Missing the Strangest Things in Saudi Arabia

So much of what one could possibly want or even dream to have is available in Saudi Arabia. The latest in fashions, to include haute couture are here in the Kingdom. There is also no shortage of selections when wanting to set up a house or buy toys for a child. But where I seem to find things which I miss are when it comes to cooking or wanting to munch on old favorite snacks or when feeling ill and wanting to self-medicate from choices at a pharmacy.

One time last year I was at the local Safeway (Tamimi) and noticed there was Kraft brand marshmallow crème on the shelves. Little did I realize at the time this is a rarely stocked and hard to find item or I would have bought all the jars on the shelf. Instead I purchased one and introduced my Saudi family to my grandmother’s marshmallow crème fudge recipe. It was an immediate hit, disappeared in like five seconds and everyone in the family not only wanted me to make more but to share the recipe as well. Alas…to this day I have not been able to obtain marshmallow crème or anything resembling it here in Riyadh. I have searched Tamimi, Panda, Danube, Al Othman, Carrefour, Geant and all the other usual places to no avail. So now I’m hoping that some friends returning from the States will be able to bring a few jars back to me.

Two other items I find I am missing when I have that urge to just snack are old fashioned AMERICAN smarties and Fiddle Faddle. One can get candies here called smarties but unlike the American style the ones sold here are very much like M&M’s being chocolate candies coated with different colors. The American candies are more of a hardened powdery candy which can be either tart or sweet depending on the color and flavor. I can eat these candies by the bagful! Fiddle Faddle is simply caramel flavored popcorn with peanuts or almonds mixed in as well. My mouth is watering just thinking about these (unhealthy) snacks not available here.

And lastly, medications…. There is indeed a wide selection of over-the-counter medications available at the chemists (drug stores). But it is difficult to find Tylenol or Advil or Excedrin for pain relievers. The standby here is Panadol. And I especially miss not being able to purchase Theraflu or Nyquil here during the cold and flu season. I found these over-the-counter medicines to quickly relieve the nasty symptoms of cold and flu and expedite the way back to health. Okay, I realize that both Theraflu and Nyquil have a small percentage of alcohol in its ingredients and therefore this is why those particular meds are prohibited here. However they worked and worked well.

I know if I were to dwell more there would likely be more little and unusual things I miss but those are the top ones that come immediately to mind.