Things to buy in Germany - unavailable in the USA
Dec 21, 2010, 11:23 am
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
For anyone in Chicago, I'll put in a word for a couple stores in Lincoln Square.
Although no longer owned by Germans, Gene's Sausage Shop continues many of the traditions of the former Delicatessen Meyer (Mayer?). We were in there on Saturday and the store was overflowing with imported German Christmas treats (as well as a fair number of Germans themselves!) - you can even pick up a German newspaper by the checkout stand - marzipan, chocolates, Kolner Stollen, many kinds of cookies in what certainly looked like the actual German packaging (I didn't compare ingredient lists). The deli has an amazing variety of products including like 12 kinds of LiverWurst, and Wieswurst with or without parsley (yum). When they asked my "what like of Liverwurst do you want" I stared like the deer in the headlights until the person standing next to me said "you want the calves liver" and the taste brought me back to my childhood.
Upstairs, they have a huge selection of European food products that you never see here, and again many of them were so specialized that I do not believe they would bother with an American version. As far as I could tell this was the real deal.
Just down the street is the wildly overpriced Merz Apothecary, but if you are really in need of something like the European Nivea line or German toothpaste, they're likely to have it.
Although no longer owned by Germans, Gene's Sausage Shop continues many of the traditions of the former Delicatessen Meyer (Mayer?). We were in there on Saturday and the store was overflowing with imported German Christmas treats (as well as a fair number of Germans themselves!) - you can even pick up a German newspaper by the checkout stand - marzipan, chocolates, Kolner Stollen, many kinds of cookies in what certainly looked like the actual German packaging (I didn't compare ingredient lists). The deli has an amazing variety of products including like 12 kinds of LiverWurst, and Wieswurst with or without parsley (yum). When they asked my "what like of Liverwurst do you want" I stared like the deer in the headlights until the person standing next to me said "you want the calves liver" and the taste brought me back to my childhood.
Upstairs, they have a huge selection of European food products that you never see here, and again many of them were so specialized that I do not believe they would bother with an American version. As far as I could tell this was the real deal.
Just down the street is the wildly overpriced Merz Apothecary, but if you are really in need of something like the European Nivea line or German toothpaste, they're likely to have it.
Last edited by milepig; Dec 21, 2010 at 11:29 am
Dec 21, 2010, 6:03 pm
#107
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: USAirways CP
Posts: 712
We just returned from a 12 day trip to Germany (includes two days in Salzburg) and what I miss most are:
1. The number of places you can quickly pick up fresh sandwiches. The quality of the food, even in places at train stations blow away most US food. When I go into a Subway now, I wish the quality was the same as those cafes or sandwich shops in Germany. (I was also surprised at the number of restaurants Subway has in Germany. We never visited one so I can't say what they have or how good the food may be.)
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
4. French fries. Not sure how they do it but even when we got them at Christmas markets with temps in the 20s, the last fry seemed as hot as the first one I ate.
5. Beer.
I'm not much of a food explorer but I sure miss the quality of the food. We even lost a few pounds during the trip. I guess all of the walking we did and lack of sugary snacking helped.
I also appreciated the effort the cafe employees (owners?) put into maintaining the appearance of the place. We went into one very small cafe (coffee shop) in Rothenburg during a snow storm (Dec 8th or 9th) to warm up and had some tea and pastries. While sitting there I was admiring the care and the quality of the furnishings. Even the ceiling was of high quality and had some nice moldings to it (sorry I'm not a craftsman so the term may not be correct).
1. The number of places you can quickly pick up fresh sandwiches. The quality of the food, even in places at train stations blow away most US food. When I go into a Subway now, I wish the quality was the same as those cafes or sandwich shops in Germany. (I was also surprised at the number of restaurants Subway has in Germany. We never visited one so I can't say what they have or how good the food may be.)
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
4. French fries. Not sure how they do it but even when we got them at Christmas markets with temps in the 20s, the last fry seemed as hot as the first one I ate.
5. Beer.
I'm not much of a food explorer but I sure miss the quality of the food. We even lost a few pounds during the trip. I guess all of the walking we did and lack of sugary snacking helped.
I also appreciated the effort the cafe employees (owners?) put into maintaining the appearance of the place. We went into one very small cafe (coffee shop) in Rothenburg during a snow storm (Dec 8th or 9th) to warm up and had some tea and pastries. While sitting there I was admiring the care and the quality of the furnishings. Even the ceiling was of high quality and had some nice moldings to it (sorry I'm not a craftsman so the term may not be correct).
Dec 23, 2010, 7:26 pm
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
We just returned from a 12 day trip to Germany (includes two days in Salzburg) and what I miss most are:
1. The number of places you can quickly pick up fresh sandwiches. The quality of the food, even in places at train stations blow away most US food. When I go into a Subway now, I wish the quality was the same as those cafes or sandwich shops in Germany. (I was also surprised at the number of restaurants Subway has in Germany. We never visited one so I can't say what they have or how good the food may be.)
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
4. French fries. Not sure how they do it but even when we got them at Christmas markets with temps in the 20s, the last fry seemed as hot as the first one I ate.
5. Beer.
I'm not much of a food explorer but I sure miss the quality of the food. We even lost a few pounds during the trip. I guess all of the walking we did and lack of sugary snacking helped.
I also appreciated the effort the cafe employees (owners?) put into maintaining the appearance of the place. We went into one very small cafe (coffee shop) in Rothenburg during a snow storm (Dec 8th or 9th) to warm up and had some tea and pastries. While sitting there I was admiring the care and the quality of the furnishings. Even the ceiling was of high quality and had some nice moldings to it (sorry I'm not a craftsman so the term may not be correct).
1. The number of places you can quickly pick up fresh sandwiches. The quality of the food, even in places at train stations blow away most US food. When I go into a Subway now, I wish the quality was the same as those cafes or sandwich shops in Germany. (I was also surprised at the number of restaurants Subway has in Germany. We never visited one so I can't say what they have or how good the food may be.)
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
4. French fries. Not sure how they do it but even when we got them at Christmas markets with temps in the 20s, the last fry seemed as hot as the first one I ate.
5. Beer.
I'm not much of a food explorer but I sure miss the quality of the food. We even lost a few pounds during the trip. I guess all of the walking we did and lack of sugary snacking helped.
I also appreciated the effort the cafe employees (owners?) put into maintaining the appearance of the place. We went into one very small cafe (coffee shop) in Rothenburg during a snow storm (Dec 8th or 9th) to warm up and had some tea and pastries. While sitting there I was admiring the care and the quality of the furnishings. Even the ceiling was of high quality and had some nice moldings to it (sorry I'm not a craftsman so the term may not be correct).
Jan 1, 2011, 2:33 pm
#109
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: United Silver, AA, Delta, Marriott, Hyatt.
Posts: 432
1. The number of places you can quickly pick up fresh sandwiches. The quality of the food, even in places at train stations blow away most US food. When I go into a Subway now, I wish the quality was the same as those cafes or sandwich shops in Germany. (I was also surprised at the number of restaurants Subway has in Germany. We never visited one so I can't say what they have or how good the food may be.)
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
2. Pastries/breads. Yumm.
3. Pretzels. Certainly seem tastier than ones in the US.
Jan 8, 2011, 2:46 pm
#110
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ohio
Programs: HH Dia, WOH Dia, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plt
Posts: 131
I like to go to places like stationary stores, home improvement stores, large department stores, and the like and look for things similar to what is in the US but with a German feel. Or things that just have lots of German Language on them, like an "Vorsicht, bissiger Hund!" sign or metric measuring cups or the like. Whatever someone's hobby is, find the stuff associated with that hobby in Germany.
I also like to bring back as much beer as possible. It is amazing how low the import duties have been that I've had to pay, when in fact I had to pay them.
I also like to bring back as much beer as possible. It is amazing how low the import duties have been that I've had to pay, when in fact I had to pay them.
Jan 9, 2011, 5:54 pm
#112
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
I saw a giant bottle at Cost Plus World Market recently! The prices there have really risen sharply, and the selection varies greatly by store and by region, I find.
I have also seen various types of German honey in Cost Plus, for whoever was looking for some upthread. (That is one thing which I find does not travel all that well, although I did recently finish a jar which started at MUC and made its way around the world a few times in the suitcase)
I have also seen various types of German honey in Cost Plus, for whoever was looking for some upthread. (That is one thing which I find does not travel all that well, although I did recently finish a jar which started at MUC and made its way around the world a few times in the suitcase)
Jan 10, 2011, 1:57 pm
#113
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC (home), DUS (office), XXX (customer)
Programs: LH, AB, SPG, CC, Sixt, EC
Posts: 6,334
Jan 11, 2011, 2:34 pm
#114
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
It must be Easter season!
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-guard-ag...11836-288.html
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-guard-ag...11836-288.html
The United States takes its ban on chocolate eggs with toys inside very seriously, a Canadian woman discovered when she was threatened at the border with a 300-dollar fine over a Kinder Surprise, media said Tuesday
Jan 11, 2011, 9:17 pm
#116
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Scottsdale, Berlin, Wherever
Programs: Marriott titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, AS, UA, AA, TWA, PAN AM, PSA
Posts: 558
sauer scharf soup
I love the sauer scharf soup that they have in the Cinese Restaurants in Germany. It's kind of like Hot and Sour soup in the US but much tastier.
Jan 13, 2011, 4:00 pm
#117
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 104
Jan 13, 2011, 4:23 pm
#118
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
But the chocolate is not the good part (in fact it used to get tossed or given to someone else if anyone who would actually eat it was around). The toy was the point of the egg, not the chocolate.
Jan 14, 2011, 6:57 am
#119
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 104
Jan 14, 2011, 8:41 pm
#120
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Between IAH and AUS
Programs: DL AA
Posts: 121
In Germany I stock up on jams and preserves, hit the spice section, get some of the different types of vinegar and then load up on candy. No High Fructose Corn Syrup there. And all the bier I can safely carry home.
Eating in train stations is the best, Crobag beats Subway hands down, and Nordsee is the ultimate in healthy, good fast food.