“What are you doing?” my mom wrote in a phone text.
“Trying to cook and find substitute ingredients for my recipe,” I replied.
Seriously, cooking overseas isn’t a piece of cake!
Oftentimes, you can’t find the basic ingredients that you need for your recipes. I’m constantly trying to find “alternative” ways to make something.
That night, I was desperately trying to find corn starch for my crockpot recipe— sweet and sour chicken.
Staying temporarily in a friend’s house, I couldn’t find it in her cupboard. I had no idea if corn starch even existed in Spain. If it did, I didn’t know the Spanish word for it. If I were going to ask at the grocery store, I would need my new best friend, “Google Translate,” to walk up with me to the cashier.
What Can I Substitute?
I quickly searched on the internet, “What can I substitute for corn starch?”
Found it . . . FLOUR. I would need three tablespoons of flour for every one tablespoon of corn starch.
There were other ingredients I couldn’t find for my recipe, so one by one, I googled their substitutes.
I have learned, in my 25 years abroad, to make things from scratch.
From Scratch!
I’ll never forget my first Thanksgiving in Morocco. My family’s tradition is to make “Grandma Esther’s Creamed Corn Casserole.” It’s a secret family recipe that I only give out to very special friends. It’s a hit around the world for all those who have tasted it.
In any case, I was missing two major ingredients: a can of creamed corn and a box of Jiffy corn bread mix.
I googled and found substitutes. It just took heating and mixing some butter, flour, and milk with my can of corn in a stovetop pan, and voilà, I had “creamed” corn! In the market in Morocco, I was able to find some corn bread flour and make my own “corn bread mix.”
I have to say that the “by scratch” version of Grandma Esther’s famous recipe was delicious. She would be proud!
In all my years living abroad in Morocco and France, our family’s favorite Saturday morning breakfast of pancakes or waffles definitely needs to be dressed with maple syrup. We always bring a full stock of bottles of maple flavoring in order to make our own maple syrup. No, it’s not the same as the authentic, pure maple syrup from the Somerset, Pennsylvania maple sugar camps. However, when you can’t find pure maple syrup when living overseas—or you cannot afford the imported varieties that you find in the speciality stores—the homemade version is better than nothing! Honestly, our family has grown to like it!
And, like I said in my story, “10 Favorite Things I Can’t Find in a Spanish Grocery Store,” oftentimes, homemade is cheaper and healthier. There are some advantages to not being able to find the REAL stuff!
Here’s a list of my 10 favorite recipe ingredients I can’t find in a Spanish grocery store:
—Worcestershire sauce
—Molasses
—Old Bay Seasoning (great in tuna salad)
—Creamed corn (for “Grandma Esther’s Creamed Corn Casserole”)
—Maple flavoring (to make maple syrup when I don’t have any!)
—Jiffy corn bread mix (for “Grandma Esther’s Creamed Corn Casserole”)
—Barbecue (BBQ) sauce (Kansas City Masterpiece is the best!)
—Coleslaw salad mix (for oriental salad)
—Taco seasoning
—Chili powder
When Are You Coming?
I’ll end this story in the same way that I ended my other story, “10 Favorite Things I Can’t Find in a Spanish Grocery Store.”
Yes, it’s true! Most of these things we can live without. However, as soon as a friend or family member is crossing the ocean on an airplane to come and visit us . . . I’m sending them my “wish list”!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Have you ever lived or traveled abroad and couldn’t find some of your favorite recipe ingredients at the local grocery store? How did you handle this? Did you manage to find substitutes for your needed ingredients so that you could make a “by scratch,” homemade version of your favorite dishes? How did it turn out?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
Are you ready to go to Spain to explore some more?!
