Marshmallows and Spray Cheese

Today while perusing the aisles of Rewe (a German grocery store), a familiar box caught my eye. There, in the middle of this regular German grocery store in the middle of Dortmund I found myself face to face with Pop Tarts. Real live Kellogg's brand Pop Tarts. For 7€, granted, but a sighting like this has never been made in your plain ol', run of the mill Rewe. 

 

After a solid 30 seconds of shock, I stepped back and took in the entire 7 foot display standing alone in the middle of the store. 

Sweet mother of over-priced American imports! 

 

It was an entire "American" themed shelf of some "classic" American foods. There I stood taking in all 6 shelves of BBQ Sauce, Peanut Butter, and Pop Tarts, wearing a stupid grin that probably said something like "why, yes, I am a crazy American rejoicing in the super-processed, disgustingly unnatural food of my homeland." And I'm not just talking American-themed foods made in Germany. These products were so American they had stickers translating ingredients and instructions into German. And there, sandwiched between the Marshmallows and spray cheese, I saw it. My weakness. 

Of course, I had to splurge and spend the 2.50€ for what is normally a $1 off-brand box of mac and cheese. But don't worry, since it wasn't the real blue-box Kraft favorite, it wasn't convincing enough to buy all that often. 

 

It was also good fun to see what kind of foods seemed quintessentially American enough for the Germans to make it on the list for this display. Among the previous mentioned products, you could also find legit maple syrup, Betty Crocker cake mix, microwave popcorn, Campbell's soup, Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix (with and without marshmallows, of course), some random candy bars I had never seen in my life, and so much more. All exorbitantly overpriced. 

 

Some things (read: the spray cheese) I got a good laugh out of, but you better believe I will be baking a Betty Crocker cake at some point in the very near future!