Hitting the road? Ask questions about dining out anywhere, and post your trip reports here!
User avatar
User

DanB

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

415

Joined

Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:47 am

Location

San Francisco

Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by DanB » Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:12 am

The lovely lady and myself were thinking of smuggling some Epoisses and other lovely raw milk stink B*mbs through US customs. We're probably flying from Frankfurt or Amsterdam. Anyone, ahem... tried this recently? The US customs regs online don't specifically say anything about raw milk cheese. As long as it's for personal consumption.... anyone know if small amounts are kosher?

Otherwise.... any tips on the best way to go about it? We were thinking vacuum packed with freezer gel packs in our checked luggage. Obviously though.... precisely things like this look similar to items of a more sinister nature. Any tips most appreciated.
User avatar
User

Gayle DeM

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

2002

Joined

Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:42 pm

Re: Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by Gayle DeM » Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:38 pm

Didn't have any trouble bringing back French raw milk cheese last year. When I bought the cheese I requested that it be shrink wrapped. I flew from Lyon to Amsterdam to Detroit. I didn't try to "smuggle" it. I listed the cheese on my customs form.
Last edited by Gayle DeM on Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian" -Erma Bombeck
User avatar
User

DanB

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

415

Joined

Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:47 am

Location

San Francisco

Re: Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by DanB » Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:42 pm

That sounds good. Did you just write "cheese" or did you mention what sort it was?
User avatar
User

Joel F

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

292

Joined

Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:21 pm

Re: Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by Joel F » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:00 pm

in my trips I have not had a problem with items purchased at the supermarket or with items purchased at the airport stores.

brussels airport offers a surprising selection of stinky terroir items. This led to one trip where the re-inspection of my carry-on for my connection back to Louisville essentially released an ass-cloud in the TSA area. The cheese had warmed up during 9 hours in the overhead bin...

so think about how & where you are going to stow these things. think about getting an inexpensive cooler bag and some heavy duty ziplocs / freezer bags to bring with you. and / or some tupperware type things. and maybe some blue ice packs / gel-ice packs. these are usually much more expensive over in europe.

If you go to a cheese monger, chances are good that they can vac-pack them for you. At the least they can plastic wrap and label them.

I don't think Ag Dept inspection is on the look out for raw milk specifically. The concern is more phytosanitary in nature -- the danger of pests or disease which could impact crop health etc.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/about/histor ... istory.xml

http://hawaii.gov/hnl/ticketing-check-i ... inspection

If things are producer packaged then I don't think they're going to care, even if they are robust in odor.

Canines are in use at all ports of entry that I have experienced, so you're better off declaring that you have cheese. It's all the better if you can answer that it came from the supermarket or duty-free zone.
Last edited by Joel F on Wed Mar 06, 2013 10:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
User

Joel F

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

292

Joined

Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:21 pm

Re: Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by Joel F » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:03 pm

this appears to be the current regulations

Travelers bringing food into the U.S. for personal use

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail ... rsonal-use
User avatar
User

Deb Hall

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

4169

Joined

Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:46 pm

Location

Highlands , Louisville

Re: Need tips on cheese smuggling ->thru airport

by Deb Hall » Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:35 pm

It still kills me that I can't bring back proscuitto, Iberico ham or any other other cured meats... :cry:

Thanks for the list, Joel. I have a friend/colleague coming from Germany in two weeks, and I just forwarded to him as proof of what he CAN bring me. :D ( that's what he gets for asking... :lol: ).

Deb

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign
cron