So, I was thinking.... At the rate I'm going, by the time I get to Basel we'll have more groceries than furniture! I've bought cases of wine, Mrs Balls, (I have my own rusk recipe ), Cadbury Flakes, Chakalaka, Ina Paarman spices, All Gold, Panado Syrup, Biltong Spices, Custard Powder, Ultra Mel, Sago, Mazoe etc etc etc. So I decided that before I sink the ship with my stuff on, perhaps I should get wise....

Can anyone tell me how difficult it would be to open a shop in Basel area (somewhere near Munchenstein I think), and do you think I would have many customers if I sold South African Products in said shop? I was thinking I could bake stuff like Melktert, Koeksisters etc and run a sort of home industries shop. Hubby is an EU citizen, but I am not.

Do you think this is worth investigating??? Oh, and of course there will be chocolate "mooses" - if it happens - for Lynne

I cannot see any reason why you could not sell SA fare. The Britshop is really successful . I think that there is a thread on opening a shop. I imagine that the paperwork required to open a shop selling food would be immense - perhaps Grumpygrapefruit who is opening his shop today will be able to advise?

Just didnt see in your list Fantagrape which is unknown here

beskuit, beslis!!!
and we are always asked at short notice to bring some 'local' food and then i have to spend the night in the kitchen...doing simple things with strange ingredients, e.g. easy melktert with tennis biscuit crust (ended up baking the crust! couldn't find the biscuits!!!)
i just don't know if there are enough saffers close and how you would get the residents to eat our very sweet fare - i must admit, i don't find there cakes to my taste - either bone dry or smothered in cream!
what i would do to have our usual tuisnywerheid with biltong scones back...
i'm running out on mrs balls, didn't know that golden syrup and soft brown sugar would not be here...and of course smile each time i buy veg at coop at the sweet potatoes in the 'delicacies' section...
maybe check out the sa shops already doing business in oz?
good luck...
sd

Hi Twinkletoes

If you're really keen on starting an SA shop, give me a shout. I used to run "SAGoodies" which was quite successful while it lasted (I gave it up so that I could concentrate more on my 'day job' ). I can give you some pointers and put you in touch with people who could help you - if you wish.

Good luck with the move!

Great idea Twinkletoes! Not sure how many South Africans are living in Basel but you can also set up an internet shop and ship products throughout the country or even the EU. (E-commerce is our speciality so if you need any tips when you get here, we can talk!)

Hmmm... Will add it to my list! Maybe I can get the syrup and then you can all make your own with sodawater???? Then you can make it last a tad longer...

Hi

I have a basic bisuit recipe that taste similar to Marie Biscuits, but if you add some dessicated coconut, they taste like tennis biscuits. I usually make my Melktert with Nutticrusts & Marie Biscuits though, because the flavour is much more enhanced.

An as far as Lemon Merengue goes - tip of the day is to make it with a Swiss Merengue instead of a normal Merengue, then the top tastes like melted marshmallows - VERY YUM!!!

From what I have read so far, I would cater to the international community, not just the saffers, as the Americans also like goodies...

A friend of mine actually supplies all the SA shops in Oz and the UK, so that side of it isn't a problem for me.

Always need tips! We shall definitely chat!

Okay guys - keep an eye out.... "Lekkernye and more" coming soon at your local internet mall!!!!!

Looking forward to eat (it) Twinkletoes!

I'll have you all Fat and ready for next winter in no time

Main thing that you could bring is the weather... something that's definitely is lacking here right now, you know what I mean ... else more smile on the people's faces

It was over 30 degrees today - the boys and I are all sunburnt despite the overdose of SP40 that I applied to all, and tonight we are looking at heavy rain with the possibility of hail. I think perhaps we should compromise and meet in the middle? Moderate to warm temperatures and light drizzle in both countries????

Ooh! I can blame my stupidity on sunstroke! Brilliant Idea!

That's is exactely something that I am going to experience again in a couple of weeks... out of the misty and cloudy European sky into the frying pan and dazzling sun of SA.. but I love it Cannot wait for these stormy nights in December! Hopefully I will still manage to see Jacaranda blossoming in Pretorius straat... Evenings fulfilled with da braai and lekker Klippdrift & coke... in Coolrunning . Lekker dag!

"mooses" make sure there are in the Canadian section

You are in for a treat then! The lightning storms in Jhb are amazing this year - and they started early, so you can just imagine what they'll be like by December!

Luckily Saffers make a whole day (and night, and sometimes a whole weekend) affair of a braai, so the storms don't interfere with the festivities. My Jacaranda is in full flower, but the blooms are falling already, so perhaps not. But the Jasmine will be out in full force.

Sorry, but klipdrift is being renamed to
fit in with the new democracy... (Jokes)

I see then I missed it, I am a month behind for Jakranda glamour.
Nonetheless, I will enjoy festive season and load up the bakkie with charcoal en fleisch.... Cannot wait for Texan steak, lamb chops, sossaties and boerwors, pap en chakalaka... (Prices of meat in Switzerland are quite prohibitive to have a posh braai every weekend )
Then few six-packs of Blacklabel and Castle will do . We will be out to the wild coast and Drakensberg, and hopefully KwaZulu-Natal will host a nice weather for us

You really should try Mtunzini in December - quite a bit north of Dbn, but oh so worth the trip. Pristine beaches, fishing, braai weather and you can camp if you want!

Mtuzini sounds great it is just below Richards Bay, where I used to love spotting dolphins in the past.

Have been to St Lucia, Umshlanga and Balito last time in 2005. Margate attracts to many crowds for my liking, but I guess it will be a peak of the season by the time we get there. Will cruise around this year and try to go camping as well... here in Switzerland they will provide you with lots of booklets on tropical diseases and give you pills for malaria, injections for other thingies and etc... and they make entire trip to SA seem like one hell a lot of the tropical escapade

Hmmm. Thank you.... I think.