfway between white and brown. As for cornmeal, you should be able to find Maseca in just about any store, tastes the same, though it might be a little more finely ground.

notamiss · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:26 am Post subject:

Answering various posters above:
You can get brown sugar here. Although it�s a little different from the brown sugar at home, I find it makes no difference in anything I use it for.

Taco seasoning is a 100% American flavouring and resembles nothing eaten in Mexico. However, it's easy enough to recreate yourself, as Teresa mentions.

Allspice, that's a tough one. I don't think I've ever seen it here. According to this glossary http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pime_dio.html, its names are pimienta de Jamaica, pimienta gorda; pimienta dulce. I'm still going on the supply I brought back from Canada. Ground nutmeg is sold in the supermarkets, so it's no problem to find, and what's more, I finally found whole nutmeg, after many years without. I have more whole nutmegs than I can use, can bring some to trade at the next book exchange if anyone�s interested.

brian1972 · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 73 Location: Pachuca Mexico

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

notamiss · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:51 am Post subject:

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

allrecipes.com...great site!

I will try this out Tuesday, which is taco night round here, and let you know how it comes out.

Mekyn · Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 30 Location: Cuernavaca

Thanks Teresa...i will try the sugar next time i make cinn rolls. I have used Maseca to make tamales but i didn't realize you make corn bread with it. I will give it a try.

Mekyn · Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 30 Location: Cuernavaca

Guy...what do you make that you need allspice for?...pumpkin pie???....now there's something Mexico is missing out on Wink

brian1972 · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 73 Location: Pachuca Mexico

[quote="notamiss"]

joeyb · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 21

Guy, you were asking about allspice....
I�m pretty sure that you can find allspice (along with all sorts of other goodies) at the large Asian supermarket on the corner of Division del Norte and Londres in Coyoacan. I believe that they call it pimienta gorda. Also near the mercado San Juan there�s a large spice shop called El Molinero Progreso on calle Aranda. They might have it. Lastly, in the back of the Mercado San Juan, there is a guy that sells bean sprouts, squash and some other Asian veggies as well as Asian sauces and spices in small quantities.