The Americanisation of Ireland has been steadily underway for a number of years, ever since the first Hersey's candy bar not smuggled in with your visiting aunt's luggage landed on our shelves. Since then, we've gotten enough Starbucks to rival pubs, multiple American-specific candy stores and a lone Krispy Kreme outlet that the country doesn't know how to handle.
This is surely a comfort to the many Americans who live in Ireland, or who are just passing through, but when it comes to actual comfort food, why has Dublin forsaken the Thanksgiving dinner?
Many Americans in Ireland lament the lack of their home delicacies, and struggle to find the authentic ingredients from their childhood, like canned pumpkin for pumpkin pie, classic treats like Marshmallow Fluff and Jell-O and the divisive canned cranberry sauce.
So we've rounded up some top picks for where to stock up for your Thanksgiving feast.
Fallon & Byrne
The lone beacon of hope for many Americans for many years, Fallon & Byrne is the first port of call for many people looking to host a Thanksgiving dinner, or just get a taste of home.
Jennifer King, Marketing Manager for the stores, says "this is always a big event every year in our food halls as we have lots of American customers, lots of whom are in shopping and ordering turkeys or pies!" They also offer pumpkin and pecan pies, or if you want to make your own they sell the Holy Grail of Thanksgiving goods: Libby's pumpkin purée.
You can also pick up Crisco for cooking, clamato juice, Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, AW Root Beer and Twinkies for all of your snacking needs, as well as stunning gourds for a traditional Thanksgiving centrepiece worthy of a whole series of Instagram stories, as well as a range of other American goodies.
Fresh, Smithfield
One of the few Northside spots that stock American products, they excel in their well-curated candy selections. Here you'll find Red Vines and Twizzlers, as well as giant marshmallows and graham crackers for s'mores or marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes - the most baffling and alluring of Thanksgiving dishes.
Kingdom of Sweets, Henry St
While they don't succeed too well with the Thanksgiving fare, this treasure trove of American candy works hard to stock the American nibbles that all parties need.
This little-known shop on the Northside is packed to the brim with Kool-Aid, Marshmallow Fluff in vanilla and strawberry flavours, Pop Tarts and a range of chips including Cheez-Its, Rebel and Lays. When prepping your pre- or post-feast snacks, you'll find what you're craving here.
americanfood.ie
Sure, you've probably been ordering your American essentials from Amazon the past few years, but there's a new contender on the scene. Americanfood.ie's selection of American products is so expertly managed that it borders on curating.
There are few gaps in their collection: Little Becky Mini Marshmallows for your sweet potatoes; Betty Crocker Golden Cornbread & Muffin Mix; Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce; French's French Fried Onions; Kraft Stove Top Stuffing Savory Herb. You could replicate your entire childhood in food from their selection.
Naturally, they impress with their selection of candy, sodas and other treats but when it comes to Thanksgiving fare, they've pulled off a home run.
And if you can't get through all of your pumpkin puree today, there are some ingenious ways to work it into dishes beyond just pie.
Happy Thanksgiving!
