Hostess gift needed... Advice please

[OCSockOrphanage]

DS (17) is going to visit a friend in Bordeaux for part of half term. He's travelling alone. I need a gift to send to his hostess (whom I don't really know well). When her son came to visit us, he brought a very nice magnum of claret with him, and another time, the most glorious box of chocolates. Those would normally be the sort of things I would send but I am going to struggle to find anything as lovely locally. The hostess is Russian (and hardly speaks any English; she and I communicate in French). I would send a good single malt, but DS is travelling without hold luggage so will not be able to take it through airport security and he won't be allowed to buy it in duty free. Any other ideas?

Tricky with the liquid restrictions! Or maybe I am just a lush...I think consumables are ideal. A nice tea selection from F&M or somewhere? Fudge? Some British cheeses are quite well-liked but hard to get, or things like Scottish smoked salmon can travel quite well.

Fruit cake, e.g. Dundee cake, seems to go down very well on the continent. If you're not keen to DIY and box appropriately, you can get them from Betty's, or F&M or, I think, Liberty.

Consumables were my starting point too. I had wondered about cheese; we have a fab artisanal cheese shop locally. It just seemed a bit like coals to Newcastle. Good smoked salmon might be a possibility too.

Dundee cake is a good idea!

A really good quality Cheddar or Cheshire cheese (like Neals Yard or Appleby's) goes down very well as a gift with our foodie French friends.