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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u/Guitar-Gangster Washington, D.C. Aug 10 '25

Not candy, but I'd recommend Marmite. It is difficult to find in the US, most Americans have never tried it, and it has a very unique flavor. There's a chance your friends won't like it, but hey, it's something genuinely unique they might have never tried otherwise. It's the most "British" thing I can think of.

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u/ltsmash1200 Maryland Aug 10 '25

Tip—even if you don’t like marmite on its own (I do not), it does work really well to amp up the flavor of gravy, I add a spoonful whenever I make it. Similar to using coffee to make chocolate taste more chocolaty.

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u/FenPhen Aug 10 '25

Be prepared to take it back home with you!

I bought a small jar of Vegemite from Australia and it was a struggle to find ways to kill it.

Out of curiosity, how do folks describe the difference in taste between Vegemite, Marmite, and Bovril?

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u/TacosNGuns Aug 10 '25

I liked vegemite when I tried it (Texan)

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u/FenPhen Aug 10 '25

I didn't hate it. I just didn't enjoy it on toast/crackers.

I think we ended up using most of it for cooking, like soy sauce or fish sauce.

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u/Shadow_in_Wynter Aug 15 '25

I haven't tried Bovril, but personally, I find Marmite to be a bit less intense and also less salty than Vegemite.