5 Perfect Food Souvenirs

Unforgettable items to bring home from all that globetrottingThe only bottle of wine that ever lasted for longer than a few weeks in my house was a bottle I brought back with me from a friend's wedding in South Africa - its contents, and of course the memories that went with it, just seemed too special to drink on any Wednesday night alongside takeout. But when I did finally open it, all of the fantastic flavors and feelings from my trip came rushing back. I almost felt like the bottle of wine satiated my need to go back and do the trip all over again. That's what food souvenirs do so much better than, say, key chains and T-shirts - they bring back all the sights, sounds, and flavors from time spent in another land. Who wouldn't want to relive that week spent strolling the hills of Tuscany or playing on the sandy beaches of Costa Rica?

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But some foodstuffs travel better than others, and not just because some are restricted by the T.S.A. Items like Italian cheese, Spanish saffron, and local chocolates from France or Belize make perfect souvenirs that reward the buyer with the taste and smell of a place long after they're back home. The best rule of thumb when choosing a souvenir, aside from making sure it's not prohibited in your country of residence, is finding something that's really tied to a place. One of my personal favorites is a small jar of Il Profumo del Chianti from Dario Cecchini's eccentric butcher shop in Chianti, Italy. He combined the best Sicilian sea salt he could find with what he calls "the essence of Tuscany" so that its smell and taste will sweep anyone instantly back to Italy.

Click here to see 20 Desserts to Try Around the World

In that same vein, coffee grounds from Costa Rica have such a strong scent and sense of place that they'll awaken memories of a tropical getaway every morning. Even better, find something that reminds you of all the exotic and adventurous things you tried while abroad and that your friends and family might want to try so they can get a taste of your holiday, too. No one likes your vacation pictures as much as you do, but open up a jar of that kaya you brought home from Singapore or the dulce de leche straight from Mexico and you'll all be reminiscing in no time.


Wikimedia/audinouLocal Sweets
Diving into new cuisines is fun and eye-opening, and the best part comes when you bite into something you absolutely adore. The worst part comes when you go home and try to recreate it, or find someone else to, and it just doesn't measure up. So bring the original home - sweet things that locals eat all the time, like kaya in Singapore or dulce de leche in Mexico (pictured), are easy to find there and can be hard to locate at home.







Flickr/fritishSalt
Salt is such a unique and vital part of every diet around the world, from the Himalayas to the South of France. No matter where the road leads, there will surely be some local salt that brings an individual taste to a dish - fleur de sel, pink Himalayan salt, gray salt from Alsace, Indian black salt, Sicilian sea salt, and even salts from Hawaii can add unique flavor to any dish (even if you're just sprinkling it on a slab of butter before spreading it on warm toast).



Flickr/eugeniofvLocal Liquors
Most liquors can be found stateside at this point, whether at grocery stores or specialty shops. But bringing back a bottle of rum from the Caribbean, a local mezcal producer's wares from Mexico, a bottle of port wine direct from Portugal, or even a bottle of bourbon from a trip spent tasting your way through Kentucky can make every sip a reminder of the fun you had when you first tried it.



Flickr/GavinBellSpices
Hunting down exotic spices in your hometown can be a thrill all its own, but imagine the joy of cooking a Moroccan recipe with ras el hanout brought home from markets in Marrakech, adding real Spanish saffron to that paella, or attempting a mole sauce with spices from Oaxaca. Spices are easy to carry and can be bought in all sizes (even carry-on friendly).




Flickr/edwardkimukChocolates
Foreign and exotic chocolates are readily available in tons of shops across the country, but buying them straight from the source can make that dark, bittersweet chocolate extra special. Chocolate makers like Mast Brothers Chocolate, from Brooklyn, N.Y.; Valhrona, just outside of Lyon in France; and Cotton Tree Chocolate in Belize all do a fantastic job of being both delicious and hyper-local products.


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- Nicole Campoy-Leffler, The Daily Meal

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