How hard is it really to get canned pumpkin in Ireland?
October 17, 2011 10:13 AM Subscribe
How hard is it really to get canned pumpkin in Ireland?
In a previous question several people mentioned that canned pumpkin was a much coveted item for Americans in Ireland. A friend of mine will be in Dublin around Halloween staying with her sister. I'm going to send a variety of Trader Joe's things, but I want to know if including canned pumpkin in the package would just seem strange/silly or make me a great hero.
In a previous question several people mentioned that canned pumpkin was a much coveted item for Americans in Ireland. A friend of mine will be in Dublin around Halloween staying with her sister. I'm going to send a variety of Trader Joe's things, but I want to know if including canned pumpkin in the package would just seem strange/silly or make me a great hero.
Yeah, big hero. I used to live in the UK (again, not Ireland) and just couldn't find it.
posted by Specklet at 10:42 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by Specklet at 10:42 AM on October 17, 2011
When I lived there 10 years ago I couldn't find it, and had a hell of a time even finding REAL pumpkins, even in October.
posted by egeanin at 11:10 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by egeanin at 11:10 AM on October 17, 2011
Probably moderately heroic. I mean, it's not actually that hard to peel, cube and cook pumpkin in order to make a puree. But it does add quite a bit of extra effort to the already big effort (for fairly small reward IMO) that is the making of a pumpkin pie.
posted by rhymer at 11:54 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by rhymer at 11:54 AM on October 17, 2011
Couldn't find it when I traveled to the UK (or in Australia for what that's worth). Just used fresh pumpkin instead though to make pumpkin pie so no biggy for me.
But if there is a particular tinned pumpkin mix they used traditionally at home over the holidays and liked it would be really nice to send it. Or maybe you can just send a pie spice mix or something so it won't be so heavy to post. Tastes of things from home can make a holiday away not seem so bad. Just remember Halloween isn't such a big deal in countries other than the US, so maybe send some decorations too as they can be hard to find.
posted by wwax at 12:13 PM on October 17, 2011
But if there is a particular tinned pumpkin mix they used traditionally at home over the holidays and liked it would be really nice to send it. Or maybe you can just send a pie spice mix or something so it won't be so heavy to post. Tastes of things from home can make a holiday away not seem so bad. Just remember Halloween isn't such a big deal in countries other than the US, so maybe send some decorations too as they can be hard to find.
posted by wwax at 12:13 PM on October 17, 2011
I'm spending my first autumn in the east midlands (UK), and there are pie pumpkins for sale for a reasonable price at the greengrocer's in the market village nearby. Seconding the pie spice mix.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 12:48 PM on October 17, 2011
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 12:48 PM on October 17, 2011
Uh, regular ole pumpkins are not for making pumpkin pie. You have to get the special pumpkin pie making kind (which is a problem in not-America), and THEN you slice, cook, peel and mash. Which is why butternut or acorn squash is your best bet. But there's still a difference. And that could make you a hero. ♪ ♫ But just for a day...
posted by iamkimiam at 1:51 PM on October 17, 2011
posted by iamkimiam at 1:51 PM on October 17, 2011
Here's a nice summary of the difference between decorative pumpkins and culinary pumpkins:
The truth about pumpkins
posted by iamkimiam at 1:53 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
The truth about pumpkins
posted by iamkimiam at 1:53 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm in London and wound up having to sieve butternut squash to make a pumpkin cheesecake - I'm thinking you'd be a big hero.
posted by SoftRain at 3:25 PM on October 17, 2011
posted by SoftRain at 3:25 PM on October 17, 2011
You can't get canned pumpkin in Ireland, full stop. Bring some.
You *can* get it in London; Selfridges' food hall at Marble Arch and Fortnum's basement usually have Libby's shipped in for expats. Selfridges is less than half a mile from the embassy and doubtless gets lots of local traffic from that.
posted by genghis at 4:38 PM on October 17, 2011
You *can* get it in London; Selfridges' food hall at Marble Arch and Fortnum's basement usually have Libby's shipped in for expats. Selfridges is less than half a mile from the embassy and doubtless gets lots of local traffic from that.
posted by genghis at 4:38 PM on October 17, 2011
I used to keep myself in pumpkin by regularly ordering it online, so it is possible to get it there relatively easily, but it wasn't cheap and I would have been very excited had someone brought some over for me.
posted by triggerfinger at 5:13 PM on October 17, 2011
posted by triggerfinger at 5:13 PM on October 17, 2011
I live in England and I can think of five places off the top of my head that sell canned pumpkin -- Waitrose sells it for something like £1.00 which is pretty good. They sell Libby's brand too.
Ireland is another story...
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 12:12 AM on October 18, 2011
Ireland is another story...
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 12:12 AM on October 18, 2011
The only thing my American relatives in Ireland constantly ask me to send is pumpkin pie filling and Fritos. So yeah, send it.
posted by OolooKitty at 1:30 AM on October 18, 2011
posted by OolooKitty at 1:30 AM on October 18, 2011
I'm in Dublin, and I do not know for a fact that you can get canned pumpkin here. But I do know that finding odd foods has become easier in recent years and continues to get easier as time goes by.
I am torn, if any American does find themselves in Dublin without canned pumpkin, between recommending upmarket markets (hah) like Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer St (which has an assortment of oddities I never knew existed [what is this "garlic"?]) or trying places like the Asian market on Georges St. or the Halal market on Mary St, both of which have so many vegetables in cans I get dizzy just trying to find black beans.
posted by distorte at 2:47 AM on October 18, 2011
I am torn, if any American does find themselves in Dublin without canned pumpkin, between recommending upmarket markets (hah) like Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer St (which has an assortment of oddities I never knew existed [what is this "garlic"?]) or trying places like the Asian market on Georges St. or the Halal market on Mary St, both of which have so many vegetables in cans I get dizzy just trying to find black beans.
posted by distorte at 2:47 AM on October 18, 2011
Update: Just discovered this recent thread naming multiple places in Dublin that seem to stock it.
posted by distorte at 2:50 AM on October 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by distorte at 2:50 AM on October 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm in the UK (not Ireland), but have found that the pumpkin puree I did find was not at all the same as Libby's. Also, butternut squashes are weak substitutes. Even so, I'm still a pie makin' fool...
Go make some Americans in Ireland stupid happy!
posted by iamkimiam at 10:31 AM on October 17, 2011