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My new stash: Note that the Oreos have “eating instructions.”
Over the weekend I celebrated Thanksgiving with about 15 other Americans from all over Styria. Although Thanksgiving is probably the most Slovenian of holidays, in that it’s a celebration of gustation, it also felt really, really odd. To be surrounded by Americans, eating American food, talking about America… in the foothills of the Alps; there was something pretty surreal about that. There’s also the fact that the holiday essentially celebrates Europeans who successfully fled Europe. I think that alone gave me pause.
Still, I’m not complaining. In fact I had a great time. A blast, even. And to top things off: one family brought me a package of American junk food that they had picked up in Germany. Talk about a bountiful harvest…
While looking through my newly begotten treasure, I also had a flash of inspiration: although none of these things can be bought here, I bet I could easily make similar-tasting knock-offs. For example:
1) Macaroni and cheese: The simplest to do, since both ingredients are readily available: pasta and artificial cheese. They only need to be mixed up.
2) Reese’s cups: Also easy, and also comprised of two elements that can be bought here: chocolate and peanut butter. (It’s strange that they sell the latter here, since I don’t think I’ve ever met a Slovene who eats it — or even knows what it tastes like.)
3) Pop tarts: A bit tricky but doable. They already make somewhat similar pastries here. One would just have to buy it, let it go stale, and then eat it.
4) Oreos: The most difficult to do. I would need access to chocolate cookie crust and, to make the creamy center, some radioactive material from the Krško nuclear power facility. Theoretically possible, but still hard to do.
I should add that it was interesting that some of the other Americans also had extensive networks and supply lines set up for their favorite products. That made me feel slightly less crazy. But what I don’t get is why someone isn’t profiting from this common weakness. There must be upwards of a million Americans living in Europe, all of them longing for something sugary and/or fatty from back home. And yet no one has stepped in to fleece us all?
It’s un-American is what that is.
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You finally got it !!! The year is saved !!!
No Dr. Pepper?
You guys know me well. There originally was a Dr. Pepper but I finished it before I could take the picture.
Once upon a time they had Oreos in NoÄ? in dan stores. Unfortunately I haven’t seen them in a while now.
I’ve been to US only once in my life and I desperately miss cinnamon raisin bagles with honey butter. 
:( Btw, is anyhow similar to Pop tarts? They have it in Belgium and Netherlands.
P.S. Bon appétit!
I can’t stand Oreos, but I love eating peanut butter every now and then (and am a Slovene).
I don’t do it often though because of health reasons.
Well, I found an online-Shop in Germany that does not say “We deliver only to Germany”. They mention the possibility of delivering to other countries - I’d ask. They also seem to have everything you like, but maybe you want to check for yourself.
Apparently you Americans deep fry Oreos, Oreos on their own are healthy!!
They have Oreos in many stores here in Sweden. Almost every super-market has a shelf for ethnic food and..yes..american products end up there
Marshmallows,Oreos,Maple syrup,canned sweet potato, jambalaya mix etc etc..oh almost forgot..even root beer 
Madeleines for Proust, Oreos for Michael and apple strudel for me. To misquote Proust: “I raised to my lips a spoonful of the strudel… a shudder ran through my whole body and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place.” And Wienerschnitzel or dunajski zrezek with rizi bizi for the main course. Yes, not that much different, I guess.
Well, since I know they have Duvel beer at Leclerc’s, it’s even more interesting to live in Slovenia. Wouldn’t even miss the Belgian chocolate or anything else from over here. I’m still bummed out Fruc killed the Sour Cherry fruit juice, though. Bring it back! NOW!!
I still don’t get it! Why would you crave all that american “food” when you can have burek, pleskavice, all sorts of balkanic food, 20 different wine roads all over the territory, 1 beer factory (union) and a piss factory (lasko, still better than US and A beer). And let’s not forget:žabji kraki, teleÄ?ja peÄ?enka, tenstan krompir, kokoÅ¡ja juha, ajdova polenta in žganci, jurÄ?ki medov sladoled s prelivom iz terana, teranov liker, brkinske slive and the list goes on and on and on…
Glad to hear you had a nice Thanksgiving, Michael. Mine was fantastic too. Leftovers are the best! And I understand your cravings–I have my pumpkin oil,ajvar, bajadera etc. delivered here (usually personally by visitors). But constant access to Dr Pepper is nice.
Michael: did Thanksgiving dinner include the whole shabang, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes?! Because in that case I fear my brown eyes are about to turn green!
@mAT: I suppose you’ve never had the pleasure of biting your teeth into a chocolate frosted Pop Tart.
Mmmm, we roasted marshmallows over open fire in Sweden - they were delicious!
@ARF: Duvel, you say? Did you happen to notice if they have Kasteel as well? I’d commit murder for that one…
As a former American expat in Slovenia, now back in the US for a few years, I’d have to agree with mAT that I’m missing more edible items from Slovenia now than their equivalents from the US when I was ‘over there’ (although to say that Union is better than Lasko is clearly ‘noro, ej?’). I like the ability to procure bagels, ginger ale, and even real Mexican food where I am, but I’d trade that in an instant for the ability to buy good Slovene wine (especially renski rizling and traminec), gibanica, struklji, Bohinj cheese and even the occasional well-made burek, not to mention picking out edibles at Ljubljana’s central market in general (an actually ENJOYABLE shopping experience). And although you can get pumpkin oil in the States these days (imported from Austria), don’t even ask about how much it costs for a small bottle at the local Whole Foods store. Heck, even good American pizzerias can’t compare to the best in Slovenia. (I probably liked Slovene food a little too much; I’ve lost 15 pounds since I’ve been back. I never eat Oreos, haven’t been to McDonald’s in five years, and only rarely do Reese’s cups.)
How is the availability of Belgian beer and chocolate in Slo these days??
@mAT: “1 beer factory (union) and a piss factory (lasko, still better than US and A beer).”
You know this one:
Managers of Gosser, Union and Lasko were in a bar. The first one orders a glass of Gosser, the second one a glass of Union ant the third one a cup of coffee. “Won’t you have a beer” they asked him. “Well if you don’t drink beer then I won’t have it either.”
Jah jah, always the same story. De gustibus non disputandum est…said the dog that was licking it’s own arse. It’s a never ending discussion. Maybe slovenes just have no idea what is beer supposed to taste like.
poulette: It did contain all of those things, in great abundance. It was great.
Now, I know it isnt an equivalent to Reese’s, but a Bajadera is a mighty fine chocolate and nut combination. Having said that, up here Massachusetts way there is a shop in Rockport that makes an equivalent of a Reese’s, but with their homemade chocolate and peanut butter. That’s some good stuff.
@ Pengovsky : I’d have to ask my friends about that, as I was merely told they have Duvel there. And we didn’t have to go and get it, because I managed to bring 20 bottles and a magnum for me and my friends. I anyone sees an empty bottle of Duvel standing around at Metelkova (I don’t know where they got to after we drank them; I don’t litter and someone else took care of them), it’s probably one of ours, hahaha! And if you’re craving for Kasteelbier, I’ll make sure I’ll get you some on my next visit, that’s a definite promise!
@Wes: Belgian chocolate is available, I don’t know where but I met someone who works in a (small) company specialised in importing Belgian chocolate.
Beer… I have no idea but with 5% of the market left for all the world’s breweries, it’s quite tough I guess to make some profit with Belgian beer. Duvel is sold in Leclerc, as ARF said above.
I found that the only American foods I jonsed for were things like Oreos(TM), and Mr. Goodbars(TM) Almond Hersheys (TM) was available in Sarajevo, and I was able to have them if I wanted, oh and real Coca-Cola, available but my fiance did not understand that I needed a couple litres for the altitude sickness. He got the local knock off, and damn the liquid restrictions will prevent me bringing my own. I need to do a comparison with flying now and the prison transports of the Russian gulags, there was a LOT in common!
Anyway those were my three missed American things, oh I missed REAL Indian food and REAL Mexican food, by which I mean ‘made by trained proffessionals of proper ingredients.’ First thing I did in Seattle was go to a taco place and gorge on tacos and Dos Equis!
You get most of that stuff in Vienna. Just come over
See you in two hours, novala.
You can get Oreos in Ljubljana in Müller.