Interesting international snacks for Christmas gifts
November 5, 2024 7:29 AM Subscribe
Okay, here is an anodyne question that will take people's minds off the election - I had a flash of insight yesterday about Christmas gifts....
...when it was revealed that I could order Tunnock's Tea Cakes from World Market. Instantly it occurred to me that I could make international snack packs by ordering snacks in bulk and dividing them. This would also mean that I could have some for myself - lord knows I don't need 36 Tunnock's Tea Cakes but I could do with a couple of them.
What snacks do you recommend? Note that these should be less-available - like, locally I can get Milka and allsorts and rhubarb-custard drops and hobnobs and timtams and so on off the shelf and we have a very good pan-East-Asian market with various brands of rice crackers, wasabi peas, filled cakes, etc. If it's widely available and fairly well-known around the US, that's probably not what I'm looking for. Granted, I'll probably toss in some of those filled cake sandwich things but I do already know about them.
I would also consider regional US treats such as Cherry Mash.
On the list already - Tunnocks and some brand of soan papdi, the most delicious snack in the universe.
...when it was revealed that I could order Tunnock's Tea Cakes from World Market. Instantly it occurred to me that I could make international snack packs by ordering snacks in bulk and dividing them. This would also mean that I could have some for myself - lord knows I don't need 36 Tunnock's Tea Cakes but I could do with a couple of them.
What snacks do you recommend? Note that these should be less-available - like, locally I can get Milka and allsorts and rhubarb-custard drops and hobnobs and timtams and so on off the shelf and we have a very good pan-East-Asian market with various brands of rice crackers, wasabi peas, filled cakes, etc. If it's widely available and fairly well-known around the US, that's probably not what I'm looking for. Granted, I'll probably toss in some of those filled cake sandwich things but I do already know about them.
I would also consider regional US treats such as Cherry Mash.
On the list already - Tunnocks and some brand of soan papdi, the most delicious snack in the universe.
More British suggestions, although I don't know how readily available they are outside the UK:
Although the tea cakes are my favourites too, Tunnock's make other things as well. The caramel wafers in particular are universally loved.
Penguins are apparently the original from which the TimTam was derived. They come in three flavours (chocolate, orange and mint), are individually (and cutely) wrapped, and also have jokes on the wrappers.
Also from McVitie's is the Gold Bar, which inexplicably does not have its own Wikipedia article, so I'll have to link to a supermarket listing instead. Crunchy biscuit bars with caramelised chocolate on the outside. They're great.
And you can get snack packs of Jaffa Cakes, which are iconic and tasty (although admittedly I don't know how well they go down with adults who didn't grow up eating them).
Finally, a German / Italian suggestion... Kinder Surprise Eggs are off limits, but what about toy-free Kinder products? Kinder bars are little segmented milk chocolate bars with a sweet milky centre; Bueno bars are chocolate-coated wafer bars with a hazelnut cream filling.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:11 AM on November 5
Although the tea cakes are my favourites too, Tunnock's make other things as well. The caramel wafers in particular are universally loved.
Penguins are apparently the original from which the TimTam was derived. They come in three flavours (chocolate, orange and mint), are individually (and cutely) wrapped, and also have jokes on the wrappers.
Also from McVitie's is the Gold Bar, which inexplicably does not have its own Wikipedia article, so I'll have to link to a supermarket listing instead. Crunchy biscuit bars with caramelised chocolate on the outside. They're great.
And you can get snack packs of Jaffa Cakes, which are iconic and tasty (although admittedly I don't know how well they go down with adults who didn't grow up eating them).
Finally, a German / Italian suggestion... Kinder Surprise Eggs are off limits, but what about toy-free Kinder products? Kinder bars are little segmented milk chocolate bars with a sweet milky centre; Bueno bars are chocolate-coated wafer bars with a hazelnut cream filling.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:11 AM on November 5
Kendal Mint Cake. Lee's Snowballs. Ross' Edinburgh Rock. Thrills Gum (a soap flavoured gum from Canada). Hawkins' Cheezies. Chicken Bones (not made of actual chicken bones).
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:13 AM on November 5 [3 favorites]
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:13 AM on November 5 [3 favorites]
Different flavour crisps [chips], for example German flavours like paprika, Canadian flavours like all-dressed, and British/Irish flavours like cheese & onion, salt & vinegar, roast chicken, prawn cocktail...
Old-fashioned British sweets are good - barley sugar, chocolate mice, fish & chips, fudge (completely different to American fudge), dolly mixture
Niedergger marzipan, and Ritter Sport chocolates.
posted by plonkee at 9:38 AM on November 5 [2 favorites]
Old-fashioned British sweets are good - barley sugar, chocolate mice, fish & chips, fudge (completely different to American fudge), dolly mixture
Niedergger marzipan, and Ritter Sport chocolates.
posted by plonkee at 9:38 AM on November 5 [2 favorites]
The best savory German snack is NicNacs. Unsure if they are also available/popular in other EU countries.
posted by PaulaSchultz at 9:43 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
posted by PaulaSchultz at 9:43 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
Bokksu is a Japanese snack subscription box but they have a whole shop where you can buy specific things. They often come beautifully packaged intended to be gifted because it’s a big cultural thing in Japan.
posted by Mizu at 10:03 AM on November 5
posted by Mizu at 10:03 AM on November 5
I used to do regular snack swaps with friends in New Zealand before you could order everything from everywhere, and my favorites were Jaffas (not Jaffa cakes) and Mackintosh's Toffee. As far as I know these still haven't really penetrated US consciousness 20+ years later!
posted by babelfish at 10:07 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
posted by babelfish at 10:07 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
I love the little Japanese mushroom cookies. There are different brands, I suppose the most common is Meiji. You can get lots of Japanese candies and snacks at Daiso.
Definitely the Japanese kitkats. There are lots of different flavors. Right now, my specialty shop has an extra creamy matcha flavor and one that seems to be some version of a croquembouche. The fruit flavors are fun too, like peach or melon. Also, my shop has unusual Oreos right now. Lime and yuzu and fig.
There's also many interesting unusual Asian flavors of chips - particularly Lay's but also Doritos.
Kinder is probably fairly common but World Market has variety packs of mini sizes that are fun.
World Market also has a big variety of unusual gummies, Haribo but other brands too. The funniest one to me is the life sized, gummy taco. But the little ones shaped like burgers and hotdogs are funny (and not especially tasty).
World Market also has old fashioned and Mexican gums that I remember from my childhood that aren't widely available now, like Teaberry, Clove, Canel's and mini Chiclets.
Botan rice candy is fun. I associate them with Hawaii but I guess they are Japanese.
Lots of interesting Lin Hing Mui candy from Hawaii; I suppose this is a similar phenomenon to Tajin or tamarindo items from Mexico. My kid got Tajin gummy bears while trick or treating this year, that was a first for me.
posted by vunder at 10:16 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
Definitely the Japanese kitkats. There are lots of different flavors. Right now, my specialty shop has an extra creamy matcha flavor and one that seems to be some version of a croquembouche. The fruit flavors are fun too, like peach or melon. Also, my shop has unusual Oreos right now. Lime and yuzu and fig.
There's also many interesting unusual Asian flavors of chips - particularly Lay's but also Doritos.
Kinder is probably fairly common but World Market has variety packs of mini sizes that are fun.
World Market also has a big variety of unusual gummies, Haribo but other brands too. The funniest one to me is the life sized, gummy taco. But the little ones shaped like burgers and hotdogs are funny (and not especially tasty).
World Market also has old fashioned and Mexican gums that I remember from my childhood that aren't widely available now, like Teaberry, Clove, Canel's and mini Chiclets.
Botan rice candy is fun. I associate them with Hawaii but I guess they are Japanese.
Lots of interesting Lin Hing Mui candy from Hawaii; I suppose this is a similar phenomenon to Tajin or tamarindo items from Mexico. My kid got Tajin gummy bears while trick or treating this year, that was a first for me.
posted by vunder at 10:16 AM on November 5 [1 favorite]
US Regional candy,Western NY version. Sponge candy. It similar to honeycomb candy but much better...Only ships in cooler months.
posted by Czjewel at 11:52 AM on November 5 [3 favorites]
posted by Czjewel at 11:52 AM on November 5 [3 favorites]
Also don't forget maple sugar candy if you can find the real stuff. I remember taking a trip as a kid and getting some from a farm, it was so delicious.
posted by Art_Pot at 12:13 PM on November 5 [4 favorites]
posted by Art_Pot at 12:13 PM on November 5 [4 favorites]
Chapulines are delicious! Really. They pair neatly with mezcal.
posted by leonard horner at 1:36 PM on November 5
posted by leonard horner at 1:36 PM on November 5
LOTTE (a South Korean brand) makes THE BEST green grape hard candies, I haven't been able to find anything nearly as good. Link for picture, but you'll probably be able to find them cheaper at an Asian market.
posted by Eyelash at 3:02 PM on November 5
posted by Eyelash at 3:02 PM on November 5
The Asian Family Market near me has dried, crispy kumquats for sale, but I haven’t tried them yet.
posted by jamjam at 3:43 PM on November 5
posted by jamjam at 3:43 PM on November 5
Chocolate Fish! A classic New Zealand treat (and often a reward for a task well done). Tastes infinitely better than it sounds.
posted by The Patron Saint of Spices at 12:11 AM on November 6
posted by The Patron Saint of Spices at 12:11 AM on November 6
When we drove up to Quebec two summers ago, I brought home six bags of Mackintosh's Toffee!
posted by wenestvedt at 9:15 AM on November 6
posted by wenestvedt at 9:15 AM on November 6
Mod note: [Merry gifting, everyone! We've added this to our list of holiday gift posts on the sidebar and Best Of blog!!]
posted by taz (staff) at 10:53 PM on November 22
posted by taz (staff) at 10:53 PM on November 22
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There's an iconic French caramel candy called Carambar that would be an option - it's kind of like a chewier Tootsie Roll, and they also have some fruit flavors. There are also jokes on the wrappers that are notorious for being really corny (there's apparently a French expression, "like a Carambar joke", for when you want to explain just how bad a joke was).
If you will accept some regional US things - I'm going to make a bid for Necco Wafers. I know they're divisive but I'm gonna stan for them.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:55 AM on November 5 [7 favorites]