Rootbeer, mac'n'cheese and the chemicals we crave

It must go with the territory that among the top ten questions heard by "those crazy people living abroad" comes the "what foods do you miss most from home" ... a question which always makes me smirk, considering I live in Switzerland and not, I dunno, someplace in Asia where the food might actually be substantially different and/or "American" products hard to find. Despite the fact that I haven't yet found a genuine, "American" burger around these parts (they try, but really, they're just setting you up for disappointment), quite frankly, I rarely, rarely find that I miss foods from home, except perhaps if you count the sentimental touch of having that food cooked for you by gourmet momma or BBQ pops. Every once in awhile, though - about every six months, in fact - a craving or two hits ... the sort where you sit there and think "how can I possibly crave this junk, if it doesn't even fall into the category of the top 10 foods I ate when I lived in the States?"

Here are a few examples:

1. Neon orange Kraft mac'n'cheese

2. Rootbeer

3. Gooey, doughy cinnamon rolls

4. Out-of-the-box cupcakes, with out-of-a-jar frosting and sprinkles on top

5. Rocky road icecream

6. S'mores

7. American hamburgers

8. Sourdough bread

10. Cold lemonade ... with pulp

Yup, see what I mean? About the junkiest cravings possible. Seeing as the last time I was home was in January, the six month cravings have kicked in right on time and, combined with the fact that I discovered Marcel had never heard of a rootbeer float, I finally decided a trip to the American Market was in store this weekend. One box of mac'n'cheese, three cans of (Barq's!!) rootbeer, one bag of soon to-be-roasted marshmallows and 20 bucks later (alas, couldn't afford the 15 dollar - no joke!- box of graham crackers to make them into true s'mores ...), I ever-so-ecstatically endulged in my mac'n'cheese + rootbeer while Marcel said little (smart man) and swallowed his down as well...

Of course, the indulgence was subsequently followed by a swollen, aching belly, but the annual cravings have now been satisfied for another six months. Really, though, what chemicals do they put in that stuff that gets you hooked for life??