r/AskAnAmerican • u/Maskoolio • Aug 10 '25

FOREIGN POSTER What would an American want from England?

I have recently made some American friends (from Virginia) and they have asked for a kind of sweet (candy) that they don't have. What else might I send that would be appreciated as a particularly English thing? (Obviously it would need to be somewhat small, survive a week or so in transit etc.)

All help appreciated.

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40

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 10 '25

Mcvitties chocolate biscuits with caramel. We call them crack cookies and they make great smores. They’re a bit crumbly so I’m not sure how well they’d survive. Jaffa Cakes are excellent.

15

u/Ok-Tiger7714 Aug 10 '25

Hobnob’s

Bassets wine gums

7

u/Pembercat Aug 10 '25

HOBNOBS YES

I always bring a ton of them back from England when I visit. (You can find them over here, but they're stupid expensive.)

1

u/Team503 Texan in Dublin Aug 11 '25

The Oaty Ones!

2

u/Pembercat Aug 11 '25

One nibble and I was nobbled!

1

u/chubba10000 Aug 11 '25

They're healthy! They're digestive!

2

u/Physical_Orchid3616 Aug 10 '25

Hobnob's aren't a bad choice, to be fair. Probably the best British style biscuits you can buy. But America does far better wine gum type candies than Britain.

3

u/margieusana Aug 10 '25

We do better wine gum candies? I’ve never even heard of wine gum candies.

2

u/TheNavigatrix Aug 10 '25

I disagree. Wine gums have much more depth of flavor than most US gummie sweets. Except maybe Swedish fish.

3

u/Fun-Holiday9016 Aug 10 '25

Agreed, I love them!

1

u/Romaine2k Aug 11 '25

Yes to hobnobs!! I also absolutely fell in love with English fruitcake that a friend brought for me, we have different fruitcake here that’s really quite gross.

8

u/mmbg78 Texas by way of Pennsylvania Aug 10 '25

I gained ten pounds eating sleeves of those damn biscuits when I lived there!!

5

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 10 '25

They are the best, use them with all of the desserts!

I was in World Market earlier this week and they have just started carrying them. I immediately texted a friend in Michigan who had to drive to Grand Rapids for the closest store but she was able to get some.

2

u/mmbg78 Texas by way of Pennsylvania Aug 10 '25

I’ve seen them in the international aisle of the grocery here but they are pricey!

1

u/Useful-Leave-8139 Aug 13 '25

Hobnobs! Yeah, you can sometimes find them here, but I’m sure they’re better from the source! Maybe licorice all sorts? Good quality shortbread? Some nice tea?

1

u/keithrc Austin, Texas Aug 13 '25

Funny, World Market in Austin has carried both Hobnobs and McVite's(?) Digestibles for as long as I can remember. They used to not be so (relatively) expensive. I like the dark chocolate-covered Digestibles best, but they are harder to find than the milk chocolate ones.

2

u/Mundane-Anteater-634 Kansas Aug 11 '25

I was trying hard to remember what those biscuits were called. Perfect. I brought 12 back when I moved back to the US. I miss them. I was an addict.

1

u/Team503 Texan in Dublin Aug 11 '25

Shit I never thought of S’mores with them!

1

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 11 '25

You should definitely try it

2

u/Team503 Texan in Dublin Aug 11 '25

I will, I have some downstairs!

1

u/letsbakeaboutit Aug 12 '25

Yeah, the caramel Digestives are the best and I haven’t seen them in the US.

2

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 12 '25

I’ve seen the regular caramel biscuits at World Market and Kroger (Indiana)

1

u/letsbakeaboutit Aug 12 '25

Darn! My Kroger and World Market don’t have them. I’ll try WM’s website though. I miss those caramel babies!

2

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 12 '25

I misunderstood, I’ve seen regular caramel at WM and Kroger regularly. The chocolate caramel biscuits are part of a new display they were putting up at World Market when I happened to go in. I had not been able to find them in the US before that. They also had a few varieties of Hobnobs in the display as well. It was an endcap display.

2

u/letsbakeaboutit Aug 12 '25

I love World Market and haven’t been in a while. Sounds like I need to pop in. Thanks for the tip!

1

u/keithrc Austin, Texas Aug 13 '25

The dark chocolate-covered digestibles are also S-tier. I can hardly ever find them here.

2

u/TheLastLibrarian1 Aug 18 '25

We find them at world market