gift for hosts
 

Hi,

I am visiting some friends in Australia that have been kind enough to let me stay with them. They have never been to the US so I would like to bring over something uniquely American. Is there anything that comes to mind when you think of America?

Thanks

If like me your hosts were brought up on a diet of Hollywood westerns the West says "America" more than most images. Navajo jewellery/artifacts maybe? If you have a Museum Shop nearby you might find an art-repro gift with an American theme. You could supplement your gift with a duty-free bottle of Jack Daniels (sorry, my unrefined taste is showing).

If your friends are into wine, try a good bottle of red zinfandel. There are very few Australian wineries that produce it, and it is a fairly uniquely American wine that compares well to the great Aussie shirazes.

Karen

jenn_nj, Karen's suggestion is a good one and made me think of the converse -if you have friends in the States who are into wine, take back a bottle of sparkling shiraz (I'm serious!), which is or was uniquely Australian - or a good liqueur muscat (a luscious fortified wine) from Victoria's Rutherglen region.

Those were exactly the ideas I was looking for. Thanks so much for your help!

There are a lot of food items produced in the United States. How about a food basket of items made here, ex. French's Mustard, Rochester, NY. You could create a "theme" basket of foods made here like an Italian basket made with locally made sauces, pasta and wine. Instead of a basket base you could use a large spaghetti bowl designed in the U.S. Wrap the bowl in cellophane and tie it with a red and white dish towel and through the knot, put a wood spoon created locally.

Just be aware that Australia has very strict quarantine regulations. Specifically prohibited are eggs and egg products, dairy products, uncanned meat products, live animals and plants, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and seeds and nuts. That tells me that you shouldn't have a problem with most canned/preserved foods, but definitely leave out the andouille sausage.

I've had no trouble with coffee and tea ex Vietnam, so some New Orleans-style coffee with chicory might be a nice touch.

For the full story: www.aqis.gov.au.

See's Candy

I agree on the Zinfandel...I really like Zin, and love Shiraz, so it would be a nice comparison.

BTW, I just mentioned Sparkling Shiraz on another thread, only to read Neil's suggestion here. Definitely try it AND bring a lot back because you will miss it! It's so yummy...I had one from Rockford's which was lovely. Charles Melton had a nice one as well. I prefer it over champagne!

Thank goodness my friend is visiting in April...hopefully he can bring me some more.

BTW, you can haul back wine to the states and the duty is puny on it. 30 and some odd cents a liter after the 2 you are allowed. I declared 12 bottles, and they let me right through. Guess they weren't going to bother to get three bucks from me.

Sparkling shiraz has been around for a long time and used to be sold as "sparkling Burgundy" before the French stopped us using names like Burgundy and Champagne (fair enough). It wasn't taken seriously by the cognoscenti until one day the penny dropped and someone said "Hey - this isn't bad!" Probably a result of the prevailing Australian inferiority complex (if the Europeans aren't making it, there must be a problem).

I believe the French want the EU to label New World wines "industrial". Presumably this is because we have the effrontery to use high-tech stuff like stainless steel vats, whereas they prefer more traditional equipment that hasn't been updated since the battle of Agincourt, or perhaps even cleaned since the storming of the Bastille. A bit like demanding the result at Agincourt to be declared null and void because the English used unfair high technology in the form of longbows and no doubt will be about as successful.

Chilled sparkling shiraz is a great barbecue wine. But don't forget those Rutherglen fortified wines, which are equally distinctive and delicious.

Further to the food suggestions, and as well as quarantine regulations, Bear in mind that Australia has quite a multicultural society, and a lot of the things you plan to bring may be available (although I don't see much American stuff in the shops!) I live in an Italian area of Sydney and the produce, fresh and manufactured, is outstanding, both Italian and local versions.

The wine idea is good, and I'd love some maple syrup, please! ;)

Hi jenn - having just scoffed my way through a packet of delectable macadamia shortbread given by guests from Hawaii I thought I'd check around the house to see what other kind souls have donated and have been received with appreciation. Of course, the chocolates, wines, spirits,liqueurs have been demolished but I still have some interesting books on States of USA,various jars of condiments and mustards, little liqueur glasses from Denmark, Selangor pewter, Japanese printed napkins, different little artefacts including a stone Inuit figurine, crocheted food covers, good Canadian maple syrup, assorted pieces of costume jewellery, and strangely enough a fish smoking kit from Finland. If anyone asks me what they can bring from US (I have a B&B) I always ask for Californian dried serrano chillies - they turn a boring chili con carne into a thing of wonder.