Swedish gummies, Parisian linens and Moroccan mint tea: what travel experts always bring home from their trips
Food Speciality tea View image in fullscreen Photograph: SJ Bright/Alamy The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through
Food Speciality tea View image in fullscreen Photograph: SJ Bright/Alamy The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. I love discovering local teas wherever I travel, whether it’s Moroccan mint, Japanese green or herbal blends I’ve never come across at home. I gave up coffee last year, and since then, tea – particularly matcha from Kyoto, which is really strong – has become my daily ritual. Adrienne Adhami, wellbeing coach and podcast host Spanish olives When in Spain, I always come home with Aceitunas gazpachas – these split manzanilla or hojiblanca olives are marinated with pickles and spices, and they’re completely addictive. I stock up in local organic food shops, which tend to have the best selection. Phillippa Fern Kenyon Shutes, private chef Armagnac prunes I grew up in the Gers region of south-west France, which is famous for preserving prunes in armagnac, so I always try to bring a jar of them back from the local Château de Cassaigne. They come in these lovely tall glass jars and make the most delicious after-supper treat. Patrick Williams, interior designer and founder of Berdoulat Coffee beans View image in fullscreen Photograph: Jose Antona/Getty Images I always start my day with a pour-over coffee, so I make sure to stock up on beans whenever I travel. I like ones from Ethiopia or Kenya, especially when they’ve been naturally fermented, as they tend to have a lovely fruitiness and acidity, with notes of strawberry, candied orange peel or pineapple. Once I get home, I freeze the beans to preserve their freshness. Patricia Zhou, choreographer Makrut lime leaves View image in fullscreen Photograph: Pornsawan Baipakdee/Getty Images Visiting Bangkok’s many markets (there’s one for everything) is always a highlight of a trip to Thailand. Phra Khanong is where local people buy their groceries. There are no tourists, it’s very affordable and the vendors are friendly. I always pick up my annual supply of makrut lime leaves for 50 baht (about £1) there. Kash Bhattacharya, travel blogger @budgettraveller Local spirits I buy alcohol from pretty much every country I visit. Looking at my collection, I have gin from Eritrea and Botswana, local spirits from Tanzania, and even a bottle from Laos with some sort of worm in it. I don’t actually open a lot of them – I just love having them there as memories of different places. If I’m travelling to a big wine-producing country, such as South Africa or Italy, I always bring a special wine suitcase with me, which holds 12 bottles. Jessica Nabongo, travel writer Swedish gummies Whenever I’m in Stockholm, I stock up on soft, chewy pick-and-mix sweets from any grocery store, such as Hemköp – they have big bins of them. Not just a packet or two – but a whole carry-on case full of them.
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