Can I get "X" there?

[Jollygoodfellow]

40 minutes ago, chris49 said:

Aussies. What is life to you is Vegemite to us.

Funny that, I'm Aussie and wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole after tasting once. 

[davewe]

I have a fairly bland pallet and rarely care about particular brands here in the US. That is, unless the brand is called "On Sale."

However, there are 2 things I know I will miss when living in the Philippines: a New York bagel and a New York style pizza. That being said, there is only one place in my current West Coast city of 1 million where I can get the former and one other place where I can get the latter. So I guess I am used to denying myself.

My darling wife says she will learn how to make bagels, but I am not holding my breath; after all they're supposed to be boiled not deep fried. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by davewe

[Jollygoodfellow]

26 minutes ago, davewe said:

New York style pizza.

I though S & R have a very popular New York style pizza. ?

[Domino22]

I guess my question was about brands I like but could try others. As for location still not sure at this point. Panglao is on the list and no others yet that's why I will check out Negros this trip. I will have to pay more attention when I walk thru the super market and make some notes. I did love the fact that Mountain Dew is there thats my morning coffee for me. The one thing that I will miss is my smoker for cooking Texas BBQ. But if I settle in one place I would have one built. Thanks Folks 

[scott h]

Never been to Panglao, but after a quick google look, don't see a lot of the stores where we buy our yankee comfort food. Good news is it looks like a tourist area, might have some for tourists. Bad news is tourists like to "experience" local flavors, might not be a big call for stuff that long term residents like. We will see if others have better intel.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

As for the specific brands, it will really depend on where you are, and how many expats are around.  In Iloilo we do ok. Cebu & Manila are sure to have more choices.  We are getting an S &R soon, so that should help.  Up in Boracay they have a lot more name brand choices because there are so many foreigners cooking there is more demand.

I am in Iloilo but do pretty well on my foreigner needs. Heinz ketchup I have seen pretty much anywhere here. Lee & Perrin's Worcestershire sauce is everywhere (my favorite), also A-1 and HP sauce. Kikkoman's is easy to find also.  Yellow mustard is easy to get, but usually only McCormick's.  Almost all the bottled spices are also McCormick. Jif, Peter Pan, and Skippy peanut butter are everywhere - but expensive!  Speaking of Nutella it is also easy to find here.

The hardest thing for me to find here is a good BBQ sauce.  Occasionally SM will have some Hunt's BBQ sauce. One of the days I will have to make my own.  I make my own salsa, chili, and flour tortillas.  We can't get corn meal here but have a farmer we special order it from. Masa Harina... forget it!  I am from Texas so my needs may be different than yours. 

[sonjack2847]

On 10/25/2016 at 8:02 AM, scott h said:

What the heck is Vegemite. You Brits keep mentioning it

He is an Aussie and vegemite is basically the same as Marmite.

[JJReyes]

18 hours ago, Queenie O. said:

JJ, how would someone order something like a case of a particular item? I've asked the manager in Rustan's if any brand of pizza sauce could be ordered because the two American brands and one from Italy were no longer on the shelves. He said that he'd try to get more, but so far none has shown up. I suspect that I previously bought out all they had!  I've had to improvise and make my own, but I'd rather buy it already made. I'd buy a case if I could..

The child of a close friend was diagnosed with Early Childhood Diabetes and she loved pancakes. We requested a food importer to bring in one case of sugarless syrup and prepaid. I think it was source from Hong Kong or Singapore. Half the case was given to the child and the other half distributed to friends. She is grown up now. She always mentions the sugarless syrup whenever we see her.

[Sander Martin]

On 25 October 2016 at 2:56 AM, mogo51 said:

But no Vegemite in the Supermarkets such as S&M.

No-one in the real world likes to eat shoe polish Ron :D

[Domino22]

From Texas also. I guess the "Balaycan" box - bad spell there could help me out with what I can not find there. I have a sister in Texas who will help me out and I will use her address when I move. I will have her on my banking account and such to pay certain bills for me. I plan to go back once a year and she will pre buy things that I want to bring back to the PI. And if I rent a two bedroom I will have some folks coming to visit a lot so they will be my "mules".