Deli milk and mustard candy (from the US). Gongura pickles and ghee candy (from India). Clément Faugier crème de marrons (from France), but only in a tube you can squeeze like toothpaste.
These are some of my favorite things to bring back from abroad. What’s the appeal of culinary souvenirs? Some are a fraction of the price and are fresher at the source. Sometimes, I just want to extend a vacation. And yes, I brought back a bottle of mastiha shaped like a phallus from Greece. And no, it wasn’t the same at home.
Anna Jones, food writer and author of Easy wins (Fourth state)
Meyer lemons are a cross between a citron (a type of lemon) and a tangerine, and are available at farmers markets throughout California. I always bring a few with me when I stay with my sister in Los Angeles. To me, they are the perfect lemon: tart and zingy like lemons, but bright and sherbet-like like tangerines. I use them in place of lemons in cooking and baking, and I freeze slices to add to gin and tonics.
Luke Farrell, creative director of Plaza Khao Gaeng and Speedboat Bar
Kom Kom knives have a distinctive Thai shape that is useful for zesting green mango and papaya, and often come in a set with a fruit carving knife and a cleaver. I like the ones with wooden handles and look for vintage models in kitchen supply stores. I also buy 100% palm sugar from Phetchaburi province, which is hard to find outside Thailand. It has a great umami flavour, not just sweet, and is great for adding to curries, desserts and coffee.
Merlin Labron-Johnson, chef and owner of Osip
I choose staple foods that provide authentic Mexican flavor. I use chipotle chiles in adobo as a base for many sauces, particularly mole-style stews, as well as to marinate meats. Fresh or ground masa (nixtamalized corn for tortillas) is good for tacos, breakfast tortillas, and tostadas.
Claire Dinhut, author of The book of condiments (Bloomsbury)
In the past, my sport was fencing. I traveled all over the United States to compete in tournaments, and my pre-tournament routine changed to pulled pork sandwiches when I started visiting states with barbecue culture. No two barbecue sauces are alike. Mayonnaise-based barbecue sauce is an Alabama specialty. Vinegar-based barbecue sauce is thinner and common in eastern North Carolina. In western North Carolina, Lexington-style sauce is sweeter, thicker, and includes ketchup. Every barbecue joint has a selection.
Denai Moore, chef and owner of Flaky in Dalston Yard
I left Jamaica when I was nine years old and no one prepared me for how much I would crave a real flaky burger. Whenever a family member visits, I order a box of burgers. Ideally, they are the family favorite, Tastee Patty. Now that I am vegan, it is soy patties from Juici Patties. www.tasteejamaica.com
Jeremy Chan, Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Ikoyi
Agrumes Schaller Bachès yuzu curd, an artisanal curd made with yuzu from some of the oldest vines in Europe grown in the Pyrenees. I came across the article while visiting the Schaller Baches Farmas we source all of Ikoyi’s citrus fruits through them. All fruits are picked to order and they have over 1000 varieties growing. I whisk the curd into my morning oatmeal.
Chet Sharma, Chef and Owner of BiBi, London
The first time I tried Vale’s Chamba’s Chukh was during a visit to my wife’s aunt in Jaipur. She had been to a hill station near Simla and had come across a local variety of chilli called chamba, from which they make a type of pickle, chukh. She ate it with every meal and I was hooked. Now I add it to pasta sauce and Thai dishes for a spicy kick. It’s also great in marinades.
Caroline Eden, food writer and author of Cold Kitchen (Bloomsbury)
Svan salt (a combination of dried coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold petals, garlic, red pepper, wild caraway seeds, and salt) comes from the remote mountainous region of Svaneti in Georgia. It’s pungent and very flavorful, so I use it often but sparingly at home, adding it to soups, buns, hard-boiled eggs, and salads. I recently developed a recipe for a Svan Bloody Mary. Fortunately, a shop in Tbilisi called Waime Spices sells sealed packets for visitors to take home. waimespices.ge
Josh Niland, chef and owner of Saint Peter in Sydney
Pantry staples Noma Projects In Copenhagen, these include elderflower peas, mushroom garum, RDX dashi, wild rose vinegar, corn and yuzu chutney and vegan XO. The branding is beautiful, the products are carefully developed and incredibly delicious. They immediately became staples of family meals at Saint Peter.
Helen Goh, co-author of Ottolenghi comfort and Ottolenghi sweets (Ebury Press)
Bak kwa are thin squares of marinated, air-dried, charcoal-grilled meat, a bit like jerky. I grew up eating them as a snack in Malaysia, and especially as a treat during Chinese New Year. It’s impossible to make them at home without a wood-fired grill. On trips to and from Australia, I deliberately stop off at Singapore’s Changi Airport to visit a shop that sells very good vacuum-packed meats.
Philip Khoury, head pastry chef at Harrods and author of A new way to bake
I buy zaatar in Lebanon. There are over 50 varieties, some with other herbs, spices and nuts. My favorite is a blend of wild thyme, spicy sumac and toasted sesame seeds. Always organic. The cheapest zaatar has a lot of stem/fiber, while a good producer (like Alia Concept) collects the leaves from the stem.
Riaz Phillips, author of Westerly winds and Winds from the east (DK Editions)
Shado beni (also known as chadon beni, culantro, serrated cilantro) grows like a weed in parts of the Caribbean. I usually carry some with me in zip-lock bags. Its fresh, spicy flavor is so distinctive that, although alternatives such as regular cilantro can be used, it is not the same. I mash it and combine it with garlic, salt, citrus juice, and peppers to make a green condiment to marinate absolutely any dish or to add a burst of fresh flavor.
Romy Gill, chef
Loose tea has always been important to me (I never use tea bags) and I like to support small producers. That’s why I often come back from India with tea leaves. Manjhee Valley Tea Plantation at Dharamshala, whether it’s a special blend in potli (muslin bags) or their needle tea (an absolute favourite).
Andrew Wong, Chef and Owner of A Wong
Sujata Spice Grinders from India, because UK grinders are awful. Sujata grinders never break, grind very finely and are super fast.
Andy Baraghani, chef and author of The chef you want to be (Ebury Press)
Incense from Lisn in Kyoto. I like dry, earthy, woody scents. They cleanse the room after you’ve been cooking all day. I also collect pottery. Essence Kyoto and Wakabaya are my favorite stores. I like small bowls for dried chili flakes like Urfa Biber and Maras pepper to sprinkle on dishes, and small bowls for soup or cereal bowls. lisn.co.jp/kyoto
Nik Sharma, chef and author of Vegetable table (Chronicle)
I always bring chocolate from Australia, if I could, I would bring separate luggage. Black Koko is a particular favourite thanks to its colourful packaging and unique flavour profiles. They use many native Australian ingredients. I have used their chocolate to make ice cream and an outstanding chocolate chip cookie.
Hélène Darroze, chef
Legume sauce (a sauce with vegetables, fruit, spices and soy sauce), created by the Japanese chef of a small restaurant called Etxe Nami in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the Basque Country. My daughter and I liked it so much when we visited that they sold me a small bottle. I then used it to cook at home and posted the dish on Instagram. Many of my followers called the restaurant to buy the sauce, so they created a line to sell it. I use it to finish vegetable and fish tagines or as an accompaniment to grilled meats or fish. etxenami.com
Lara Lee, chef and author of A splash of soy (Bloomsbury)
Australian Tim Tam: Original flavour. This biscuit is like no other. Two chocolate biscuits sandwiched between chocolate cream and covered in milk chocolate. The best way to enjoy them is “a la carte” Tim Tam “slam”: Bite off the diagonal corners, dip the bottom part in tea, and suck on the top corner like a straw, before popping the entire soggy cookie into your mouth.