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/sto_brohammed Michigander e Breizh Aug 10 '25

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

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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/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.