Strange question, but I am a vegetarian, and we are off to visit the family in Ireland. The kids and I eat a lot of mexican(for lunch, for dinner). Do you suppose I could put some tortillas in our luggage and take them to Ireland? Family lives in the country, last time we went they wanted like 5 EU for a pack of tortillas. I usually pay .85c
Why not mail some ahead so they'll be there when you arrive? We mail food to London and Berlin all the time with no problems.
TSA doesn't care what kind of food you pack in your checked luggage, unless it is a lot of liquid type items and then they may search your luggage. I go to India frequently and have packed all kinds of food items. Peanut butter, jelly, bread, canned fruit, Spaghetti O's, etc. Only once have they open my checked luggage. What you do need to check on is if Ireland has any restrictions when you go through customs. I doubt tortillas would be on their radar, but you never know. Have a great trip!
ETA: I posted this with the thought that you could make them there, lol. Not to make them here (in U.S.A.) & sneak them in. I didn't think I had to be so specific, but the poster above me didn't *get it*.
Prep Time:
15 Min Cook Time:
45 Min Ready In:
1 Hr
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons lard
1 1/2 cups water
Directions
Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lard with your fingers until the flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet, and cook until bubbly and golden; flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side. Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer; continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough.
I'm a flight attendant and go to Dublin and Shannon regularly, I have never been asked about food I'm carrying into Ireland, just returning to the states. Crew does get to whip through customs in Ireland but I don't know of any food restrictions there or any European country. You can check the state dept. website and check on each specific country and any restrictions.
On your return trip home you will clear U.S. customs in both Dublin and Shannon as opposed to most other countries you clear customs in your arrival city in the U.S. So be sure not to bring meats, vegetables and fruits to the airport.
Have a great trip.
H.
http://www.fsai.ie/faq/import_export.html
This is important: do not sneak the food in. Declare it properly as food for your personal consumption (not for re-sale), and make sure that the tortillas are not packed in a ziplock baggie, but in their original sealed unopened package with ingredients clearly listed. Don't bring homemade ones. And do not bring any that have been made with lard. Meat and dairy and vegetables are difficult to get through customs, if not impossible. I brought bread home from Italy but I had one tomato with me and that was forbidden and taken from me. Baked products like breads are not as problematic.
Is there any way you could mail them on ahead?
J.:
I don't know the rules for importation of food into Ireland.
Check the the TSA.gov and see what they say.
Have fun!
I would practice making them from scratch! They take so little time! They are just flour and water ( must be boiling hot) to make the dough and then a hot cast iron pan.
Why is it sneaking food? Usually the only prohibition is against fresh fruit and vegetables. I would think it would be totally all right to pack tortillas. Just try it, and if they tell you you can't bring it, well, you're only out 85 cents.
We were able to enter and travel with prepackaged food like Cheerios. I would figure that it's a vacation and I'd rather buy them in advance or find something else to eat for part of the trip. You can try to take them, but be willing to throw them away. I'd put it in my checked bag. Leaving the US I had more trouble than anywhere else we traveled. The TSA is really....obnoxious.
I know that veggies/ produce would be a problem... but prepackaged tortillas would be easy to stick in your luggage and shouldn't be a problem at all. I have taken things like that to London... not a problem at all! Now if your whole suitcase were filled with tortillas... totally a different story! For personal consumption, not a big deal :-) Have fun!
Every expat and diplomat I know schleps tortillas (for making totillas chips) and cillantro seeds (for growing cilantro for salsa) back and forth between the US and South America, UK, Eastern Europe. You don't sneak it... you just bring it legally. LOL... I a few of my friends, though, just ship pallets (yes, pallets) of tortilla chips.
Other than produce and meats, you can take what you want. Pre-packaged food is absolutely fine! Just make sure you don't pack any liquids/sauces in your hand luggage. You will be fine. I travel to India all the time and fly through Europe -we bring/take food from both places.
Have a wonderful trip.
