What English stuff do Americans like?

[paulh]

when we go we always take a bottle of vimto after drinking coke and beers it make a nice refresing change
Paulh

 

[Susie]

How about a calender depicting our lovely Scottish scenery? Not that I am biased!

 

[TMM]

I have been in England for 3 years now and all my sister ever wants me to send her is golden syrup and spotted dick sponge pudding (the Heinz canned ones).

Every Christmas I put together parcels to send to my friends and family back in the US. The big hits last year were: Scottish shortbread and Thornton's chocolate's. The misses were definitely Marmite and English mustard. Not all US states have Lush products. So I sent gift boxes to a few friends and now whenever I am 'home', the girls sniff my luggage looking for soaps and bath bombs.

When I first moved here I cried when I went to the supermarket believing English food products were inferior. Now I can't live without Green and Black's Organic chocolate, Warburton's bread, flap jacks.

 

[Amyrlin]

Tonya, out fo interest (and no danger of flaming), which types of items do you think are better in the US? (looking for ideas of what to bring back).

 

[londonpenguin]

flap jacks.

Oo, I forgot about flapjacks! Mmmmmmmmmmm...

And someone said calendars. Always an excellent idea, and useful too!

And chocolate.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I adore Cadbury chocolate- crunchie bars are my favorite!
I adore the tea especially the "summer pudding" variety from The Tea House.
Boots has some truly great products that aren't available in the States- sunscreens, lotions, bubble baths, bath salts, etc.
I loved shopping in Accessorize as well. Though, most of the souvenirs I brought back were from Harrods- it's true about brand names.
Anyway, I thought you might like an American opinion about what products I would love to have in the States.

 

[TMM]

Tonya, out fo interest (and no danger of flaming), which types of items do you think are better in the US? (looking for ideas of what to bring back).[/QUOTE

Whenever I come back from the States my teenage stepdaughters always want: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Hunt's Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce (it is their favorite now), Jelly Belly jelly beans (way too expensive here), Oreo cookies and Turtles (chocolate, pecan and caramel).

My husband is addicted to peanut butter and jelly now and always buys grape jelly. He likes Goldfish and York Peppermint Patties.

As for what I thought was a better, I was just surprised at how different the stock was in the supermarket aisles. I couldn't find anything familiar. I found the cereal aisle very anemic compared to American cereals. I was big cereal eater and now hardly ever have cereal here (not as much choice). I have never taken to Cadbury's - I think it is too sweet. England has a lot of the same products, but the flavours are different. I used to eat Quaker instant oatmeal, but the big flavour in the he US is maple syrup and brown sugar. Here it is golden syrup, which I just don't like. It's just little things like that. I prefer Jell-O brand gelatine and puddings to what you call jelly and angel delight. My mother in-law likes me to bring back cake flour as she bakes a lot and always wondered why my cakes were lighter than hers.

As for women's beauty - I can't live without Cetaphil face cleanser and Secret deodorant.

 

[susieh]

A colleague recently spent 3 years in Connecticut. I went out on a business trip and my suitcase was full of stuff for him that he missed - namely:-

Branston pickle
Cadbury's chocolate
PG Tips (or any decent UK tea)
Golden Shred marmalade
Heinz Baked Beans

 

[magicmouse2]

What about Thorntons toffee for Americans ? Mushy peas ?, merrydown Cider, Harrods products ?

I love many American things - Oreos, maple syrup on breakfast, corn dogs, Twinkies, American candy, saltwater taffy and Cheese danishes !

 

[Pixiebell]

We always take a box of Thornton's chocolates over, our friends can't get enough of them!
We are lucky enought to live in a sea side town, so we always make a point of going to the cheap and tacky souvenir shops, and picking up some fudge or toffee with a postcard attached!

 

[stevechase]

Fish and Chips in paper with loads of salt and vinegar.

I work with a guy who has a relative (distant cousins) in Calif. The guy works as an explosives expert in the movie industry, currently working on Pirates of the Carib, 2 and 3 how cool is that.

Anyway, when they visited the UK, the black country to be exact, a few years back, Chris (who I work with) had to take them walking down the high street eating fish and chips out of newspaper.

Steve

 

[wicket2005]

Anyway, when they visited the UK, the black country to be exact, a few years back, Chris (who I work with) had to take them walking down the high street eating fish and chips out of newspaper.

Steve

Lovely story.

 

[MazdaUK]

The cabin crew on our return flight had had a tin of weightwatchers ravioli confiscated AND had to pay $200 fine!

I was on a course recently in Buckingham Palace Road and just opposite the entrance to the Royal Mews is a "royal" gift shop with loads of "royal" stuff - including Charles and Camilla wedding souvenirs!

In Horseguards Parade there is a little caravan which is open a few hours a day selling model soldiers etc.

How about a plastic Police helmet from ELC?

 

[Debbie Jean]

Having spent some time in England, I can tell you what DD(18) would love the most: Hula Hoops! Can't find them for love nor gold in the US In fact, her birthday is next month and I ordered 4 12-packs from an online distributor to surprise her! The shipping cost 3 times what the Hula Hoops do!

For myself, I would love to have any of the women's weekly's... also not available in this country... Women's Own, Take A Break, etc.

 

[hanncam]

I just happen to be American and one day hope to visit ya'll across the pond and I loved the idea that one post had about the rock from the coast.

The other post was correct. Most Americans are at least a little fascinated by castles. I live in North Carolina and all we have is Biltmore and Blackbeard the pirates castle (which was mostly lost in a hurricane in 1944), so anything to do with castles would be cool.

When I was last in Disney I kept seeing people from England wearing these shirts (I guess soccer??) with England on them and I guess it is the English flag. I was jealous because I thought they were so cool that I asked one of the people about it and of course they said you could only get them from England...

I have a emailpal from Scotland, so I will ask, what would be a good thing to buy them from America?

 

[MazdaUK]

For myself, I would love to have any of the women's weekly's... also not available in this country... Women's Own, Take A Break, etc.

I wonder if you can get an overseas subscription? Try searching online

 

[carolfoy]

When I was last in Disney I kept seeing people from England wearing these shirts (I guess soccer??) with England on them and I guess it is the English flag. I was jealous because I thought they were so cool that I asked one of the people about it and of course they said you could only get them from England...

don't ask your scots friend for one or you'll inevitably end up with a Scotland shirt and a lot of grumbling about how 'England are just lucky in international matches'

 

[mkmarty]

My brother - who's now resident in Washington needs - wait for it - Dettol and Savalon (the US version is greasey he says) He also wants/misses Walkers Crisps and especially the different flavors like cheese & Branton Pickle etc.
He's odd

 

[Debbie Jean]

I wonder if you can get an overseas subscription? Try
searching online

I actually looked into it but the cost was unbelievable, I guess because of the shipping. For awhile I had subscriptions to a couple of slimming magazines... they were expensive but because they don't publish as often not nearly as pricey as the weeklies.

There's a shop, "Out of town News", in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass not far from where my parents live in Boston that does carry a few titles, so when I visit that's my splurge!

I actually treated myself to a bunch when I ordered my daughters Hula Hoops last week. The final cost for the HH and magazines was nearly $100! I'm sure most people would think I'm nuts!

 

[Hodder]

Having spent some time in England, I can tell you what DD(18) would love the most: Hula Hoops! Can't find them for love nor gold in the US In fact, her birthday is next month and I ordered 4 12-packs from an online distributor to surprise her! The shipping cost 3 times what the Hula Hoops do!

For myself, I would love to have any of the women's weekly's... also not available in this country... Women's Own, Take A Break, etc.

You can get Hula Hoops here. Where did you order from?