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You're not getting negative replies: you're mostly getting British replies.

And if you can't understand what British banter's all about, do not try introducing cheese with chilis in to your landlady. Because she'll start taking the piss too.

PatrickLondon

If you want to please your hostess with something typically Texan, she might prefer an oilwell.

MissZiegfeld

From this post, and your previous post about bringing along gifts for the flight crew--I'm guessing this is your first international flight?

Anyway, I've never heard of people giving gifts to flight attendants. When I was an FA, someone gave me a candy cane on Christmas once..but that's it.

As for this, well, it's not generally a custom to prepare food for your hostesses in B&B's..I can understand if you were already staying at the b&b and had developed a repor with them and told them you'd like to prepare something for them, but to just show up with a can of rotel and some velveeta..well, that strikes me as a bit odd. A kind idea on your part, but not generally done..

Plus, it's a b&b, not a homestay..

Cimbrone

I agree. Do you actually have a relationship with this lady? If not, I think your hostess will think it's very odd of you to want to cook for her in her own home. The thought is nice, but it is, to be honest, a bit "out there".

janisj

atlertx: I won't get into the Velveeta is gross/non-gross debate. (BTW, I make queso w/ "real" cheese - don't think I've had velveeta in my house in over 20 years)

But your B&B is (probably) not a place where you will be welcome in the kitchen - or if you are it will be very reluctantly. It is her business and she really won't have the time to be socializing w/ her guests or eating your "special" Texican treat.

Trust me on this - the only things she will probably want from you are payment on departure and not leaving the room in a total disaster. Land ladies will sometimes join you for a cup of coffee/tea but otherwise they want you out of their hair so they get get on to their other duties.

Trophywife007

Why not give her some yellow roses? They ought to be easy enough to find in London.

Otherwise, sign me up for one of those oil wells!

Cimbrone

And I can't forgo mentioning that, no matter how many middle class housewives in Plano and Sugarland use Velveeta in their "tex-mex" dishes, and no matter how much a staple it is at covered dish nights at the First Baptist Church, it is nasty stuff. Please don't subject the English to it.

JulieG

I think it's funny that on a message board where people routinely tell Americans that we don't comprehend aspects of European culture, people are trying to tell the two Texans on the board that we don't know anything about our own regional dishes!

Queso is made from Velveeta. I've never heard of it being made from anything else.
Queso is called queso. A lot of Spanish words have drifted into general speech here.
Lots of people serve it at parties and potlucks, including my friends in our large cosmopolitan city who have opera season tickets.
It's a lot tastier than mushy peas. ;-)

That being said, I was assuming that Atlertx had chatted with her proprietess by e-mail or something, and had offered to cook her something. If not, I would alternatively suggest bringing some small Texas souvenirs to give people as thanks for special warmth.

jewela

The Velveeta thing is popular in Texas. Just as Spam is popular in Hawaii. To each his/her own......in your own home. I've stayed in a number of B&B's, but making Queso dip for the landlady is a new one on me.

jewela

JulieG, add me to your list of Texans.

I guess this means we won't be able to play Bunco when we visit the UK?

Atlertx

Oh please, let's not even get into the Bunco thing. They wouldn't understand. It was just a gesture I wanted to make with the hostess. I have been in contact with her, and I was just going to leave a Texan recipe for her. Not prepare food for her. But forget it now. Maybe I'll just bring a dumb magnet, or something. And from my previous post, I only wanted some ideas for something nice for the flight crew. I have decided on a box of candy. My dad flew for the airlines for 43 years, so I only wanted to give them something nice for all the un appreciated work they do. And no this is far from my 1st international flight.

NanBug

I think your ideas are very sweet, Atlertx. I'm sorry you're taking a bit of a bruising here for simply wanting to be generous. Have a great trip.

Cimbrone

I agree that Atlertx sounds very kind. But the feeling that I get from my time on this board and even from my own experiences in Europe is that Europeans find American gregariousness somewhat bemusing. There's a good chance that the hostess will be giggling behind the back of someone who wanted to share a recipe from "back home." That's not meant to make the OP feel bad. It's just a realistic warning. (And if Atlertx wasn't meaning to cook, then why assemble the ingredients???)

Atlertx

I'll reply to Cimbone - My intent was to leave a small gift basket of the rotel, processed cheese and a recipe. It was a thank-you gesture of something Texan. I'm sorry if Europeans don't appreciate how the Americans are. Hopefully you are not speaking for most Europeans. I guess I'll find out when I get there.

Cimbrone

Thank you for taking my post in the spirit it was intended and for not being offended by it. I'll let the Europeans weigh in on the question of American friendliness. But I can tell you that they are, in my experience, more formal and business-like than we are. I've actually been scolded in a restaurant in Belgium for being too friendly to the waitress! A Norwegian lady told me, in all seriousness, that she thinks that when shopkeepers in the U.S. say have a nice day, it is part of a marketing ploy. She was truly disgusted by this practice. I could go on. But just so your feelings don't get hurt, I'd take janisj's advice--this lady most likely only wants your payment when you leave.

sallyjane3

Give them Texas Caviar instead!

textraveler

Well, as a Texan myself who grew up on the queso dip made with Ro-Tel tomatoes and Velveeta (don't knock it til you've tried it!!!), I would urge AtlerTX to bring along your own Velveeta. I believe it does not have to be refrigerated until the inner foil liner is opened, so has a shelf life. Your dip just won't be the same if you make it with "real cheese". This stuff was a staple of slumber parties in the '60s and no one has a SuperBowl party in Texas without the "queso dip" showing up. Fabulous with Fritos (which you may have to bring with you on the plane also, AtlerTX).

jewela

Yum....y'all are making me hungry! I guess I'll have to swing on into Tecate (my favorite Tex-Mex spot) for dinner before headin' to the rodeo tonight!!

Does it get any better then being from Texas?

freeman0819

AtlerTX- don't be discouraged! I lived in TX for 8 years, so I know how delicious queso is!! You can take Velveeta in your luggage. Previous posters have said, there is a shelf life, so as long as you leave it unopened, it's fine to pack. Don't even think about using some "faux" Velveeta!

Other TX suggestions:
Armadillo droppings (for the non-Texans it's a candy!)
Texas hot hot sauce
margarita mix/mini bottle of tequila
chili mix (you can usually get box with the state flag logo on it?? she would just have to add the ground meat and cheddar cheese on top)
cowboy hat?
a Texas coffetable book (like nice photgraphs)?
a Texas cookbook?

Good luck! And above all, have fun with it!

fnarf999

A real Texan would never eat chili that came out of a box mix.