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What to bring home from Italy?

65 replies

ChinHairDontCare · 06/07/2023 12:53

We're going on holidays to Italy. Will have a hire car so can get to supermarkets/towns. Have been ruthless packing so we have some space to bring things home. What should I look out for? Whether good clothes shops we don't have in the UK, perfume/beauty brands, supermarket steals, snacks, etc.

OP posts:
101jobs · 06/07/2023 16:55

Fine and coarse salt, pasta, cheese, cured meats, oil, red wine and balsamic vinegar, ground coffee, kitchen gadgets (so many I’ve never seen in UK), biscuits, taralli, crackers, Roberts talcum powder, Felce Azzurro talcum powder, Leocrema handcream and body lotion, laundry soap bar (any brand), bed sheets/pillowcases ….. I could go on forever. I always take an empty suitcase with me.

101jobs · 06/07/2023 17:03

i should of mentioned the laundry soap bar is great for clothes stains. It’s like the Vanish bar, but much better and cheaper.

twilighteaser · 06/07/2023 17:05

If you like making Risotto Milanese, then powdered Saffron, you can get it in every supermarket here ( Zafferano in Italian I take a lot back to UK for my Italian family as you can't get it there in powder. It comes in a pack of 4 pouches usually.

Dried Oregano found in bunches in the fruit & veg section.

Melatonin - found in every pharmacy

Decent Chocolate! We have some really nice brands, if you fancy a treat try some. Off the top my head brands like Venchi, Amadei or Domori.

As Supermarkets go, if you have an Esselunga near to where you're staying go there, they similar to Sainsbury's.

Mirto. Everyone knows Limoncello, but Mirto is nearly as popular. Served in the same way, so a shot straight from the freezer after dinner. It's made from Myrtle berries.

Amaro, also an after dinner drink. Try a shot of the orangey herby Amaro del Capo before you buy some ( same with Mirto!)

FiloPasty · 06/07/2023 17:06

BumpyaDaisyevna · 06/07/2023 15:27

A 25 year old named Francesco?

🤣

😂

FiloPasty · 06/07/2023 17:12

Have to say I totally agree with the laundry soap bar the green ones especially.
Wine, cheese, cured meat, different pasta shapes, agree with Amaro - I like averna, mirto, also if you like brandy vecchia romana
Sounds weird but we always bring back aubergines and peppers as they are robust enough to go in the luggage, they taste so much better than the ones you get here.
I also always get twinnings peach tea bags not seen them here but they are delicious.
loads of lovely jarred antipasti stuff.

CynsterBitch · 06/07/2023 17:14

My usual haul is wine, olive oil, salt and whatever the area is known for. For example we went to Liguria and stayed near Genoa and picked up a lot of locally produced pesto. This year we were on the Amalfi coast and picked up some Limoncello and Lemon jam from a local farm.

VicSynix · 06/07/2023 17:16

Dried mushrooms are always much cheaper. If you like chocolate spread it's easier to find ones without palm oil (sadly, not Nutella). Good salamis - if you go to a market you may be able to taste them first.

Back when you could take large quantities of hand luggage and there were no issues with taking fluids, we always used to have 6 bottles of wine as ours!

ChinHairDontCare · 06/07/2023 17:23

Kitchen gadgets and laundry soap bar sound great, thank you! I gave up alcohol last year but might look at those liquers as gifts.

OP posts:
Teaandsugar · 06/07/2023 17:26

Calve mayonnaise, Paneangeli vanilla baking powder, Parmesan and Pecorino cheese from the market stalls vacuum packed (grated at home and frozen). De Cecco or Barilla pasta (somehow tastes better) Tartufo oil (must be good quality). Anchovy paste for my pizza.
We drive from the UK so our boot is usually full of food. Salami never tastes the same when we eat it at home, strange.

Teaandsugar · 06/07/2023 17:29

Olive oil from a local producer brought home in tins. Organic table wine 3 Euros a bottle and no sulphates.

SometimesNine · 06/07/2023 17:32

Venchi chocolate (if you like white chocolate, their white chocolate with salted nuts is to die for), Mulino Bianco biscuits, truffle oil and truffle salt (if you like truffles), squid ink pasta. Depending on where you stay, local cakes, for example, Pan del doge (Venice) or Pampepato (Ferrara).

Melassa · 06/07/2023 17:33

101jobs · 06/07/2023 17:03

i should of mentioned the laundry soap bar is great for clothes stains. It’s like the Vanish bar, but much better and cheaper.

Yes, the sapone di Marsiglia. Brilliant stuff, you can use to pre-treat stains before bunging in the machine, or simply to hand wash delicates. It’s also recommended for cleaning fridges.

the Barilla biscuit brand is Mulino Bianco.
For chocolate spread try the Novi brand. Unlike Nutella there’s no palm oil and there are actually hazelnuts in it.
If you’re in Tuscany go to a frantoio for the olive oil, although it will be €€€€. The cheaper oils in the supermarket are often a mixture of Spanish and Greek oils, although there will be more premium brands with single source Italian oils. Only get extra virgin, the other stuff is mechanically extracted.
There are loads of varieties of olives and other veg in oil, like artichokes, pepper, mushrooms, all delicious as antipasti or just as a snack.

cheeses and cold meats are better from the deli counter. Can you take them back though?

Clothing wise the cheap stuff is the same as elsewhere in Europe. For designer stuff we go to second hand vintage shops or outlets. There also used to be some previous season stuff from the markets, but now they’ve gone all touristy and sell shite, a bit like Portobello in London. For underwear I like Intimissimi, and if you want to splash out you can buy La Perla. Beautiful but costly.

i think there’s still an old fashioned perfumery in Florence, they make personalised perfumes, it wasn’t extortionate years ago but probably is now.

I’m sure there’s lots more that might appeal but as I live here it’s all normal and mundane shopping for me!

Howtotalksoyourparentslisten · 06/07/2023 17:35

Wine, olives and tapenade!!

MinnieJumbo · 06/07/2023 17:36

Pan di stelle biscuits!! Olive oil, coffee beans or grounds, agree on different pasta shapes! Nuts, ceramics (in the south).

clothing or accessories, particularly high end as cheaper in euros typically and claim back vat on departure.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 06/07/2023 17:37

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

LadyWiddiothethird · 06/07/2023 17:37

I like the clothes from Piazza Italia.

wwyd2021medicine · 06/07/2023 17:53

I like the cylindrical bags of ready flavoured risotto rice. I wish I had bought more. Locals buying them too.
Occasionally available in TKM

loopychick · 06/07/2023 18:29

BumpyaDaisyevna · 06/07/2023 15:27

A 25 year old named Francesco?

🤣

I was going to say a gorgeous Italian man 😂😂

CharlotteStreetW1 · 06/07/2023 18:33

FrillyGoatFluff · 06/07/2023 15:54

Limoncello!

Crema di Limoncello is even better 😋

Also lemon biscuits.

explainthistomeplease · 06/07/2023 18:42

Pistachio and other slightly sweetened nut pastes

TellySavalashairbrush · 06/07/2023 18:43

Botttles of San Benedetto ‘skin’ water
Dove deodorant ‘Talco’ fragrance
Star ‘classico’ stock cubes
pistachio cream in a jar
San Danielle Parma ham
Magnesio Supremo powder

Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight · 06/07/2023 18:56

An odd thing to be thinking about in summer, but I recommend gloves.

They have the most fantastic leather gloves in Italy, in every colour you can imagine, lined with silk or cashmere.

They also come in a bigger range of sizes more akin to shoe sizes (not just small, medium and large) so they fit better.

A good shop will get you to put your hand in the air with your elbow resting on a little velvet cushion whilst they put the glove on your hand to check the size (you don’t need to know your size, they will work it out).

ChinHairDontCare · 06/07/2023 19:06

These are fantastic recommendations, thank you! I am so excited now about hitting the supermarkets and markets. We're there for 2 weeks self catering so I'll be able to try a lot before buying more to bring home.

OP posts:
Yellowdays · 06/07/2023 22:56

Pocket coffee!

ReviewingTheSituation · 06/07/2023 23:02

Dried porcini mushrooms. WAY cheaper than buying here, and will never go off. They're always in the 'souvenir' part of the supermarket but also in the dried goods section where they are much more sensibly priced.

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