jamikins

I believe chocolate is like coke products...different recipes for different places. I find the taste of say cadbury's chocolate here in the uk is different than in the USA....

VirginiaC

If they still sell it, Heinz Complete Breakfast in a Can. I once included that in a raffle gift basket for our library we tagged "Great British Mysteries."

On a more serious note, I always bring home Jacobs Cornish Wafers, soda farls, and man-sized, triple ply Kleenex, which is no longer marketed in the United States.

When our grandchildren were small, I often found liquid bath soap in wonderful containers that I never saw in the U.S. Alas, the grandchildren are now all teenagers so I haven't looked for them the last few trips.

Gordon_R

>>When our grandchildren were small, I often found liquid bath soap in wonderful containers that I never saw in the U.S.

Ackislander

I like to go to the crisp (potato chip) department, where you will see more different flavors, all chemical, than you would have dreamed possible from the paltry selection we have in the US.

alanRow

Tunnock's Caramel Wafers (over 5 million eaten every week) - if you can't find them in the supermarket you'll find them in Poundland.

They are the biscuit of the Gods.

hetismij2

Oooo caramel wafers. Now I have to find a Poundland, as well as a Waitrose, in October.

nytraveller - it is possible to make a pot of tea using tea bags too, no need for leaf tea and a strainer or egg if you don't want too. Imho "English" tea (as my kids call it to define the difference from Dutch tea) is far better when made in a pot.

annhig

elderflower cordial and gentlemen's relish.

,,it is possible to make a pot of tea using tea bags too, no need for leaf tea and a strainer or egg if you don't want too. Imho "English" tea (as my kids call it to define the difference from Dutch tea) is far better when made in a pot.>>

I agree hetismij - the tea in tea bags, whilst it might have the same name on it, is distinctly different in the UK. We make our morning tea in a teasmade with tea bags, but otherwise use leaf tea. lots of our german guests take english tea bags home with them to use instead of the ones that they can get at home.

I'm not sure what else they take.

NorCal_Jo

When my family/friends visit from the US, they usually take back the following:

Elderflower cordial (right on Annhig!) - Belvoir is my favorite. We are talking about the non alcoholic stuff here and it is really hard to find in the US without paying a fortune at a speciality British import store. My favorite is to put a bit in sparkling wine as an elderflower "bellini". I also use it to "sweeten" up a dry white wine if I have guests that like sweeter wine and I don't have any on hand.

Unusual Curds - Lemon curd is easy to find in the US but recently my Mom's friends visited and ate up all the curd I had in our house as they had only seen lemon or orange curd in the US. They took back about a ton of curds they found in our local farm shop - "bucks fizz" curd, banoffee curd, passion fruit curd, etc. etc.

Wine gums - everywhere here and not easily found in US.

Curlywurly bars - I'm not a big fan of Cadbury chocolate as I like dark chocolate but I have a special love of the Cadbury CurlyWurly bar (braided caramel covered in chocolate) because it is pretty much the same as the old "Marathon" bar that was sold in the US in the 70s/80s and is no longer available. So, if you know any US friends born in the 70s, they may be grateful for this old time favorite!
I sent batches of them to my sisters.

Marmite - only as a joke but who knows, maybe they would like the taste of salty yeast! We keep "vegemite" at our house due to our Australian nanny but I don't touch the stuff.... I did buy marmite bars for stocking stuffers one year when visiting the US and passed them off as granola bars. Hee hee, had a few funny moments of people gagging as they expected something like a sweet granola bar...

Morgana

Marmalade and decent jam (Tiptree for instance).
My husband loves his breakfast marmalade but complains that the stuff he has on holiday in America is vile (Smuckers??)).
Tinned cod roes - my guilty lunch treat - spread on toast, grilled and then eaten with lots of vinegar. No idea if they are widely available.
Bisto
Birds Custard Powder
Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps
Yorkshire tea

laurie_ann

Groceries are also my favorite place to shop for gifts for those at home. You could browse the grocery chain websites for locations and ideas ideas in advance.

www.waitrose.com
www.tesco.com
www.marksandspencer.com

Micheline

I find that Cadbury chocolate in UK and Canada tastes much richer than in the States.
I was surprised that my friend in Florida stocked up on Bisto when in Ireland. Now I bring her some from Canada.

PatrickLondon

Ah, Uncle Joe's.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7aoyF0enNU

PatrickLondon

But, to broaden the range, you should also know there is a speciality fig jam in France known as "Couilles du Pape".

Don't say this board doesn't provide a public service.

Morgana

If you like Uncle Joe's then also look out for Jesmona Black Bullets.
Pontefract cakes too if you like liquorice.
And how about those packet mixes of Yorkshire Pudding?

MmePerdu

Ainsley Harriott soups. They come in small boxes in a wide variety, 3 to a box if I recall correctly. Made in a cup by adding boiling water and are staples in my pack when I'm walking.

islandgirl1959

Geez, I better not forget to pack that slightly smaller suitcase inside my larger one to accommodate all these recommendations! Thanks everyone. Very much appreciated!

annhig

Tinned cod roes - my guilty lunch treat - spread on toast, grilled and then eaten with lots of vinegar. No idea if they are widely available>>

Morgana - were we separated at birth? my grandparents used to take cod's roe sandwiches with them on holiday as a packed lunch.

I also like herring roe on toast with a touch of cayenne but you usually have to buy those fresh so I don't think they'd pack well.

PalenQ

And I always grab some cider - alcoholic to the max cider that supermarkets sell at the cheapest price.

Marmite I buy to give to people for a joke!

europeannovice

Not a supermarket item but a Boots item--Compeed!

Although compeed is made by Johnson and Johnson they just don't sell the same thing here in the US. They call it something else and it is made with different materials here which simply don't work. I found compeed to be the best thing for blisters.

I agree that Belgian chocolate is the best. Cadbury and Hershey are not in the same league. Aren't Cadbury and Hershey owned by the same company now anyway?

PalenQ

On a similar note to europeannovice - Tylenol and Codeine and aspirin and codeine are sold at many supermarket pharmacies - illegal in U.S. but if you have a tooth ache or headache or have drunk too much paint works wonders - always stock up when leaving the U.K.