Windows 7: Online Foods

I can understand that in some cases, but with something like a pastrami, which doesn't require refrigeration until after opening, I don't think that packaging would be too expensive. Personally, I consider online shopping a bargain hunt, not a matter of lack of local availability, or ability to go to the store.

I don't miss my native Finland as much as I miss Finnish food, sweets, bread and coffee! Germans simply can not bake (my personal, very subjective opinion), the bread available here would never be sold in Finland. I need my Finnish bread, so I order it online (http://www.suomikauppa.fi/index.php?language=en).

I've noticed I'll pay about double, compared to what it would cost in Finland. I sometimes ask my mother to send me something but it's a bit awkward for me; my mother never wants any money from me, and if I send the money to buy and send me something, she adds at least the same amount of her money, buying more what I asked, so it ends every time so that my mother loses money because of my needs. That's why I rather pay double than let my mother finance my bread.

BTW, if you really want to taste the best possible rye bread, try this: Suomikauppa.fi - Ulkosuomalaisen paratiisi! - FAZER Ruispuikulat 500 g. The site is in English. (Finnish for newbies: the name of the site, Suomikauppa means Finland Store; Suomi = Finland in Finnish, kauppa = store.)

Kari

OK here comes my personal, very subjective opinion:

OMFG granted you are in former East Germany...but by now they should be adapted to western standards. If you think the Germans can't bake you should try what sorry excuse for bread they offer here in my area of the States. Good Lord, how in the world can people eat that squishy, spongy stuff. Of course that stuff is cheap, factory cr*p and as long as people are willing to sacrifice quality for a lower price nothing's gonna change. The last bakery in the area closed some 15, 20 years ago so that's what the folks here are stuck with.
That is actually the thing I miss most about GE...the sourdough bread stone baked style with a crunchy, shiny crust and of course the Rolls in the morning (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside) I started to bake my own because I won't ask my mom for care packages
The next real Baker who makes good quality bread/pastries is an old traditional polish bakery which is about a 2 hr drive from here ( so not really an every day option for me )
After Bread and several types of sausage/cold cuts, I think my next project is going to be cheese (not because I don't like what I can buy around here but because I can
-DG

Sledge, just to remind you that was only my personal opinion. We have two homes, the other being in West (Solingen in NRW), I know both East and West Germany, and to be honest, I like the bread more here in the East than there.

I have no problems to admit this is a cultural thing, based on what I am or was used to. I can just tell you that our neighborhood baker sees it very clearly when my shipment arrives; most of our German neighbors pool with me to make one big order every now and then, all of them preferring Finnish bread .

I am especially talking about rye bread, which simply is far more better in Scandinavia (again, a very, very subjective opinion!).

Kari

I never had any finish bread, Kari. The closest I ever came (region wise, I mean) was knäckebröd in Sweden but that's a total different thing altogether.
I was born some 15-20 miles off Solingen (Düsseldorf) and still all my kitchen knifes are from there
It must be a cultural thing for sure. I traveled all over the world and I believe I was always open to try new things but still the best bread (in my opinion and for my taste) I always found at home. But I'll keep that in mind and will try Finnish rye if I ever get a chance.
-DG

Rye is very good, but what I really like is Russian Black Bread. The only choice that I have here is to either buy a commercial loaf, or buy from WalMart. Until they recently remodeled their store, they had an instore bakery, but now I guess they bake it elsewhere and truck it in, because there's no bakery there.

Outside of that, I'm not aware of any local bakeries that offer bread...there are bakeries for pasteries, etc.