I'm asking this here as hopefully someone has had relatives bring Christmas pudding over or tried.

My son is visiting from the UK for Thanksgiving and I was going to ask him to bring some Sainsburys Christmas pudding over. However is he going to be allowed to bring it into the USA or is it not allowed.

Anyone tried.

What an excellent idea! I have no personal experience of bringing one through customs - if that isnt viable - perhaps you could try one of those websites that send expats food items?

Seems so:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation...roductsPrepared

They're not that expensive - he might as well try.

Thanks for that link I had searched high and low and couldn't find it online.

Yes, I pick them them up often to pass on to homesick expats.

I brought one in with me last November to USA. The man at immigration told me he got his christmas cake from Marks and Spencers so should be fine .

That all sounds very positive, we'll give a try then.

They do sell them over here.

Tuesday Morning and TJ Maxx have them around Christmas, as well as crackers!

Yep my mum brought us one last Christmas... and the guy at customs laughed and asked where the brandy butter was....

Kez

I've been able to find them over here no problem. TJ Maxx as someone said above, plus my local Wegmans had multiple varieties, the best Cost/Size ratio being one made by Walkers (the people who make shortbread) which was very nice, and made the brandy butter myself. The most expensive being one that came in a fancy box and porcelain bowl! I don't think I've been without a Xmas pud in the 8 years I've been here, always been able to find one somewhere!

Well we have both of those near by although I must admit I only ever associated TJ Maxx with clothes.

Unfortunately Wegmans isn't on the west coast just my luck.

I lived on the West Coast for 5 years prior to moving to PA though. OK, it was California, and not Oregan, but still had no issue getting Xmas puds!


Not been in one then? They have a section of "funky" foods thats well worth checking out. Last time I was in there I found Licorice Allsorts.

No I haven't been in one but I will be soon

TJ Maxx is one of those stores that gets in a lot of stuff for Xmas that is a bit alternative to what you typically get. I usually get Christmas Crackers from there and some other stuff, I've definitely seem Xmas pudding in there before, although last year they mainly had that dry light fruit cake that seems to be the favored by Italians and others.

Thanks I appreciate your comments. Just goes to show that you get preconceived ideas about places and don't realise just what they do sell. There is a TJ about 3 miles from our house so near the time we'll go take a look.

I imagine your preconceived ideas come from TK Maxx in the UK, which only sells clothes. Slightly different name, but I believe its the same company.

what is christmas pudding?

mmm looks good! who's got recipes?

Recipes are a bit tougher. For one it usually needs currants, which I've never found in the USA. Easier just to buy one!

Not true LHA! They are quite similar to TJ Maxx, but with less food/home crap. I've seen crackers in the Clapham Jct one as well as toys, luggage & some food. Same goes for Bristol.

Recipes...

http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/Foo...mas-pudding.htm

http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/Foo...mas-pudding.htm

and if you're making those, you have to make these...

http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/Food/mince-pies.htm

Fairy nuff, I have never actually been inside a TK Maxx, I assumed from what it looked like on the outside its solely a cloths store. So I guess I was in the same boat as Lansbury. The main difference I guess is when I was living near a TK Maxx, I was not married. Its not the sort of store a man would go in by himself.

Not true!

I love TK Maxx. My hubby likes it too. They are better than TJ's anyday.

I've never had Xmas pud. Hubby hates it. I think he hates currants - but he says Xmas pud is like a mushy fruitcake.

Sacrilege!!!

It probably is the currants -- I know several people (including one I'm married to) who gag at the sight of them. Not me...more Xmas pudding for me please, especially with the brandy butter! Has anyone had the Marks & Sparks Courvoisier brandy butter? Un-effing-believable!

Maven!!! Ya all ready for Sunday?

/off topic

Hey Tracy! Well, the worst of it is over already -- boxes went on Monday, we spent Tuesday and Wednesday cleaning like possessed people, and my landlady came by today to inspect. And she was so impressed, I got the full deposit back! It is sooooo empty in here right now -- even the bed went, so we're sleeping on an air mattress tonight. Tomorrow night is the last night in London, before we go to an airport hotel. Totally, totally unreal. At least I'm no longer freaking out -- I am in a state of VJ zen!


Sorry for the hijack...

What's wrong with mushy fruit cake? Especially when its hot and soaked in brandy. Sounds pretty good to me.

Dunno. I'm up to try it. Where can I find one in LA Doc? What about the all important Brandy Butter - that sounds DELISH.

Absolutely nothing

I'm not a christmas pudding fan either. I don't like the alcohol/fruit mushiness.

ETA: I just re-read this and it sounded like I didn't like the alcohol part! THAT is sacrilege.

My Mum brought me one over last year when she and my sister were over for Thanksgiving and had no troubles. She also brought us mini-fruitcakes from M&S.

I was wondering about fruit cake, because of the problem getting fruit through the agriculture controls. Might get the son to give that a go as well.

We are going to make our own this year. We made traditional English wedding cake for our wedding last September (wow - has it almost been a year!!!???) and it turned out so amazing - everyone ate their piece we sent them home with and we got nothing but wonderful comments. But we need to start now because I will soak the fruit in brandy for about two months before, then soak the cake for another month. MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!

~Liza