Do you buy food online from other parts of the world?
What is the most exotic food you have ever eaten?
Did you buy it online?

The only food I have bought online is Gourmet Pepper Jelly that comes for the Caribbean only place you can buy it in the states... Found it on the first cruise I went on and fell in love with it.. They sold it on the cruise ship but unless you got it there or the Caribbean then you had to order online no stores in states carried it on the shelves...

They just recently quit making it.. sucks~~~ for if I had known they were going to quit making it I would have stocked up on it...

No!

My reason for asking is because I just had a quite lengthy conversation at a different forum about all the exotic food you can get online now.
Shipping standards have made it easy to even get meats that are fresh now.

For instance, your Gourmet Caribbean Pepper Jelly (not knowing the specific brand) might be found at a number of online retailers.

http://caribbeantrading.com/product-category/caribbean-gourmet/jams-jellies/

http://www.coffeeforless.com/products/tortuga-caribbean-gourmet-pepper-jelly-12-5oz-bottles

I'm currently looking into upgrading my food dehydrator.
I'm interested in trying to make Cajun Gator Jerky.
In addition, I like trying different meats in my smoker.

The conversation came around to smoked elephant meat.
I said I would be interested in trying some smoked Lion meat or making some lion jerky.
I was directed to The Exotic Meat Market
http://www.exoticmeatmarkets.com/
I was completely surpised by what is offered.


Alligator Meat
Alpaca Meat
Antelope Meat
Armadillo Meat
Axis Deer Meat
Ayam Cemani Chicken
Beaver Meat
Bison Meat - American Buffalo Meat
Blue Foot Chicken
Bobcat Meat
Bone Marrow
Brain
Burgers
Caiman Meat
Camel Meat
Capon Meat
Coyote Meat
Dove Meat
Duck Meat
Eggs
Eland Meat
Elk Meat
Emu Meat
Exotic Burgers of the Month Club
Exotic Hot Dog of the Month Club
Exotic Meat of the Month Club
Exotic Sausage of the Month Club
Frog Legs
Goat Meat
Goose Meat
Grouse Meat
Guinea Fowl Meat
Guinea Pig Meat
Hot Dogs
Iguana Meat
Kangaroo Meat
Lamb Meat
Lion Meat
Llama Meat
Muskrat Meat
Nutria Meat
Opossum Meat
Organic Meat
Ostrich Meat
Otter Meat
Paleo Diet
Partridge Meat
Peacock Meat
Pet Food
Pheasant Meat
Pork - Iberico - Berkshire - Kurobuta - Mangalitsa
Poussin Meat
Python Meat
Quail Meat
Rabbit Meat
Raccoon Meat
Rattlesnake Meat
Red Deer Meat
Reindeer Meat
Rocky Mountain Oysters
Salami
Sausage Store
Silkie Chicken
Squab Meat
Squirrel Meat
Suckling Pig
Turtle Meat
Venison Meat - Deer Meat - Wild Deer Meat
Water Buffalo Meat
Wild Boar Meat
Wild Duck
Wild Pigeon Meat
Wild Turkey - Heritage Turkey - Organic Turkey
Woodcock - Snipe
Yak Meat

At $49,999.99 a pound for lion meat I doubt I will be buying any lion steaks but the selection is what amazed me.

http://www.worldmarket.com/category/food-and-drink.do
World Market was a brick and morter store I frequented in St Louis. I didn't know they had online service too.

I'm wondering if anyone has actually bought perishables online?
Did they arrive quickly and still fresh?
Was the shipping affordable.

A couple years ago I sent some alligator meat to my sister in PA.
It cost a fortune and required serious packaging. But, it did arrive still frozen she said.

I've never tried it, not sure I would. I don't order clothes online either because it's difficult to find clothes that fit, I'd most likely have to return it.

I think I'd have a hard time trusting it was actually what I was ordering. If you've never tried it, you don't know what it tastes like so it would be easy for them to send you something else and claim it was something like lion meat.

i 've never tried it online but my sisterinlaw's dad sends a mail order box of high end beef to my folks every year for xmas and that has never turned up spoiled.
the closest i have come was one of the different flavored tabasco sauce that the locals stopped carrying

Good point
Wasn't there some scandal in Europe a while ago that involved horsemeat?
I think I would do some serious research on the company's reputation before making such a purchase.

Then there is the aspect of relocating and missing old favorites.
I lived in Eastern PA. There were a few brick and mortar stores that I frequented that carried products I can't get down here.

http://www.wegmans.com/
Wegman's was a high end grocery in Erie, PA that had many things I would drive 50 miles to buy.

another that had local hunter products (meats) and obscure favorites was
Donofrios
http://donofriosfoodcenter.com/

Wish that was true the kind I had ordered was Tortuga Caribbean Gourmet Pepper... Already hit the coffeeforless site. Even ordered 6 of them,they did not even know the company had quit making it and had no stock they ordered directly from the company when they wanted it.... I even talked to someone and told them the company had quit making it they assured me they could get it.. Next day I got a e-mail saying there was no way for them to get it since the item has been discontinued........and they do not keep it in stock themselves..

The other site you gave when you go to it all of their Gourmet Jam & Jellies are out of stock as well~~

No, not online but I eat exotic food here in the US.

So, yeah, best to do some serious research before committing.

I suppose with research you could find out what's legit.

There was Wegman's in Upstate NY when I lived there with my Aunt years ago. She used to buy these white hot dogs that I've not found any where else. If I were still into hot dogs, I might consider ordering them online.

For ease, convenience and to get things you can't locally, I think it is a good option. With most things online though, you just need to be careful and do the research.

There used to be a website called Hometown Favorites.
It had old grocery items like Quisp Cereal and stuff but it went out of business.

But...
There are some websites that offer retro stuff like

Old soda pop
http://www.drsoda.com/newstuff.html

And retro candy
http://www.oldtimecandy.com/walk-the-candy-aisle/



I've used brick and mortar restaurant supply stores to buy bulk foods when I was feeding a family.
I'm pretty sure Costco and Sam's offers online shopping.
Has anyone purchased food from those types of stores?
What was your personal experience?
Can people from other countries buy stuff from stores based in the United States or is it prohibited under customs laws?
Like buying German products from stores like Real, Toom, Globus, Marktkauf and Famila. Is there restrictions? Has anyone had an experience?

Albino pigs?????

Ewww, yuck! Not sure what they were made of, but they were actually pretty good... least when I was a kid.

Ewww, yuck! Not sure what they were made of, but they were actually pretty good... least when I was a kid.

If you ever find out, let me know :-)

I have considered ordering groceries online just to see
how it shakes out so this is an interesting thread.

I see McDonald's, KFC and Taco Bell are all hooking up
with some UBER-like delivery service to expand their markets
to couch potatoes.

I can hardly wait :-)

In Warren, Ohio there was a McDonald's that did delivery in the early 90s.
It was the McDonald's traning facility and the signature store ran by the local area owner (he had 6 McDonald's in the area).
They also had an interesting menu that included McPizza and McHotdogs. It was a glass McDonald's with three levels, waitresses and even featured a player piano with a plastic Ronald playing it.
My kids loved it and called it the Glass McDonald's.

I remember in the 60s the local grocers (mom & pop shops) used to deliver groceries. We had a beer distributor that used to deliver cases of beer and Seagertown pop. At that time, the local dairy farmers were still delivering milk as well. Loved that milk.

Those orders were placed by telephone.

Technically, home delivery of food by internet is a return to lost convienence not something new. The big diference is the distance and mode of delivery.

While I wouldn't order milk from across the country, I'm sure if I really wanted to, I could.

I've ordered stuff online. If I'm not home, they left it on the doorstep. That could be hazardous with food deliveries, especially in the summer or winter. But, there is tracking software that can keep you informed on your delivery.

I'm partial to brick and mortar stores but there is about 50 or more food items I could consider buying online. I doubt I would ever do all my grocery shopping online. Grocery stores are a good place to meet people.

I have a few times ordered my bulk stuff paper products,cleaning stuff & non refrigerated items from Walmart due to it is the same price no shipping and I don't have to handle those items 3-4 times before I get them home.. Just once from my front door to put them up..