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India- Gift Suggestions

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  1. #1

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    India- Gift Suggestions

    I am heading over to India in a few weeks and staying in a friends vacant apartment in the suburbs. I have stayed there before and many of the neighbors went out of their way to help me.

    I would like to take back some small gifts for these folks and am not sure what to buy them. I was considering some pineapple cakes or local HK cookies but am not sure if they would like this.

    I'd love some input from any Indians on this site.

    Thanks !!!
    J

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  2. #2

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    Cake and cookies would be fine...good whisky for any men who were especially helpful (as long as they aren't Muslim)!

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  3. #3

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    Thanks Jay. Its mostly older couples so might skip the whisky.


  4. #4

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    You'd be surprised how much some older Indian guys like their whisky! My aunt gave a guy in his 70s two bottles of Chivas and two cartons of cigarettes once!

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  5. #5

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    why not more HK local delights such as Hang Heung Wife's cake, wah kee biscuits, maybe even sweet versions of sticky rice dumplings wrapped in leaves (粽) as the time of the year.

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  6. #6

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    I note that you stated that the friends are probably not drinkers

    if they are drinkers, especially the heavy ones, a bottle Maotai or Mui Kwai Lo always brings happiness

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  7. #7

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    I feel like baijiu may be a little much for some older Indians...a little too out there. I was drinking palm toddy in Kolkata with some 'middle class' Indians and they couldn't handle the smell and taste of it. I couldn't drink much of the local artificially flavored whisky! The local Bengali guys loved that I was putting the toddy away like water. I'd developed a taste for palm toddy in the Philippines. Gotta say the Bengali stuff was better!

    Assorted chips, snacks, etc would also go down well. Calbee Ethnicans and the like would be much appreciated, as well as Chinese chili oil and stuff like Pak Fa Yau. Actually, for older people, roll on Chinese liquids for joint aches and things would probably be a hit.

    Mom's suggestion: good umbrellas!

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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by imparanoic:
    why not more HK local delights such as Hang Heung Wife's cake, wah kee biscuits, maybe even sweet versions of sticky rice dumplings wrapped in leaves (粽) as the time of the year.
    @paranoic
    Yeah this is exactly what I wanted to buy them but was not too sure.
    @Jay
    Don't want to risk it as some of them are Sikh and Muslim. Will grab some of the Pak Fa Yeow and your mum is right about umbrellas. I have repeatedly been asked for them and luggage. I wont be buying em any luggage as I usually fill mine to the max with stuff on the way out. This time I have my eyes on a Prestige Chapati Maker

    I love Toddy/Arak BTW and have some fond memories from 30 years ago lying around on the beach in Cochin ... stoned and drunk on toddy/arak early in the morning. I should look for that in the Phills + there was them Bhang Lassis in Benares...Damn i'm old now and it sucks.
    Last edited by JaredHK; 07-06-2016 at 05:17 PM.
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  9. #9

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    it's noted that some chinese chilli oil has dried prawns especially the xo version, not suitable for indian vegan


  10. #10

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    Cookies and Chocolate. If there's a prize mart next to you get some Toberlone. Always appreciated and very expensive in India.

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