You may know LU cookies and crackers - the European brand has been popping up across this country more and more. They make a delicious cake cookie filled with jam and dipped in dark chocolate called Pim's. But one flavor just hasn't made the jump across the pond.
Pim's cookies are laughably easy to find in my neighborhood. They're sold at Duane Reade, a drugstore chain that seems to have just about as many locations as Starbucks in NYC. I know exactly where LU cookies are shelved (near the chocolate bars and gummy bears) and each time I pass by them I have a little let down. Pim's cookies are made in several (and not equally delicious, in my opinion) flavors. Typically US stores stock raspberry and orange. Not pear. What gives?
I first discovered LU Pim's pear cookies in a small grocery in France. Their sweet flavor is fresh in my memory just like the paprika flavored potato chips and plastic bottles of red wine sold next to them. The first time I saw the stock of Pim's in NYC, absent of pear, I assumed the store was just sold out of what was, in my mind, clearly the most popular flavor. But I've never seen them sold this side of the Atlantic. Did LU decide that pear was too French for American shelves?
Have you ever had your favorite flavor discontinued?
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Pear + chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations (hello Poire belle Hélène!), but after many trials with friends and family, I haven't found many others that like it.
I had no idea there was a pear variety of Pim's. We have a specialty food market in my town that stocks a lot of imported cookies and candies that I can't find anywhere else. I will have to check there now, and if they don't have them, I'll ask if they can order a case...
I love LU cookies. I've shopped Amazon and Amazon.UK for European cookies and candies with great success. Just sayin'
I adore the raspberry - I'm sure the pear is good, but that sharpness just speaks to me. (And in answer to your actual question, no, I've not seen the pear in the States, either.)
Are you sure you've never gotten the pear in the states? I'm almost positive I've found them here before. I agree that pear is amazing, but the classic orange is also divine. Definitely my favorite cookie.
I know it was only an aside in the original post, but my husband and I LOVE paprika potato chips!
The pear ones are available in Canada.
those sound so delicious!! I feel that way about Rose's Lemon & Lime Marmalade. It's in the UK all over the place, but hard to find in Toronto, Canada. I don't' know how anyone can even bother with orange marmalade once you've tried lime Marmalade- it's heaven.
We love Pims in our house. It's our favorite snack to get and eat a whole sleeve of on a friday night :) The only reason we found them is my husband and I are huge fans of the British show Spaced and they mention Jaffa cakes on there (same type cookies but SO much better, if you can find them) and the easier sourced ones were Pims. Would love to try pear now!
The pear were always my favorite, too!
I've found the pear ones in VA (Arlington) and in WA (Seattle area) at the regular plain old grocery store.
After years of reading and lurking, I've finally registered to comment on this post! I have long considered raspberry Pim's to be one of life's perfect treats, but a little pricey. Then recently I saw version for sale at Aldi for about half the price, and I must say, they are pretty darn good. Only problem: the box comes with TWO sleeves, so I have to control myself!
I vote for chocolate raspberry and chocolate orange combination in the summer I love raspberry sorbetto with chocolate ice cream or dark chocolate with orange zest. Have not had the pear with chocolate (that I can think of) so not sure how that tastes, but shall try to find some LU pims locally.
My neighbor used to buy the pear kind regularly in our normal old Cala market in San Francisco. I'm not sure if they are still there. I'd also try looking in a Cost Plus World Market (are those national or just West Coast? I have no idea), they might carry them....
These were my favorite cookies! You could get them around Princeton, NJ in the regular grocery store around 2001-2002. I've been searching the interwebs for them on and off since them with no luck. Raspberry's great, but it's no Orchard Pear.
I've never had the pear, but I've been craving the pamplemousse (grapefruit) variety ever since my semester in Paris 8 years ago. Anyone seen that variety stateside?
You can order them here: http://www.shoprite.com/pd/Lu/Pims-Orchard-Pear/5-20-oz/694990008551/
Two of my favorite things when I lived in London were Cadbury's chocolate mousse cups and Nestle's Heaven (hazelnut creme and chocolate) bar. Seriously the best chocolate bar I have ever had or could hope to have. Neither can be found in the US and I have looked!
I was introduced to the pear flavor recently while abroad. Sadly, I've never seen it in stores, though the raspberry and orange are extremely easy to find.
I discovered the pear flavor in France too! I've been searching everywhere on the East Coast for it, but I just can't find it. I've found pear jam, so I might just have to make it myself!
There's also a cherry flavour, although I've only seen in it in one supermarket here (Metro in Toronto).
Google says Shop Rite in Oakland, NJ carries them. It doesn't seem like they'd be the only store in the US to carry them.
I know Hannaford (northeast grocery chain) carries Pims in general, but not sure about which flavors.