V-Flyer

I'd like to take some spices with me to the US next trip - I love spicey food and I find it impossible to get anything other than watered-down versions. Anyone know if it's ok to take a small quantity in? I'm talking curry spices here - chilli, coriander, cumin, fenugreek....

I've bought back steak rubs, specialist salts, etc from a spice merchant in Jacksonville before so don't see why you couldn't take them in.

A colleague brought some "botang" back from SA - inoccently, well minus the goods and £1200 she now knows differenty !

The UK tend to be far less strict that the US at what you bring in.

I did have a jar of marmite taken off me at MCO a good few years back when trying to bring it over to family.

No reason was given, they just didn't like the look of it! Obviously a hater rather than a lover of marmite!

Depends on their condition - so anything that is a seed will be a no no


Check on the US Dept Agriculture or the Customs / Border Patrol websites.

In any event I would declare them when you get to US customs. Better to be open about them rather than get caught.

As to taking them in your cabin bags - I'd say no as not everyone likes the smell of curry and its not fair to other pax to add a extra armoa !

No, this would be in ground form, but a good idea to check the customers/border control sites - thanks for that!

On to something totally unrelated - seems this site is now blocked from where I work - what a pain. I really can't see the reason either...

catsilversword wrote:On to something totally unrelated - seems this site is now blocked from where I work - what a pain. I really can't see the reason either...

This site is blocked where I work too, anything that has forums or chat/message capability is blocked.

Are you only taking hand luggage, if not why "on board"?

I'm not sure you can, a couple of years ago I was chatting to our local (in the UK) curry shop ownner. he told me his cousin owned one of the top indians in NYC but couldnt get a lot of spices as they were banned ! he claimed his main ingredient was bisto.(sounds weird to me)

however Mrs FB says if you buy McCormack black top spices here they are all ground and as good as you get

Penny_L wrote:

catsilversword wrote:On to something totally unrelated - seems this site is now blocked from where I work - what a pain. I really can't see the reason either...

This site is blocked where I work too, anything that has forums or chat/message capability is blocked.

You can block the chat system but not sure how to do it.

slinky09 wrote:Are you only taking hand luggage, if not why "on board"?

Sorry to confuse, will be taking bags in the hold too - I was really only wondering if they could be taken at all. (Imagines turmeric-covered clothes at the other end )

tontybear wrote:

Penny_L wrote:

catsilversword wrote:On to something totally unrelated - seems this site is now blocked from where I work - what a pain. I really can't see the reason either...

This site is blocked where I work too, anything that has forums or chat/message capability is blocked.

You can block the chat system but not sure how to do it.

Nor me - then again, I can't even do a defrag anymore at work. Admin rights and all that....

flabound wrote:I'm not sure you can, a couple of years ago I was chatting to our local (in the UK) curry shop ownner. he told me his cousin owned one of the top indians in NYC but couldnt get a lot of spices as they were banned ! he claimed his main ingredient was bisto.(sounds weird to me)

however Mrs FB says if you buy McCormack black top spices here they are all ground and as good as you get

We've tried buying them, but not really thought they were as good as the stuff we get here. Then again, we do tend to buy our spices from indian shops, rather than those little bottles.

Never mind, it was just something we were musing about!