An empty spice rack

One of the admittedly minor annoyances of moving internationally is the seemingly arbitrary list from movers and customs agents about what you can and cannot bring out or in. The moving company (or removal firm, as our British Neighbor calls them), wouldn't let her bring any foodstuffs, including herbs and spices. The same applied to our friends moving back to England and Switzerland: the spices couldn't go with. The irony of course, is that these herbs and spices come from all over the globe.

But annoying it is: my cupboard is now bursting with the cast-off from friends leaving (I really don't need three bottles of dill). Translated into everyday life, it means that our new British neighbor often finds her ability to make a certain dish hampered by a missing but key flavoring. Sometimes you can fake it, but there are no good substitutions when making curry.
Since it's her birthday today, we thought it would be nice to help her refill her spice rack. I went to the local luxury supermarket and paced up and down the aisle before I made a random selection of herbs and spices. I'm pretty sure she's brought in salt and pepper and a few others, but I haven't the foggiest idea what she's missing and what she's already bought. So, I stood there, asking myself what she likes to cook and eat, and made choices based on what little of her taste I know, and what looked pretty and exotic. I hope we've provided her without too much overlap, and a few things to inspire her.

The punch line is that I always return to the US with my suitcase filled with herbs and spices gleaned from European supermarket shelves. So if she's still missing something from home, we'll make sure she gets it on our next foray over the pond.