Velveeta - Can you buy it in GB?

[foodie52]

A friend of mine in GB wants me to bring her some Velveeta from the USA. You must have it to make queso!

Can you buy it in England? Sure would make my packing easier if I didn't have to bring it over...

[tomweir]

>You must have it to make queso!

Or queasy...

Tell her to buy Calvita (if they still make it...) It is pretty well the same thing, bland, rubbery, chemically-induced cheeselike stuff which no one eats any more, right?

If she wants to make some kind of dish involving a Mexican style cheese (queso al papa), which is a drier, more crumbly, white salty cheese, the best option is feta.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I have friends that buy it at Harrods (although I keep telling them they are NUTS).

[foodie52]

Well, before 9/11 it wouldn't have been a problem bringing it in. But the problem is that the American security guys see it on their Xray screen as a big block of explosives material packed in foil....and they will remove it from my suitcase.

So, I've decided to unwrap it, repack it in clingfilm , and bring along a spoon so that I can demonstrate its edibility ( and I use that term loosely....)

[Mabelline]

Foodie 52, ahm ashamed of you! Yew know it's the Ro-Tel! By the way, can you take canned goods?

[foodie52]

But of course! The Rotel is coming along, too. I don't think it will appear as a problem.

I'm also lugging along a case of proper tortilla chips.

[Mayhaw Man]

Instead of hauling chips that will likely be bulky and pretty easy to crush, why not get corn tortillas in the UK (assuming they are fairly easy to come by) and fry them there. They are really easy to do, you can fry a ton of them in a short period of time, and they taste much better than store bought.

Incidentally, I would love to be in line behind you when they make you eat a hunk of that cheese.

Edited for really crummy typing

[foodie52]

Oh I forgot...I'm also bringing Central Market's flour tortillas to another friend.....6 dozen. She'll freeze them and eat one a day until they are all gone.

I don't think you can get thin, unsalted Mexican-restaurant style chips there. I could be wrong, but I don't remember seeing them at all. Or corn tortillas for that matter. I hope somebody posts here soon and lets us know!

(And NOT someone else from Texas or Louisiana!!!)

[Jaymes]

Oh I forgot...I'm also bringing Central Market's flour tortillas to another friend.....6 dozen. She'll freeze them and eat one a day until they are all gone.

I don't think you can get thin, unsalted Mexican-restaurant style chips there. I could be wrong, but I don't remember seeing them at all. Or corn tortillas for that matter. I hope somebody posts here soon and lets us know!

(And NOT someone else from Texas or Louisiana!!!)

Well in my opinion...

Oh. Nevermind.

[elyse]

Bring a spoon that you don't want anymore. Or a plastic knife that you can chuck. Why not cut it in chunks and put it in a ziplock?

[Jaymes]

Yes, I'm going to speak up anyway.

How's about taking a tortilla press and a couple packages of masa harina? That should last quite a while, and making your own corn tortillas is amazingly easy. When I lived in Panama, we couldn't get tortillas and I made my own for four years.

Obviously that'd have to be in your CHECKED luggage. You could knock someone from here to hell and back with a tortilla press.

(As I had to repeatedly explain to my first ex-husband.)

Edited December 28, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[tomweir]

The tortilla press is a good idea. I am sure you can get masa harina in London. You can in Dublin, so...

[Suzi Edwards]

you can get basic mexican stuff (masa harina and corn tortillas) in satanburies. or a nicer alternative is the cool chilli stall at borough market :-)

my american boyf says he's never seen velveeta here (and judging by the look on his face when i asked what it was, it might be a reason for him staying here :-)

[foodie52]

Hah! Easy for YOU to do, maybe, Jaymes darling....

Nope, I've decided to take: Velveeta, Rotel and a couple of packages of the white corn tortillas made by El Milagro. We then have the option to fry them up, or just serve them warmed.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

[jhlurie]

You must have it to make queso!

Do you really? What did people use before Velveeta?

BTW: this is really cute. "Monkey" uses Velveeta!

[elyse]

That was totally adorable.

[Jaymes]

You must have it to make queso!

Do you really? What did people use before Velveeta?

WAS there such a time?

[claire797]

The monkey cooks all kinds of stuff!

http://www.himonkey.net/cooking/

[jhlurie]

The monkey cooks all kinds of stuff!

http://www.himonkey.net/cooking/

Monkey is my new hero, which is why the little fellow now has his own topic!

Carry on with talk of alternate methods of queso production, and/or advice to get Foodie and his block of Velveeta past those pesky security fellows.

If you have other non-Velveeta/Queso specific stories of battles with airport security, we've got a place for that now too.

[foodie52]

Well, my Velveeta is rewrapped in see-through Saran....the Rotel is in the suitcase, as are the 3 dozen corn tortillas....

Will report back when I return!! Time to go.

[Mabelline]

Safe trip! Safe return! And mostly- have fun!

[claire797]

Have a good trip, Jane! Can't wait to hear about it.

[foodie52]

The Velveeta didn't cause a problem...went through security without even needing to be inspected.

My tin of golden syrup, however, caused some alarm at Dallas security when I returned to the country. The young man pawing through my stuff actually raised an eyebrow when he found it in my luggage. And when he found the jar of mixed spice wrapped in my socks....well!

I had to explain that I cook a lot....

[marlena spieler]

velveeta!!!!!!!

If you had been turned away at customs and immigration i would have understood completely! there are such wonderful cheeses in britain!

but they do have horrible horrible velveeta-like slices all prewrapped so that they become one with their plastic enclosures. if one needs processed cheese, this is as close to velveeta as is humanly possible.

but then, i consider velveeta an inhuman invention. still, i did get talked into eating a cheeseburger with a slice of velveeta recently and i did notice the lovely way it sort of melted into a gooey gummy mooooosh. and i thought: perhaps now i understand.

perhaps my understanding of velveeta necessitated a thorough understanding of the greater world of artisanal cheeses before i began my descent into the processed type. then again, i might just stay with the artisanal beauties.

but tell your friend to remember those supermarket plastic wrapped slices when the craving for velveeta hits.........

marlena

www.marlenaspieler.com

[foodie52]

Thanks, Marlena...

My friend, who is British, lived here in Texas for 3 years. While here, she enjoyed queso which is a staple at parties. When she went back to the UK, she began craving things she can't get now....like queso..and margaritas...and sunlight...

We also enjoyed some magnificent cheeses during my visit: there is a great cheese shop in Bath that we spent quite a few pounds at! Lovely raw milk cheeses....be assured that I sampled quite a few of them!