What French Goodies Are You Missing?

by Tim Aldiss · 11th November 2015

French tinned goodies in Le Touquet’s La Belle Isloise

There I was finishing off my last can of Cacolac from the back of the camper’s cupboards and I decided to ask on Facebook what everyone else was missing from their most recent French trips. The responses were interesting enough to even tempt me into trying a few as yet unheard of goodies such as Creme de Marrons (a sweetened chestnut purée). What are you missing?

Catherine Brown The bread.

Rachel Owen Bread & cake!!

Michael Dew Marmite and digestives…oops sorry did I mention I live in France

Gill Cass Super U have milk chocolate digestives here with French biscuits they have the basic ones on English section with marmite

Michael Dew As do casino, cora and carrefour. But what I really miss a local boozer. Mind you many Pubs in the Uk have gone to the wall since I left 25 years ago

Gill Cass we only left 5 years ago and things have changed so much ! we don’t have casino cora or carrefour here apart from a tiny carrefour there was a casino at Confolens but been gone more than a year

Michael Dew Nice part of the world Confolens. I’m still in the smoke of Ile de France. Best decision ever to leave the UK. Language an issue for the first couple of years, then the French find our accent a novelty

Gill Cass my French is rubbish lack of grammar but I know the basic words smiling and pointing helps too wink emoticon I am better at listening OH better at speaking

Denise Butler Definitely the bread. Also Pastis, it doesn’t seem the same having Pastis over here.

Gail Jones I miss the wine drinking at 11.00 am ! It seems normal in France but so frowned upon in the UK! Lol

Louise Rozhon Having french food shopping withdrawals generally but definitely le pain , les moules and le vin…. I know you can buy all 3 here in the UK but it’s never the same!

Neil Owen The sun.

Rich Rimmo https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/p-1214-cacolac-6x25cl.aspx…
You can buy it here.

French Click – Cacolac 6x25cl

(BOIS) Cacolac Chocolate Drink 6x25cl Cans

FRENCHCLICK.CO.UK

Rich Rimmo I miss canderel vanilla sweetener. They used to sell it in uk but they’ve stopped now.

Dougie Begg Cointreau, Grand Marnier, wed burgandy, Geer, bbrraandy, abthhhsinthe, I misst it alot, but now Im in Shpain, and rather enjoying sangria, san magel, a fullld bodied roija, and a small shhherry aperitifshhh. I mussh say Im looking forward to Portugal.

David Young Not French but spaghetti ice, malz bier and bratwurst, curry gewurz ketchup which I brought back loads from Germany.

Tanya Piper Lidl Yogurt with fruit in the base and pipettes of chocolate in the lid, not available in the uk, been our most wanted every time for many years sadly disappointed on our recent trip as they are no longer selling them frown emoticon

Sheron Hassell The is a way, on-line, in the UK. They’re based in London. My dad was hooked on Citrol …. they used to deliver by the box … bit pricey, but cheaper than the ferry ….
https://www.frenchclick.co.uk

French Food Supermarket London UK. Meat, Cheese, Jam,Charcuterie,French Click

French Supermarket in London. French Food UK FrenchClick.co Selling a wide variety of high quality products that are imported direct from France including Meat, Cheese, Fish, Jams, Baby food and much more.

FRENCHCLICK.CO.UK

Chris Colyer Deff the bread

Sheron Hassell Michael …. I used to take wholesale boxes of Marmite & loads of other ex-pat delights down to Central Massif when dad was alive ….. he became quite popular in those parts.

Michael Dew I bet he was, shame you don’t have a similar set up to Ile de France. Many a expat would be interested

Gerry Rose Michael Dew have you tried this website? I used them last year…not cheap but worth it as a treathttp://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/

Sheron Hassell You can make the bread in a breadmaker ….. we do.

Tim Aldiss Not a decent baguette though, surely

Sheron Hassell Yes you can …. check it out on youtube …. there’s a vid of a nausiating American doing it. We use the machine to mix & knead but then use our oven to bake ….. it’s far crispier in the oven. You can also use a skillet thingy instead of an oven.

Nicola Fletcher Frites

Tanya Piper Sheron Hassell I go nowhere without our breadmaker I cannot eat shop breads due to the preservatives in them. We have one breadmaker indoors and one in the van.

Terry Moore The only thing I miss is Pelforth Brun and Pelforth Blond

Tim Aldiss I bought back a couple of those mini barrels – did you see them? Wish I’d bought more

Terry Moore I brought back 96 bottles lovely jubbley

Trevor Cadwallader Is that anything like a pint of Bank,s Terry Moore wink emoticon

Terry Moore Better mate

Tanya Piper There is an English couple who have a stall in the Market at Pontorson selling all the English favourites at less than they are available for in Carrefour but still making a big profit on the prices they paid for them over here using their white van to transport.

Pauline Beddoes Cacolac with brandy…mmmmmmmmm

Tim Aldiss I got quite hooked on that kids strawberry flavour syrop. So sweet but so refreshing

Julie Picillo Baguettes filled with brie and ham

Julia Stollard Always chocolate Danette!!!

Jenny Budden Definitely pain and cheese

Julia Stollard also, Creme de marrons!

Tim Aldiss What the heck is that?!

Julia Stollard Haha… It’s a sweetened chestnut purée that Italians and French sometimes like to put on their morning bread! It’s sweetened with vanilla and it’s amazing!!! Cream of Chestnuts ‘jam’ smile emoticon

Tim Aldiss Holy moly I gotta get me some of that! Us Brits have nothing to offer in comparison do we!

Julia Stollard I have occasionally seen it in the ‘select’ or ‘free from’ sections of supermarkets here… But expensive here xx

Gail Jones I miss the wine drinking at 11.00 am ! It seems normal in France but so frowned upon in the UK! Lol

Terry Moore If you are talking treats pan aux raisin every time

Gail Jones Ooh my favourite too

Gerry Rose Pain au chocolate, chocolate chaud, Schweppes Agrum, Mousse au chocolat, moules frites, crepes…

Sheron Hassell Moules frites … now you’re talking.
& while we’re at it, how about lovely fresh melons from the roadside stalls.

Karen Smith Sirop à l’eau/diabolo and Buffalo Grill!

Sheridan Ramskill Nothing. The bread and the cheese are far worse than we have over here. Only thing I would say I miss was Saumur but…..

Jude Hoole Croissants in the mornings, also Moules and frites !!

Mick Mead BREAD.

Julia Stollard lol… yeah proper bread….

Sheron Hassell ….. but the thing I really really miss the most …. ridiculously cheap diesel

Sheridan Ramskill It breaks my heart when I fill up with diesel at just over £1 a litre when I was paying just over €1 a litre in France
I really need to just give in & use cooking oil in my van & buy it in bulk.

Rob Jones Merguez sausages and Rillettes du Porc.