It is common for expats to develop quirks about favourite foods and other items from their home country. If you have ever lived abroad you know the feeling.
Strange shopping habits can be spotted before leaving home and returning to an expat destination. Our family calls it Export shopping: it results in a family shopping spree around the Coop (sometimes Migros) stacking the trolley with our favourite food which has now become our comfort food.
These items cannot be found in the host country and may or may not have actually been part of the expats' lives in their home country but which given half a chance - and with some luck a car rather than a suitcase to fill - will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of being back home.
A bottle of Ramseier Apfelsaft, a Branchli or a Ragusa, an Ovo crunchy spread or Champions Birchermuesli will make us feel just a little bit better when we get hit with homesickness or nostalgia. A glass of Dole Blanche or a moité-moité cheese fondue will certainly hit the spot. And nobody makes bouillon cubes like the Swiss. NeoCitran, a widely-used cold remedy, will do the job in case of sickness, and the earplugs that come in a pink box let me sleep through thick and thin. And don't get me started on the chocolate... cooking chocolate, white hot chocolate, dark powdered chocolate, marzipan chocolate tablets, nutty chocolate bars and chocolate pralines!
We LOOOVE the COOP!
Nor can we resist a Swiss bakery
Suntigszopf im Ussland
Familia Birchermüesli with Hirz Yoghurt... a champion's breakfast!
Le Chiacchiere di Carnevale... bring back sweet memories of Lugano
Ramseier or Rivella?
A typical Swiss Export shopping bag
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