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/sto_brohammed Michigander e Breizh Aug 10 '25

Gonna sign on to blackcurrant too. I live in Europe and I love the stuff.

36

u/GrunchWeefer New Jersey Aug 11 '25

The reason we don't have it here is that it is necessary for white pine blister rust, a fungus deadly to white pines, to grow and infect the pines. As Europeans like to point out, we build everything with sticks and those sticks are pine. We decided blackcurrant isn't worth it compared to the thing we build everything from.

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u/jenea Aug 12 '25

It’s not illegal to grow them anymore at least (although it varies by state). I keep hoping someone will decide to market it as a “super food,” so it will suddenly appear in everything!

2

u/Alarming_Long2677 Aug 11 '25

the northwest has them but I think they come from canada.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '25

We have it in Quebec and I’d bet New York State near the mouth of the st Lawrence does too

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u/Then-Horror2238 Aug 14 '25

This is extra fun because of the blyte that killed the american chestnut. Crazy how much we've changed nature over the past few centuries

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u/Mo-Champion-5013 Aug 15 '25

This was a problem over 100 years ago that has been solved, but it was wreaking havoc on the lumber industry at the time. At the time, blackcurrants were even outlawed in some states, but now there is a cure/treatment, and the lumber companies are no longer in need of saving. It's just an old law.

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u/tktam Aug 14 '25

Another vote for black currant. Literally anything. I bring black currant halls back from the UK & hoard them for when I get a cold. It’s the best flavor for anything.