International Travel: must haves #42

Jacob’s Cream Crackers.

A big box of them. I’d suggest 900g is the minimum you’ll need to take if you’re going beyond the colonies of Scotland, Ireland or Wales (where one of the smaller 400g packs will do if you find yourself in a cheddar situation on a Sunday afternoon).

Most parts of Western Europe (even some parts of southern Britain now thanks to the Community) will often promise Crackers when in fact they offer a wide range of stiff materials often containing seeds, nuts, nails or even variants that have not been derived directly from the bodies of the waiting or kitchen staff in the mistaken belief that they somehow disguise the monotony of the artefact.

These of course are not crackers.

Beyond Western Europe and you’ll find that there simply isn’t a word for Cracker.

There is one exception: the USA. Here you will of course find that any kind of foodstuff is readily and plentifully available at every mealtime. And by mealtime I mean 24 hours a day.