SC - questions: TO BOIL PHEASANTS, PARTRIDGES, CAPONS AND CURLEWS

[David Dendy]

>Francesco,
>
>I know that this is probably a stupid question, but I
>am going to ask it anyway.  How is it that you can
>mail herbs and spices across the border, but cannot
>carry them across the border?
>
>Huette


Not a stupid question, my lady, but one illustrating that the so-called
"Free-Trade" deal between Canada and the United States is no such thing.
Getting our stock across the border one way would not be *too* bad
(requiring only a complete itemized inventory, proof of valuation, proof
that the items are the actual herbs that we state them to be, proof that
none of them are prohibited or restricted in the other country, etc.). But
bringing them *back* -- now that is another story. We would again have to
have a complete itemized inventory, account for all changes in quantity,
prove that these are actually the items taken across the border in the first
place, etc. And since customs agents are neither trained botanists nor
historical cooks, be prepared to have considerable portions of the stock
held for analysis (at our expense).

As to how we can mail them, the answer is simple -- in the quantities we
mail in an individual retail order, the value is low enough that all the
customs people require is a simple customs declaration -- and contents are
very seldom checked at that.

Our problem as a business is that we are a business, and therefore subject
to much tighter customs control than individual consumer -- you could carry
your own purchases of spices across the border with no more trouble than if
they were any other purchases included in your customs allowance.

Francesco (for whom life is too short for all that)

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