Page 1 of 1

food stuff

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:33 pm
by Mick Gee
Are there any restrictions on taking say, instant coffee sachets, tea bags and healthy eating bars

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:39 pm
by Louise I
We always take teabags with no trouble. Not sure about the coffee but it is easy to buy ther - unlike proper english teabags!

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:15 pm
by Lisa Keith
Hi Mick,

As Louise says - Tea bags (good ones!!) are hard to come by here. I have friends and family bring me a stash out whenever they visit, and have been known to accept bribes and make cakes in return for payment of tea-bags! Instant coffee, including the powdered cappuccinos and lattes, we have a good selection of here - Nescafe, Maxwell House, Folgers (to name some of the UK / US brands) etc.

Healthy eating bars (I assume you mean like the Alpen Bars or Go Ahead type things?), likewise, we can get here. They're readily available with or without the yoghurt topping!

Lisa.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:21 pm
by Joanne Green
We bring in coffee, tea, peanut butter, jelly, candy, nutrition bars, etc. No questions asked. We like our own brand of coffee, rather than Nescafe.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:26 am
by Peter Kuhn
Hi Mick,

if you like a "real" coffe you can bring a Stovetop Coffemaker http://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-Express- ... _gro_img_c
and a good Espresso http://www.amazon.com/Lavazza-Qualita-E ... d_sim_hg_5
or you can enjoy by Ciao Caffee in Scarborough http://www.mytobago.info/restaurants06.php
http://www.mytobago.info/photos/restaur ... G_1974.htm


Peter
.......14 days to go 8)

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:02 am
by Brian M
Peter, you're on almost the same countdown as we are, ours Castara count is down to 13. Still working on our packing list too.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:53 am
by Peter Kuhn
Ok Brian,
maybe see you on Carneval Tuesday http://www.mytobago.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6319

%*} cheers

Peter

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:05 pm
by Steve Wooler
Provided you have the space and don't exceed your airline's baggage weight allowance, it can be a good thing to bring your favourite beverages - tea and coffee in particular. Decent tea is in very short supply (read non-existant) as Lisa says.

Coffee is my big problem. I live on the stuff. Like most people, you get used to a particular type of coffee and everything else tastes rubbish. So much so that I've just enjoyed a lovely Brunch at home and travelled to the office for a couple of cups of coffee, where I have the machine/coffee I enjoy the most. In fairness, my office is a little under 100m from home, so its hardly a big deal.

I can't stomach instant coffee and Trinidadian ground coffee is an insult to the name. Neither am I a fan of "sock-it-to-me" American ground coffee. However, during our last trip we made a discovery in Moorshead Gourmet Foods. Having tried and rejected every brand of coffee they stock, we finally found an American brand - Melitta Colombian Supreme (11.5oz tins with red label). Within a couple of cups I was hooked. So much so that when I got home I tried (unsuccessfully) to buy it in the UK.

I don't know when we will be able to get back to Tobago, but you can guarantee that within hours of landing I will be in Moorshead stocking up.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:50 pm
by Mick Gee
we're in castera between 13/19th feb, would be great to meet and chat over a beer =P~ We are addicted to kenco 3 in 1, but I fear there will be little room left for much of it after my wife has finished packing every conceivable item known to man :!:
Sorry for the endless questions :oops: but does anyone know if you can get Off Deep Woods repellant in Tobago. Its the one that has always worked for us :?:
11 days to go and counting!!!

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:07 pm
by Peter Kuhn
Mick,
I saw only Off Active http://www.offprotects.com/insect-repellent/ by Pennysavers in Canaan.
You can get Off not all the times, better you bring from home.
I have had success with plant-based potions ("Zanzarine", not cheap) and also "DEET"-based ( OFF )products.

Steve,

Melitta Colombian you can´t get in Europe, this brand is only made for the american market.
I know it´s not easy to find a good brand in UK, but you can try here http://www.discountcoffee.co.uk/coffee- ... filter-b25
or you can order in Germany http://www.kaffeeshop24.de/kaffee-espre ... ia-excelso

Peter 8)

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:31 pm
by SandraK
Steve
Great respect. Hope you now realise all of us are now going to bring you coffee - sorry, not any old coffee but Melita Colombian Supreme. Start collecting sacks near your post box, the stuff will come flooding in.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:14 pm
by Paul Tallet
Hmmm.

I work on the basis that if it is in Tobago, don't take it.

Tea ... I drink tea and the Yellow Label is fine to me.

Coffee ... don't do it normally but like the ground coffee in the cafe at the Naturalist.

Toothpaste ... It's all the same.

Deodorant ... never bother, I stink anyway (sandfly repellant).

Soap/gel/shampoo ... loads of it there.

Shaving Foam (Mr Wooler excepted) ... loads of it.

Nappies (children and certain adults) ... loads of them.

You can buy most things there ... the point is that going to Tobago means that everything including your food, drink, climate, comfort, conditioning, things that eat you etc etc is completely different ... so why not dive in, leave your comforts at home and enjoy the experience ... allergies excepted :mrgreen:

Regards

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:04 pm
by SandraK
Pete
I totally agree , as if....... Unlike you I was born with the superior XX chromosome. This means no matter where I go certain things are sacrosanct. PG tea bags, they are almost top of the list but also are a plethora of other "must haves ". Sorry, sad old woman who can't be assed to worry once actually there, but does one hell of a lot of planning .

Re: food stuff

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:53 pm
by Peter Kuhn
Sandra,

I can understand very good, what´s for you your tea it´s for me, as a german, the coffee :wink:
....and sometimes the german beer, but this problem I can compensate excellent with a good bottle Angostura 1919 rum 8)

Cheers %*}

Peter 8)

Re: food stuff

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:43 pm
by Mick Gee
Many thanks to you all for your advise and tips. I'm sure we will be fine and fall in love with the island!
10 days and counting...
regards, Mick & Di

Re: food stuff

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:06 pm
by Brian M
Well it seems the concensus was about 50/50, so we did break down and buy that pound of coffee today. I also happened uipon a shelf of 1919 T&T rum in the local liquor store, which I've never seen before. To commemorate hitting 10 in our countdown, we're going to take a bottle and go visiting the neighbours tonight. About the only other food stuffs that we're taking next week is going to be a few small containers of favourite seasonings for cooking fresh fish.

Re: food stuff

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:13 pm
by Paul Tallet
It seems that I am so easy to please :mrgreen:

Regards

Re: food stuff

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:18 pm
by Glen O
It seems that Brian neglected to mention that the neighbours he's planning to ply with his rum are going to Castara with he and Eileen. A ready made excuse to drain his bottle and teach him a lesson. 10 days! Since we booked in April it's hard to believe it's that close. Cheers everyone!

Re: food stuff

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:14 am
by Brian Taylor
I thougt melitta was originally a german brand...try over there. not too far from england... :wink:

steph

Re: food stuff

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:01 am
by Peter Kuhn
Yes Steph,
you are right......the company is german, but the kind of Melitta what Steve mean is only produced for or in US :mrgreen:

Peter