What would you leave and what would you bring?

[Verinia]

We are about to make a long planned move to the Algarve and are still pondering on what to leave in the UK and what to bring. I know that this topic has been covered in other ways before but I thought we could share in one thread things which are better to get in UK and better here.

So far I would bring|

Electric blankets and hot water bottles...they have been invaluable in our old country house on damp nights and hard to get here.
Antiques and collectibles if you like that sort of thing..hard to find in Algarve since I find quite rightly value and hang onto their old stuff..although whether UK antiques look right here is debatable.
White goods..cheaper from England
Saucepans
Horse manure (I know that's crazy but I can't find it here and they don't sell it in the nurseries)
OXO vegetable cubes
Socks and pants


To buy here
Ironing boards and irons...much better than English
Furniture ...if you find a good local Portugese shop to your taste, it is well made, especially sofas and chairs and tables.
Casseroles and China
Charcoal..boy is it cheaper here..not that you would bring it from Uk!
Bacalhau..we use salt cod a lot and it is much more expensive in England!
Tiles..wonderful range and so classy!
Anything from Chinese supermarkets...I love them!
Lights...not the cheapest but certainly a wonderful range.

Any more ideas anyone?

[canoeman]

Oxo don't forget you do have English shops in Algarve and anyway Knorr stockpots are available
here, meat, fish and veg, I'd add books unless your into Kindle and add TV, satellite receivers.

They do sell bagged composted horse manure unless you have stables near by, I'll get the name next time I'm in co-opertiva, nightmare keeping the dogs away from it

[Jonegy]

Bring : tins of Coleman's Mustard powder ( beats the ready made stuff hands down )

[anapedrosa]

Maple Syrup - oops, applies to Canadians, but I felt like jumping in.

[canoeman]

Ah waffles or pancakes and maple syryp you can get maple syrup in some of the health food stores Colmans Mustard Powder Continente sell, even custard powder but believe it or not no directions on how to make. it's very different shopping theses days

But you could add Golden or Black Treacle you can only get Molasses here.

[canoeman]

Ah waffles or pancakes and maple syryp you can get maple syrup in some of the health food stores Colmans Mustard Powder Continente sell, even custard powder but believe it or not no directions on how to make. it's very different shopping theses days

But you could add Golden or Black Treacle you can only get Molasses here.
Also Horseradish sauce, and quite a few spices that are difficult Allspice, mixed spice dill and tarragon as a few

[pandb]

Hard cheeses such as red leicester and parmesan which I freeze; caster sugar, mint sauce, french mustard, HP sauce, Heinz ketchup, Tea Bags, Branston Pickle, Magners cider, Guiness, cake decorating stuff such as food colourings & flavourings, icing sugar, Xmas puddings, red lentils, bulgar wheat, short grain rice, corn flour, small appliances such as hair dryer, straightners, shaver etc as many pairs of shoes and lots of clothes -unless you are a size zero and can fit into the market stuff (which is poor quality and VERY small sizes OR you have more money than sense and can afford to pay the exortionate prices in the shops. Finally (if you are a meat eater) as much bacon as you can physically carry!!!

Some of the above you could buy in a 'Brit' shop but why should you line the pockets of greedy people whose mark up is verging on criminal? If you are coming over anyway then stock up on everything you might miss. There are more and more shops delivering clothes, gifts etc to europe now for a reasonable cost, so they are another option. I am sure there are also people doing 'runs' back to the UK who bring back food stuffs for a small fee but you would have to seek them out, I suppose. Amazon is also fabulous and free delivery for orders over £25.

Good luck

[canoeman]

Sorry but over half of your list is available from Portuguese supermarkets, the difficult ones are Branston, UK Cider, HP Sauce
Cornflour is packeted as Maiziana and doesn't reguire slaking.

[pandb]

Originally Posted by canoeman

Sorry but over half of your list is available from Portuguese supermarkets, the difficult ones are Branston, UK Cider, HP Sauce
Cornflour is packeted as Maiziana and doesn't reguire slaking.

I've tried using the cornflour but it's vile! I would be gateful for advice as to which supermarkets I can puchase 'half' the things on my list. I've tried Continente, Intermarche, ELecerc and, whilst there is normally a section of an isle dedicated to 'English' foods, they are offered at a ridiculous cost and I would rather do without than pay way over the odds - my choice. There are PT alternatives for a lot of the things, which I have tried and do not like the taste of so I still prefer to bring back from the UK . Do you know if caster sugar called something else?

I think sometimes you have a taste for a particular brand (such as breakfast cereals) and perhaps need to adjust your taste buds accordingly or do without - I have become more self-sufficient and try and make as much as I possibly can eg caster sugar, mint sauce.

[canoeman]

Castor sugar is called Fino Acucar, Heinz ketchup, French Mustard, parmigiana is all over, tea bags try Lidl's Ceylon, but English Tea bags and tea available at Continente as is cheddar, oddly colored Cheddar sliced on fresh counter, Guinness, icing sugar, food coloring's and decorations, and even McVities chocolate Digestive all of these are in the regular aisles rather than in a specialist section. Bulgar wheat I've found in health food stores but couscous widely available.
Branston we make our own version, but Lidl's normally have when there's a "British week" on
Can't say I find any difference between cornflour and Maiziana for thickening sauces or Lemon Curd, but as you say personal taste.


Far greater variety over the last few years and great leaps in last 10 years