A Gift from an American to A Brit; What Would You Find Interesting?
Posted by HoustonIV@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 142 comments
I have a buddy that I met years ago who lives in North London. We usually send each other Christmas gifts. Last Christmas, he sent me the annual VIZ magazine collection and I sent him beef jerky and local BBQ sauces from Texas. A few years ago we swapped our team's kit. I sent him and his spouse Dallas Cowboy knit caps and he sent me a Birmingham City scarf.
But this year, I'm stuck. I want to be thoughtful and not too ostentatious. What would you find interesting from a Texan?
theyluvastrisk@reddit
A full fucking brisket
Though it would be extremely difficult and risky
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I would absolutely love to do that; the logistics make it unrealistic. Hell, the shipping on half a kilo of beef jerky and 3 bottles of barbeque sauce came to $90 last year.
theyluvastrisk@reddit
The UK's post-Brexit import regulations have made mailing meat products outside of the UK extremely difficult anyways, as the UK prohibits all meat and meat products from non-EU countries, including the U.S., unless the item is very specific, highly processed or non-meat
Would be absolutely amazing to receive a brisket though
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I guess the beef jerky I sent last year was "highly processed" enough, lol.
theyluvastrisk@reddit
The import regulations were put into place this April so explains why your beef jerky might of gone through lol
Lickonmydick@reddit
A way to make as close to authentic Mexican. We have very little access/knowledge.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
This also is a great idea! Cheers!
Lickonmydick@reddit
Honestly the knowledge is a gift. Our curry access might be worth a cultural exchange.
AttilaTheFun818@reddit
Am American. That would be delightful. I love curry but just cannot make it right.
Living near the Mexican border I can’t spit without hitting a decent place for food, but I have to imagine getting the right ingredients may be troublesome where you’re at.
mad_saffer@reddit
Also wouldn't voluntarily choose British Curry. If you get proper Curry from other countries that sport a large or completely Indian population (Pakistan, Bangladesh, even South Africa) the Curry is WAY better and doesn't taste like spiced water. It is easy to make your own spice mix if you get the right ingredients. I've lived in the UK for 10 years and every Curry adventure has been a bitter disappointment.
Ok_Aioli3897@reddit
You sound American, this is about asking British people
mad_saffer@reddit
I am British.
Ok_Aioli3897@reddit
I said you sound American not that you are American
MikkiderMaus@reddit
Send him a MAGA hat
auntie_eggma@reddit
As someone who spent many years across the pond and has now lived in the UK for another many, I would agree.
Indian food in the US just doesn't compare. And nor does Mexican here.
Obviously the best place for either is India or Mexico, respectively. But the point stands.
Lickonmydick@reddit
Besides the basic stuff every recipe has 10 items I have no frame of reference for. A box of "stuff" with a plan would be exciting!
lgf92@reddit
A friend in Nevada once sent me a tub of Bolner's Fiesta fajita seasoning (which I understand is from Texas) and I loved it so much that I literally can't use any other fajita seasoning and I pay to import it from the US at great expense. But it's better (imo) than anything we have here.
auntie_eggma@reddit
A variety of dried peppers we don't easily find here might be good if you're going for Mexican foodstuffs. Dried poblanos, that sort of thing.
If they're someone who cooks.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
They both are avid foodies. I found a certified, authentic Comanche arrowhead which I will send along with some dried guajillo/ancho/pasilla peppers and some Mexican candy. And I'll send him my recipe for Texas Red Chili.
This was an excellent idea. Thank you!
auntie_eggma@reddit
Yay! I'm sure they'll be thrilled! And Mexican candy was a great shout as well. It's so good and so unusual.
Diligent_Farm3039@reddit
I'm still haunted by the Mexican food i had in Texas and California. It was so good. Nothing on British soil has even come close.
avoirgopher@reddit
That Mexican week episode bake off had me screaming at the tv.
Shevyshev@reddit
An American friend who lives near Oxford will typically update me in real time when he is about to have tacos. It usually ends in disappointment.
I can only imagine the reverse Indian food disappointment when traveling the other way.
Lickonmydick@reddit
Same. Not knowing the seemingly basics stops the fun.
raytherip@reddit
With the way London is going atm. I would have said an aluminium baseball bat.. lol
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Same with the US.
britishink@reddit
Throw in a $2 bill, he's never seen one I'd bet...
Capital_Release_6289@reddit
Do you have anything wood or leather. Authentic regional stuff is more meaningful that anything.
AbsoluteFuckChops@reddit
A gun? They’re very ‘American’ apparently
Opensurgery47@reddit
Please can you send me your recipe for chilli too 🥹
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
You may have to convert this into grams:
4 pounds of cubed chuck roast
5 dried ancho chilis
2 white onions (chopped fine)
10 guajillo chilis
2 fresh jalepenos (diced)
5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Black pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano (Mexican if you can find it)
1 tsp MSG (you can substitute 2 tbsp of worcestershire or mushroom ketchup)
1 liter of beef stock (reserve a pint to steep the dried chilis)
1 pint of stout (like Guiness)
3 oz of the darkest chocolate you can find
roux of 1/3 cup flour and 1/3 cup of butter
De-seed the ancho and guajillo peppers and thin cut into strips. Boil a pint beef stock. Once at a boil, add the strips of ancho and guajillo to the beef stock to steep and soften. Once softened puree the hell out of the chilis in the broth (I use a stick blender, but a regular blender will work just fine.
In a dutch oven, brown the cubed chuck roast. remove the browned meat to a bowl (save the juice run-off). In the same dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic until softened. make sure to scrape up all the fond (brown bits on the bottom). Add the diced jalepenos and saute until fragrant.
Add the butter and melt. Add the flour to make a roux. Add the chili powder, black pepper, cumin, and oregano.
Add the beef stock, 8 oz of stout, and the blitzed chili mixture to the dutch oven. Drink the other 8 oz (half pint) of Guiness.
Add the meat and accumulated juices back to the dutch oven.
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover partially and cook (stirring every 10 minutes or so) for 1.5 hours.
Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Simmer another 15 minutes.
We typically serve this with cornbread or saltine crackers. Some eat it with rice.
I'm sure some of these ingredients will be difficult to find in the U.K., but I'm willing to bet you can find the dried chilis on Amazon.
Cheers!
Opensurgery47@reddit
Thank you kindly. Will enjoy this weekend. Sorry if I ruined part of your gift 🥲
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I forgot to mention the obvious: season the beef, and then salt to taste when you melt the chocolate.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Nah, he's a redditor, but neither of us know our handles. All good!
Opensurgery47@reddit
Just got a pack with both types of chili on Amazon 👍
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Very nice! I hope you enjoy it!
Adorable-East-2276@reddit
Texan in the UK, here.
Mexican food. There are 5-10 decent Mexican places in the whole country, but most Brits have heard of and have interest in Mexican food
Negative_Touch_3956@reddit
This is bullshit, there’s loads of great proper Mexican restaurants in London. But, there are far more mid-level Tex-Mex restaurants though.
CriticalReturn3507@reddit
They’re not the same speaking from experience.
Negative_Touch_3956@reddit
That’s what I’m saying
CriticalReturn3507@reddit
No, I’m saying ANY Mexican food in the UK is not to the same level as what you can get in the United States. To be entirely fair British Indian food far exceeds the meager offerings in the U.S.
evelynsmee@reddit
I can't speak for the USA but when I went to Toronto the Mexican food was better than anything I'd had here (UK). Substantially so. I said to my friend wow how is this so good and she said "we have Mexicans here, same as how your Italian food is better than the pretend version here"
CriticalReturn3507@reddit
I’m not surprised. I am American but live in the UK, the best Mexican I’ve had here is probably about a 7 tbh. The Indian food though, stellar, 10/10. As much as people might laugh at the concept I’d probably prefer British food to American if you guys just had better Mexican food. I’m not saying ours is bad by any means but I love pub food, British Chinese, British Indian, and just about everything else here in that department. Geographically and culturally it makes sense that the United States and Canada would have better Mexican food than Britain.
evelynsmee@reddit
The Americans I know here say the same, although I will say one is Texan and the other is from Southern California. I couldn't possibly comment on whether Mexican food is better across everywhere in North America! Maybe the middle of nowhere it's as rubbish as here
---x__x---@reddit
I'm British and living in Houston TX and being diverse city with plenty of Indians, there thankfully isn't a shortage of great Indian food here.
There are over 5 million Indians in the US so I'd like to think getting good Indian food isn't that hard if you're in a relatively urban area.
That said I do sometimes yearn for the British specific style of Indian food.
HMSWarspite03@reddit
There are many such restaurants over the country, there's more than 30 in London alone.
Adorable-East-2276@reddit
I’ve been to 15 of the 30. I’m confident in my statement that around 4-6 of them are decent.
AnotherFellowMan@reddit
Any advice on where to go for a proper experience? Also any that you know of outside London? Cheers
Adorable-East-2276@reddit
Proper tacos has the best Mexican food in London. I like Hungry Taco, Taco Bros, and Sonora taqueria a lot to.
I live in London, so I have less expertise outside of the city, but Pica in Belfast has the best looking fancy Mexican I’ve seen in the UK
AnotherFellowMan@reddit
Cheers dude, in that case next time I'm in London I'll be making a visit!
Adorable-East-2276@reddit
You should. Nothing fancy, just a bunch of chilangos making tacos that taste right off the streets of Mexico City and a great beer list.
FoolishDancer@reddit
They aren’t really Mexican food though. Which is such a disappointment!
drquakers@reddit
Arguably there are few decent mexican places on Texas, some great texmex though (had a Mexican mate that hit testy about this!)
Texmex is getting better in the UK, can now get burritos that'd be acceptable in fast food joints in US West / Southwest. Hopefully another five years and we'll get restaurant quality
---x__x---@reddit
Why would you think that? Texas has a huge Mexican population, and bordering Mexico means you can grow all the same ingredients.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
You definitely get pockets of good, authentic Mexican food in Texas, but it is usually in cities and areas of cities with a large Hispanic population. I live in a neighborhood called Oak Cliff in Dallas that was (for a long time) primarily Hispanic. We have some taco stands and restaurants where the mother and grandmother are the cooks. The food rivals some of the better meals I've had in Mexico City or Laredo.
FoolishDancer@reddit
I’m talking about the dearth of Mexican food in the UK.
Rorosanna@reddit
Well, one could argue that Texan food isn't either.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I found a certified, authentic Comanche arrowhead which I will send along with some dried guajillo/ancho/pasilla peppers and some Mexican candy. And I'll send him my recipe for Texas Red Chili. We always eat chili on Christmas Eve. I don't know why it took this community to help pull my head out of my ~~ass~~ arse.
maunpille@reddit
I think it would depend on how spicy his Brit friend likes his food. Some people can’t handle spices or only in very small doses.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
The BBQ sauce that I sent him was from Franklin's and it stated it was spicy. My buddy liked it.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
This sounds great!
FrauAmarylis@reddit
National park shirt, baseball team cap, bbq sauce, graham crackers.
Dlogan143@reddit
Until recently I always thought they were called ‘gram crackers’ Based on how Americans pronounce graham
Ok_Aioli3897@reddit
And that would make sense especially when there's a flour called gram flour
auntie_eggma@reddit
Graham crackers made from gram flour would be a very different animal, I expect. 😂
mcbeef89@reddit
animal crackers?
auntie_eggma@reddit
😂 a different animal and a different cracker!
JCDU@reddit
This whole conversation is crackers.
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Personally, I would say something native/indigenous would fascinate me.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I found a certified, authentic Comanche arrowhead that was found in Texas which I will send along with some dried guajillo/ancho/pasilla peppers and some Mexican candy. Thank you for the idea.
Overall_Search8477@reddit
Add some dark mole paste or a dried mix since they are foodies. I got some from a brand called La Monjita that has all the seasonings, chilies and cocoa. I’m a Texan too and had a house in Mexico for over 10 years. Mole negro on chicken breast is one of my favorite things. I’m not too keen on the red moles though.
And add a bottle of cajeta with a recipe for flan. Brits love flan type desserts for pudding.
Overall_Search8477@reddit
Oh and one more thought maybe for next year- do a trip to Buc-ees! We have a friend in Scotland and we send him hot sauces and snacks from there. I get Irn Bru in return!
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Awesome! That sounds fantastic.
LeTrolleur@reddit
Personally I'd like a Buc-ees and a Bass Pro Shops cap.
Do they have any special interests?
brushfuse@reddit
A pack of U.S. candies would be enough for me, then again, I’m easy.
ReddityKK@reddit
Sees chocolate. An American gave me a box. Amazing. There’s nothing like it in the U.K.
Fit_Section1002@reddit
Firearms are pretty hard to get hold of over here…
KnowbodyYouKnow@reddit
Funny lad
yours_truly_1976@reddit
lol
TheLemonChiffonPie@reddit
Twizzlers!!
---x__x---@reddit
Send him an HEB gift card and invite him over.
Andy31515@reddit
This:
https://theartofpants.com/products/pants-world
Ilovepeanutbutter65@reddit
An authentic COWBOY hat.
Frequent-Language-20@reddit
Jolly Ranchers
SnooDonuts6494@reddit
Snack food.
Chips, chocolate bars, candy, etc.
Obviously, not "international" brands like Pringles and M&M, because those are common here too.
But things like Lays, Ruffles, Goldfish, Chex Mix, PayDay, Baby Ruth, Bugles, Funyuns, Nutter Butter, Fig Newton, Slim Jim.
Most Brits haven't heard of those.
tunaman808@reddit
Brits are very familiar with Lays, because Frito-Lay bought Walker's in 1989, and they have almost the same logo and because they dominate the UK market in nearly the same way Frito-Lay does in the US.
SnooDonuts6494@reddit
Fair enough. I'll scratch that one out then.
I'm not a big crisp eater, so I only really know Walkers.
Burnt_and_Blistered@reddit
As a former Texan, what I want is pecans. Good Texas pecans. (For a Brit, add a recipe for pecan pie.)
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Are pecans not common in the UK? I think this is an excellent idea! We are actually heading to San Saba next weekend to clear up the trails in my in-law's deer lease.
tunaman808@reddit
From all the "Brits try..." videos I've seen, they're a thing, but they're not especially common.
Ben_jah_min@reddit
Guns!
RibEyeSequential@reddit
Kash Patel's FBI ID card
strndmcshomd@reddit
At this point I’d go for a heart-felt apology in the form of a performative, highly artistic stage and screen performance for how disappointing our nation’s wayward children are.
f8rter@reddit
Stetson !
fattfreddy1@reddit
Get him an Eagles shirt.
Salty-Ambition9733@reddit
Like the football team or the band?
fattfreddy1@reddit
🏈
AndrewHinds67@reddit
Premium cigars.
titianwasp@reddit
Add the ubiquitous “scorpion in a lollipop” to the parcel. Not expensive and I cannot remember ever seeing one in the UK.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I like that!
Ta_mere6969@reddit
I used to bring watermelon gum and Aunt Jemima syrup to my family in London back in the '90s.
theshortlady@reddit
I'd go with pure cane syrup.
SzandorClegane@reddit
Aunt Jemima is gone.
jonathananeurysm@reddit
Some of those massive horns you put on the front of a car.
JeanHuguesAnglade@reddit
A packet of Flamin' Hot Cheetos
idontlikepeas_@reddit
I just had my work team bring me a pair of cowgirl boots from Texas. THEYRE AMAZING
xxbtmxx@reddit
I get my friend to bring me sour skittles, miracle whip and ranch!! 😁
Southernbeekeeper@reddit
The obvious answer is a cowboy hat. Failing that a trucker style baseball cap that a hill Billy would wear.
David_Aldermana@reddit
My gf loved swapping parcels of treats/sweets/candy, like chocolate bars, needs, stuff like that because we dont get a number of things that you have here
CumUppanceToday@reddit
A texan cowboy hat - great for a summer heat wave
drquakers@reddit
Problem is a proper hat is £100s, their other gifts are on the £10-20 mark.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Yeah. I'd love to do a cowboy hat but they are quite expensive!
CumUppanceToday@reddit
Wow! I like tarp hats - they're about £20, I thought the texan would be the same
flavouredicecubes@reddit
Something cowboy-related
PJBoyle@reddit
You should return the Birmingham City scarf…
Pure_Grapefruit9645@reddit
Sees candy
RightPedalDown@reddit
Eats candy
Confarnit@reddit
That's from San Francisco, though.
Derfel60@reddit
Comanche arrowhead is very cool, im very interested in cultural heritage stuff so anything Indian or cowboy clothing, some historic artefacts or something. Something from the Alamo?
IdealBlueMan@reddit
If you want to take the piss, send him a case of Lone Star beer.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Evil!
RodeoBoss66@reddit
Since you’re in Texas, there’s LOTS of ideas for gifts. I would recommend assorted gifts and maybe some bags of beef jerky from Buc-ee’s, a bottle of Whataburger Spicy Ketchup (and other Whataburger condiments), and especially books about Texas history and travel (coffee table books with lots of photos are great), as well as cookbooks, such as those from Robb Walsh.
There’s another gift idea that’s absolutely free for you to get: a large wall map of Texas, along with a couple of travel guides to the Lone Star State, available from the Texas Department of Transportation.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I found a certified, authentic Comanche arrowhead which I will send along with some dried guajillo/ancho/pasilla peppers and some Mexican candy. Probably a had written notecard with our family's recipe for Texas Red Chili. A wall map showing wear the arrowhead was found and the Whataburger spicy ketchup is a great idea! Thank you!
lostlookingforamap@reddit
Native American an arrowhead or stone tool I would love one,
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
I found a certified, authentic Comanche arrowhead which I will send along with some dried guajillo/ancho/pasilla peppers and some Mexican candy. Thank you for the idea!
lostlookingforamap@reddit
No problem, that sounds like a package
C2H5OHNightSwimming@reddit
Honestly, if it was me, OTC medication that actually works (I hear US cold and flu stuff is epic, ours is basically paracetamol with a shitty lemon flavour at 8x the normal price), CBD products with enough CBD in them to feel anything at all (European CBD costs like a hundred bucks and does basically nothing unless you've never smoked weed) and Kratom products from a gas station which are illegal in most of Europe.
You probably have some cool food products we don't have but I don't expect food travels well. America is cool but I feel like most of the good stuff like food, culture, scenery requires you to actually be there.
Antique-Link3477@reddit
A glock
BerlinSam@reddit
A MAGA hat...?
VisibleBeat9600@reddit
A Glock
BoocooHinky@reddit
A variety pack of Ghirardelli brownie mixes. They're super expensive here! $21 in US Dollars!
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Oof
Loose-Map-5947@reddit
If he sent a Birmingham city scarf you should be looking for revenge😂
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Yup, it is a long-running and long-suffering joke between us now. But they did get a promotion!
FoolishDancer@reddit
I’m liking the idea of Mexican food ingredients that others have suggested. Perhaps with a few easy recipes.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
Me too!
GnaphaliumUliginosum@reddit
Something from a local craftsperson or artist, or if you are handy, something you have made yourself from local raw materials.
Or a proper cowboy style belt.
HoustonIV@reddit (OP)
That's fun!
drquakers@reddit
While not Texan, could get them a University of Birmingham (Alabama) sweater.
oarmash@reddit
the problem is that university is known as University of Alabama at Birmingham, so all of their gear says UAB
boojes@reddit
If he plays golf, a Sunday Red hat. Maybe a bit pricey though.
qualityvote2@reddit
Hello u/HoustonIV! Welcome to r/AskABrit!
For other users, does this post fit the subreddit?
If so, upvote this comment!
Otherwise, downvote this comment!
And if it does break the rules, downvote this comment and report this post!