I hope you are not upset because you did not get too much praise here for your ideas of bringing oranges.
But isn't it better to get such input now, than to look into the somewhat bewildered faces of your hosts?

You can get fresh oranges at this time of year at every street corner in Germany, and the bit more expensive "flying oranges" arrived here straight from the growers in Spain a few hours to days ago.

Maybe you have something unique in FL that is made from or with FL oranges, like liquor, candy, etc.?

Unfortunately, Florida oranges are a mass produced product these days. Blood oranges are much better. However, I do have to say the best lemons I have EVER tasted in my life came from central Florida. Not from a commercial producer, but from the backyard lemon trees of family living there. The lemons were so sweet, you could almost peel and eat them like an orange. The skins weren't much thicker than paper. They were unbelievably delicious...we used them in all kinds of dishes to great success.
But those lemons aside, if you really want to bring a Florida food item, probably something with key limes in it would go over better. (There is one site selling luscious sounding frozen key lime pie slices dipped in white or dark chocolate, but those are only for continental U.S. delivery, alas).
If you are near Bok Tower, perhaps go down there and find a unique gift from their shop...they have some nice products based on Florida orange flowers.
Are these friends American or German (or some other nationality)? How well do you know their tastes?
Food is always an iffy thing...gifts from Florida we've brought to friends include really nice specimens of conch shells (maybe those are Caribbean, but we bought them in Florida), or a SMALL piece of artwork featuring sandhill cranes.

I hate to bring up a sore point, but don't lots of people bring chocolate from Europe to the US? Do they honestly think great chocolate isn't available here? If you say, "but there is a difference between European and American chocolate" -- you've agreed that there is a reason to take Florida oranges to Europe, perhaps even strengthened the argument. While many kinds of European chocolate are readily available in the US, Florida oranges are generally NOT available in Europe.

Not sure I agree, Neo. First of all, chocolate is small and easy to carry. Aside from that, as others have noted, there's really nothing all that great about Florida oranges when compared to the stuff that grows in and around Europe. European chocolate is of a far higher quality than ours. And even if we can get European brands here, few of us go out of our ways to splurge on ourselves that way. Add some pretty packaging, and chocolates make a wonderful gift.

IMO the bag of potatoes analogy for the oranges is a pretty good one.

Just curious, are mangos widely available in Europe? I love a good mango, and they're easy to get in Florida. Not that I'd carry those over either...

Mangoes and papayas (big and small) and pineapple and pomelos and those awful sharon fruits and grean beans and... However sometimes, unlike oranges, those mangoes aren't ripe when you buy them. A piece a € would be a common price, so compared to pineapple and oranges, they're rather expensive.

Some people appreciate minor differences in types of chocolate. Others appreciate minor differences in tastes of citrus. It's all relative.

The vast majority of chocolates made in the US tastes like s*it. Made for the dustbin. Low in cocoa, high in sugar. I bought some different US brands and threw all of them away after one or two pieces. They're selling you garbage for good money!

Even a very basic Milka or Ritter is better. I may send you one from the grocery, since you've never tried before.

Or maybe I could buy one of the hundred or more brands of European chocolate sold here? Or maybe I should send you some GOOD US chocolate. Believe it or not, there are some.

But that wasn't the point. Just as you're aware there is a difference in the taste of chocolates, some people find a great deal of difference in the taste of various citrus.

I'd take European chocolates over US chocolates anyday! Not that I haven't had good US chocolate, but in general the chocolates in Europe are much, much better (maybe due to the lack of preservatives?).

I too wouldn't bring oranges to Europe. I'm sure the oranges in Florida are good, but we've gotten excellent fruit in Europe (and incredible oranges from a roadside stand in Croatia!). I would consider bringing something smaller and easier to carry.

Best wishes,
Tracy

Patrik, the question remains, if there actually are various citrus produced in FL or if it's one fruit manufactured in large amounts, because it's cheaper to produce. Engineered like pigs with extra ribs. People like things that look good. . Sometimes I had the feeling of being fed soylent green in various shapes and sizes in the US. Ever been to Shoneys? . What are those things made of to taste so odd.

There are many kinds of oranges grown in Florida and they vary widely. People here are sometimes fanatical about which oranges they will buy and which they will eat. Some of course are only available for a few months, and people line up to buy the first of that particular type of orange. The same is true of various types of grapefruit. I'm no expert on either of these, but many people are. I do know that friends in California would almost kill to get Honeybell oranges from Florida during their short harvest season. And I have other friends in California who are signed up to receive a certain variety of grapefruit from Florida shipped to them when they become available every year.

Your idea of one kind of orange "mass produced" is WAY off base.

Incidentally, talking about eating at Shoney's is like my saying the food in Paris is horrible -- I know because I ate at Hippopotumus.

I usually never have a problem with food anywhere (Europe, China, Thailand, Japan whereever), just the way it's prepared in those chains in the US is very strange. And that goes for almost everything they offer. I've been to "Subway" in the US, expecting to get the same yummy sandwich as I'd get at home. No way, not even the same bread. It's seems like there's an extra portion of sugar ("tons&quot and some "taste enhancers" that make good looking things taste so bad. I havn't experienced this anywhere else on the planet.

There are people on Fodors who ALWAYS veto food as a gift, especially (heaven forfend) American food to Europe. But my Roman friends (coffee manufacturers) come to the USA twice a year and always take home food - the wife loves to find packaged versions of things she's had in American restaurants: creole spices or jambalaya mix, canned NEA clam chowder, etc. Last time it was anything to do with Key Lime Pie.

Many Europeans enjoy trying new things or having something they don't find at home but have had elsewhere.

As to oranges from Florida, would you on the eastern side of the Atlantic guess that this week tens of thousands of cases or Florida oranges and grapefruit will ship to folks all over the US? It's a holiday gift tradition that dates back to another day - but there's a good reason the tradition continues: the stuff is generally excellent.

Now, I wouldn't be likely to bother toting a bag of oranges across the sea, but it's hardly a crime or even a faux pas - no gracious person would greet generosity with criticism. The bag of oranges, may be thought a great gift, or may be worth a laugh. You know your friends, and know better than we do what they will like. Have a great trip.

I love receiving gifts from people's homelands. I think Florida oranges are a nice gift idea. I especially love those Honeybells. Never had anything like them, anywhere.

The logistics of carrying them is another matter, which is up to you.

having grown up in Florida - and now living in NYC - I find a majority of "orange juice" in europe insipid. Yes - fresh squeezed orange juice in Istanbul, Valencia and Marrakech is wonderful and doesn't have a funky taste but a majority of the fruit juices I've tasted in in Euope - I find - are just plain off. It's either watered down or old. (And don't get me started about their cocktails -how hard is a gin on the rocks?) I can't tell you the number of times in hotels I have found the juice for breakfast lame. Anyone else?

California has great eating oranges - Florida, great juice oranges.

I would agree with others that bringing food as a gift is NOT a faux pas - not even in the vicinity of a faux pas. What we are talking about here are MINOR differences or customs.

But: The question was not if someone in Maine or Illinois would go bananas over a box of fresh oranges from Florida. The OP asked about bringing them as a gift to Germany - so I would assume (maybe incorrectly) that her friends are Germans.

Bringing food as a hostess gift is neither unknown nor a faux pas in Germany.

But: It is simply more common to do that if that produce comes from your own garden, or if that food was somewhat more "exotic" like the aforementioned mangos or FL limes.

So, if you had a house in the country and brought a bag of your own potatos to friends who live in the city, it would be an excellent gift.

> it would be an excellent gift.
People have all kind of wired friends.
b-(.
Just don't come to my place with your potatoes unless you bring a potatoe salad and steaks too! b-( b-(.
And don't forget to bring your cows for milk!

These traditions date back to when fresh fruit was a rare commodity in the winter. Now that anybody can get bananas and oranges (and grapefruit) anytime, people look farther afield for rare items.

For example, in France, the litchi has become the new "traditional" Christmas holiday fruit, followed by mangos and papayas. During the holidays, people want to eat something different from what they usually have.

logos..

My friends are mostly in Bavaria, so they are weird by nature and appreciate any sort of fruits or vegetables as gifts

(I think you gotta be an ex VP to appreciate a potato<b>e</b

mimmel, I think it's a nice kitsch and unique idea to bring a crate of oranges from Florida.
logos 999, oranges from spain may or may not be better, but either way, they keep their best produce in the country.
Compared to oranges/tomatoes which are imported into the UK (and therefore probably northern Europe as well) from spain, there is an unbelievable difference in taste. Tomatoes in UK are tasteless and bitter, tomatoes in Spain you could eat on their own.