Holiday shopping.

Marydoll, I had forgotten the fine grissini, they taste a million times better than anything we can buy here.
I always bring a couple of kilos of Parmesan home with me, it freezes so well.

Dried porcini mushrooms from Rome
Multiple jars of clams from Rome, (I can't get them here)
Finest grissini, ( I can't get them here)
Semi precious stones at bargain prices from the markets in Rome for my jewellery making.
Bargain Cashmere from... you guessed, from Rome! .

Usually now small food items, since trade has become so global.
Last time in Mexico I fell in love with their pineapple jam, so brought some home to share. Usually pick up vanilla there as well.
Usually for kids I will stop and look for candy that is different to what is available here.

My lips are sealed grannypiper sssshhhh ?

There is a very nice peach syrup Wirzend which is lovely added to white wine - sparkling is good too.
In the north of France you can buy smoked garlic which smells very smokey - tastes as normal but keeps longer.
I always take the large bulbs of lovely fresh garlic with me when I go to U.K. and tins of confit duck.

Very rarely buy anything . I don’t like shopping normally so definitely do’t want to do it on holiday.

Puzzler61 Please dont tell anyone how wonderful Santo Tomas is, it is supposed to be a secret

Linen from France, tablecloths, aprons etc. Childrens' clothes.
Salad dressing, Ricard pastis, coffee, chocolates, aperitif nibbles.
French perfume on the ferry.

More often than not we have the motohome in Spain so we always buy 2 of those legs of ham and several boxes of Nordic mist tonic water which my restaurant owning friend gets for us wholesale ?

We bring back Xoriguer gins and Aqua de Menorca eau de toilette from our annual holidays to Santo Tomas, Menorca.

Vacuum-packed steaks from Aus ( airport ) Opal necklace from Parramatta market. Too much Pkts seeds.

Manx kippers and butter ( IOM ) Queenies ( scallops-airport ) Heather plant.

Jersey cream and butter. Fudge.

Soaps and shower gels--Spain. Paella mix. Dolls.

A whole garlic sausage from Italy. Limoncello.

Large bag of sweets for the children---Cyprus. ( smuggled flower seeds )

Perfume France. Doll from Dinan various ornaments.

Notice it was mainly food.!

Dolphin ornaments ! Himself knows I love them but I have so many now I have to be really firm with him to stop him buying me more bless him.

Witzend, Epoisses my all time favourite French Cheese!

My daughter once bought a whole Epoisses from Harrods food hall it was reduced to £10 for the whole wheel as it was up to its use by date.
She was entertaining that night and was so excited to have got such a bargain, travelling across London on a tube with it rather took the shine off the deal!

I usually bring back a head cold and suitcases full of dirty clothes....sigh

From France, a particularly carnivorous dd of mine loves Fromage de Tete (similar to brawn for anyone unfamiliar) so I usually bring a couple of jars of that back.

Ditto from France, where we usually make a summer visit to a BiL’s place, the grapefruit syrup to add to cheap rose wine, to make a rather too moreish drink.

One thing I won’t bring back any more, although we all like it, is Epoisses soft cheese. I had to keep some for a dd until she could collect it - even extremely well wrapped it absolutely stank the fridge out!

From Cyprus (not an annual visit) vacuum packed lounza ham, both for us and for presents, and zhuzhukou - (don’t know how you’re supposed to spell that) - those long lumpy things on a string, made I think from nuts with concentrated grape juice slowly added. I can make a real ? of myself with those.

Coconut oil, leather handbags and elephant ornaments.

Bara Brith, Welsh cakes, Welsh lamb and Welsh butter.

Orkney beremeal, oatcakes, soap asnd gin!