I'd like to take a small gift to a landlady in Germany who I've never met. I've thought of California wine or some good authentic BBQ sauce. Any ideas?

Christmas Tree Ornament

Something from the Metropolitan Museum of Art giftshop.

Yankees baseball cap.

A coffee table book about our country.

Having lived there, I can tell you something that most Germans appreciate: liquor.

It's very expensive there, so a bottle of good liquor or high-end after-dinner liquer is a good gift.

Do you know the age of the landlady?

EmilyC: I think in the 40 to 50 range. She and her husband have a 13 yo daughter.

If you think they like wine, take them a bottle of decent Zinfandel - red of course. That is a grape almost foreign to a lot of Europeans.

Where are you from? Is there something unique to your area that you might share? We have found that foreign friends love food from our area (New Orleans)or other specialities. My husband works overseas & takes frozen alligator sausage back with him. It has been a huge hit. Maybe a cookbook with regional specialties & some of the ingredients (if they're hard to find) would be good.

We have German friends in Darmstadt who visit here every year..... they always send us a huge box of German cookies and candies every Christmas. So this year, we went them a North Carolina goodie box......... Moravian cookies from Winston-Salem, BBQ Sauce from Lexington, a Christmas ornament depicting the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, a plastic shopping tote with the N. C. bird & flower on it, special hard candies from the mountains, a N.C. tea towel with pictures from here in Raleigh (the capitol), that kind of thing. They really love it......

bonnie, you and I always seem to think alike.

We have some German friends from Dussledorf whom we met when we went to Germany in 1992, and we've visited back and forth five or six times.

We send them something from asouthernseason.com - goodie basket of NC "stuff" every year - and they just rave about it for months.

The best thing to send is:

1.) Something very "American"
2.) Something from your neck of the woods (i.e. regional specialty)

I bit the bullet the last time we were in Deutschland and tried Blutwurst - blood sausage (only after "sehr viele Biers" - quite a few beers). Not bad, but not something that I would want to have on my daily menu.

Diana, do you like their bread that tastes like you've carved a loaf of dirt out of the Black Forest? That heavy, moist, dark whatever??? My husband LOVES the stuff, with dark beer and Bratwurst!!!! Think he likes that Bloodwurst also! YIKES!!!

(You ought to see my hydrangeas and gardenias, and tulip magnolias....... I feel like Scarlett O'Hara walking around my yard! )

A Yankee Candle.

It would help if we knew what part of the country you are from.

My German relatives and I visit back and forth a lot and I can tell you some things they like to receive from the US, some of which I think are pretty funny. For instance, they were just knocked out by the HUGE muffins you can buy by the dozen at Costco and actually carted them home in their suitcase. The college kids loved Rice Krispie Treats and Marshmallow Creme. None of which helps you, I know...

Liquor is a good idea, as K9 mentioned. I don't think I would bring a wine - their wine is so good and cheap over there. I don't think they barbeque as much as we do here. My German sister loves the big bags of dried apricots I buy at Costco. If you are from the South, perhaps some Georgia pecans, or unshelled peanuts? From the North, 100% real maple syrup is always appreciated.

Things my German in-laws and friends love:

California walnuts, pistachios, almonds.
Macadamia nuts. (if you live near a Trader Joe's you can find great nuts there)
Maine Lobsters
Tequila
Nambe vases, bowls, candle holders (made in Santa Fe)
Although not an appropriate gift, my MIL stocks up on Shout or Spray & Wash. Go figure

I would pick Hershey chocolates, anything from Walt Disney or Disney land. My German friend loves American bread and life savers. His wife (about 50) loves American earrings.
All German women love receiving flowers.

Thank you for such great ideas. I'm from Baltimore, so based on your suggestions I'm thinking of some canned crab and Old Bay seasoning, with some crab cake recipes? Also, I'm sure I can think of a few other things based on these recommendations.