# Gift for French Host family **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556 "2014-05-29T13:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SaxFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SaxFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaxFace)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/21 "2014-05-30T09:26:33Z")
To be honest, a cookbook wouldn’t make much sense because we use the metric system here and converting from imperial to metric is a nightmare. The sauces alone would be great, though! A picture book is pretty heavy. What about Texas t-shirts? French people love t-shirts. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/22 "2014-05-30T11:54:19Z")
Don’t US cookbooks sometimes have civilized units as well as the customary barbarian ones? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/23 "2014-05-30T13:43:09Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Don’t US cookbooks sometimes have civilized units as well as the customary barbarian ones? I’m sure there are some. Personally, I don’t own any of them. All my cookbooks are by barbarians. Civilization is over-rated. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/24 "2014-05-30T13:54:26Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > I live in Texas and go to France pretty often. Things that go over well - anything to do with cowboys, BBQ sauce, American candy, Texas wine (not if your kid is only 16) and pretty much anything from Buccees - the tackier the better! Then he must show them how to[properly cook chicken](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beer-can-chicken-recipe.html). Take six pack of [Pearl](http://www.pearlbeer.com/Home.aspx) in order to do it proper. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/25 "2014-05-30T14:05:23Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > A pair of artificial testicles for the trailer hitch on their truck. Why bother with artificial when you can get a real [buffalo ball sack](http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Grade-Hard-Tanned-6-1-2-inch-Buffalo-Scrotum-testicles-gag-gift-B-546-/161297371354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258e1290da), ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/26 "2014-05-30T16:37:57Z")
French bread, french fries, and some good old American cheese, to show them the kind of cuisine we’re known for! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/27 "2014-05-31T01:35:30Z")
Whatever the cost, send them a box of popsicles. Apparently they don’t have them there. We had a French exchange student pass through our “halls” (via kids’ friends) who was (tall & good-looking) sweet and gibbering and used a lot of a gestures. I gave him a popsicle and his eyes lit up in O’s. Almost as bright as the platinum hair he’d let them dye. I don’t think they want anything “French.” A longhorn belt buckle would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/28 "2014-05-31T02:27:26Z")
If you believe the common gossip, deodorant or soap always seems to be good gifts for any French person. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/29 "2014-05-31T03:35:35Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > Whatever the cost, send them a box of popsicles. Apparently they don’t have them there. We had a French exchange student pass through our “halls” (via kids’ friends) who was (tall & good-looking) sweet and gibbering and used a lot of a gestures. I gave him a popsicle and his eyes lit up in O’s. Almost as bright as the platinum hair he’d let them dye. That was in recognition. I still remember how happy I was to find popsicles myself, way back when I first visited the US; every other variety of “icey treat” was from the “how can this have so much sugar and fat” alley. > [@SaxFace](#): > > To be honest, a cookbook wouldn’t make much sense because we use the metric system here and converting from imperial to metric is a nightmare. The sauces alone would be great, though! All you need is one of those dual-units measuring glasses and an electronic scale (they’re always dual-units). You can get them at IKEA, Carrefour or any foodie store. And that’s if you actually measure things rather than use “pinches”, “bits” and “handfuls”. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556/30 "2014-05-31T03:48:59Z")
Either powdered sugar or maple syrup is usually a pretty good… …oh, wait, French **host** family. Never mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-french-host-family/689556.md?page=1)