A friend of mine is spending Christmas in the US (I think in Maine) and has asked if there's anything I would like her to bring back to the UK when she returns. A while ago another friend brought me some of the most amazing Mexican vanilla essence that really doesn't compare to the even the best stuff over here. I use it sparingly for fear of it running out and being unable to replace it.

I bake lots and cook all kinds of food but particularly like spicy dishes. As most of the blogs and sites I look at for inspiration are American I should be able to come up with things that I can't get over here, but are commonplace over there. But my mind's a blank - the one thing I have asked for is chipotle powder as I've not been able to identify an alternative.

Any suggestions? Perhaps from American ex pats living in the UK - what ingredients do you wish that you could get? Or Brits living over in the US - what have you discovered that you would miss if you were to move back?