“Typical American food” gift that can be shipped internationally?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Necco wafers can survive indefinitely under all conditions.

This is OP, and this comment seriously made me laugh out loud. Necco wafers could survive anything - they are like the cockroaches of the food world. Not sure I’d want to inflict them on people I hope to keep collaborating with, though!

Macadamia nuts are also a great suggestion (assuming I can stop myself from eating them all up).

[Anonymous]

Enstrom toffee is incredible and easy to share with a group. Not cheap, though! My lab used to receive a box every Christmas from a grateful patient and we all adored it.
After I left I started ordering it for myself (very infrequently, though
Enstrom.com

[Anonymous]

Another idea are different spice rubs. My friends in Germany are all obsessed with TJ’s Elote seasoning. If they have kids, you could also send ChickFilA sauce. There is no ChickFilA in Germany.

[Anonymous]

We always bring real Maple Syrup.

[Anonymous]

Maple syrup and pecans - expensive in Europe.
Spice rubs/ hot sauces if the family is in to spice.
Mezcal (not strictly American, but harder to find outside North America) or bourbon

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enstrom toffee is incredible and easy to share with a group. Not cheap, though! My lab used to receive a box every Christmas from a grateful patient and we all adored it.
After I left I started ordering it for myself (very infrequently, though
Enstrom.com

This is my go to gift as well. We got it as a child as a gift to my father (a doctor). It was our favorite holiday present every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maple syrup?

This!

[Anonymous]

All of you suggesting maple syrup, what do you think us Germans would use that with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maple syrup?

I'm not sure it if that appeals to European tastes. A friend who did a sabbatical in England says she was given a TON of maple syrup, passed along by colleagues who had been given it as bread-and-butter presents by American guests.

Yes, the people who like Marmite and tomato-y baked beans and Christmas pudding (SUET! YUM!) think maple syrup is gross.

Anyway.

Little sample bottles of hot sauce?

https://www.hotsauce.com/Mini-and-Travel-Hot-Sauces/

This is fascinating. I dont doubt this is true, but it's so very odd. How can you dislike maple syrup? Especially eaten as intended, over a thick stack of pancakes?

Then again, I've heard the Brits also rarely use sweet peanut butter- aka peanut butter and jelly, or peanut butter pie type things. I guess it's just... different tastes (and ours is better of course! )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of you suggesting maple syrup, what do you think us Germans would use that with?

Pancakes, obviously! Although you can also use it as a general sweetener, like you would sugar, only it will give a maple, autumn/winter type of sweetness in baked goods. A lot of natural health people prefer to use it as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also maybe Mambo sauce from DC. I feel like a lot of regional New York stuff, like Nathan's hot dogs or pizza, couldnt be shipped. Maybe a jar of Raos?

Omg stooooop with the Rao's sauce worship on this board. It's getting ridiculous

How is saying "maybe a jar of raos?" worshipping the stuff? But the fact that you hear it referenced so much on her proves that it is a good regional food

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - oh wow, this is all so helpful - I have a list going!

I went to visit some collaborators in Spain about 10 years ago - several of whom had done postdocs in the US. They requested jellybeans & Saran Wrap. I thought the Saran Wrap was for the lab, but apparently it was for their personal use in the kitchen!

I also had visiting German colleagues request a trip to Annapolis a few years ago, where they bought a ton of T-shirts for friends and neighbors. Apparently Annapolis is a well-known sailing town in the Franconia region of Germany. Who knew?

Science has its drawbacks, but the cross-cultural aspects are very fun.

Also, any other recommendations for specific kinds of American EtOH?

Whenever my mom went back home to Europe, her luggage would be stuffed with Saran Wrap, Reynolds Wrap, Bounce dryer sheets, and Levi’s.

[Anonymous]

Kona coffee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!

My friends in Spain loved thin mints!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also maybe Mambo sauce from DC. I feel like a lot of regional New York stuff, like Nathan's hot dogs or pizza, couldnt be shipped. Maybe a jar of Raos?

Omg stooooop with the Rao's sauce worship on this board. It's getting ridiculous

How is saying "maybe a jar of raos?" worshipping the stuff? But the fact that you hear it referenced so much on her proves that it is a good regional food

Regional?? What region of the US is that overpriced, overrated sauce from? And just because people are super into it on this board doesn't mean it's actually good.