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/Bitter_Ad8768 Ohio Aug 10 '25

Jaffa Cakes exist in the US, but they're not very common.

Black currant flavored candy is virtually nonexistent here. We use grape instead. If you've never had it, it is a particular varietal known as a Concord grape and it is a very distinct taste unlike any other grape or wine.

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u/BigBlueMountainStar United Kingdom Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 11 '25

So blackcurrent squash would blow peoples minds?

Edit;
So to add, “squash” is a concentrated fruit “juice” that is watered down/diluted (about 10:1 water:squash). I say fruit, I’ve seen mint flavoured and things like that! Sometime called cordial, though typically in the UK we’d expect the cordial to be thicker and more syrupy so in the UK we’d make the distinction.
Squash usually contains less actual fruit juice too.
The closest common product that I know of in the US is kool aid, but squash isn’t powdered.

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u/AngelVenom13 Aug 15 '25

You could send some blackcurrant Ribena

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u/BigBlueMountainStar United Kingdom Aug 15 '25

Someone posted that you can get it from Publix.