I'm visiting a mate in America later this week. I asked if he'd like good claret, cigars etc as pressies. His response was: Cadbury's chocolate and Branston pickle. Am I likely to get past customs with chocolate and Branston in my bag? Any informed observations would be most gratefully received.

We always take choc and marmite and S&V crisps (which are a bastard to pack)

don't melt the choc down & mould it into a gun shape

Should be OK with those although the Branston will have to go in the hold

I think you get problems with actual plants and raw materials; Australia's rules say even wood products have to be declared, in case of parasites, for example. There's probably something ont'interweb about it.

I'm pretty sure it's meat and fruit that you can't take in. Where are you flying? 2 weeks ago I flew into Colorado with 180 PG tips in my luggage, taken out of the box…looked a bit odd, dark powder in bags ;-0

Should be fine with that. From experience, do not try and take golden cane sugar. More for the fact that it WILL explode in your suitcase, and you will NEVER get it all out. Unless you wrap it in plastic bags and duct tape, at which point it begins to look rather suspicious!

I took earl grey tea bags. Which turned out to be a great bribe with expat British workers…

I had to take Twiglets to a mate in Texas, nothing like them over there and he was addicted to the things.

Have to take S+V crisps to the missus in Sweden 🙂 she is very happy and is so nice to me when I produce the Walkers 😉

I'm flying to Boston for a conference and then on to NYC to catch up with aforesaid mate. Thanks for all the comments, that's reassuring. His request made me laugh my leg off but having lived abroad I do remember being made to be suddenly aware of addictions I had no idea I had. One day at a time with that Marmite!

Depends where you're landing. Chocolate will always be fine, pickle might not be depending which state you pitch up in. If in doubt, declare it and they'll have it off you if they don't like it. Having seen some bloke hauled off for having an apple in his bag after a sniffer dog (Seattle has fruit sniffing dogs, not kidding) found it interesting, I always declare if there's any doubt.

Chicago, if that is the hub you're coming into, don't care and green light pretty much anything.

except ham sandwiches. ham sandwiches are a bigger no-no than almost anything not narcotic.