Food: Ultimate Gift Baskets

Food Shopping
Articles
Seafood Articles

Cheeses
Chocolates, & Candy
Coffee & Tea
Desserts
Fruit
Gift Baskets
International Foods
Meats
Nuts
Seafood
Specialty Foods
Complete List
Home

Article List
Directory
Resources

Articles/Resources:
Beans
Breakfast
Budget
Cheese
Chinese
Comfort Foods
Dessert
Diet
Eating Habits
Everything Food
Fast Food
Food Gifts
Food History
Food Shopping
Food Traditions
Foods and Events
Foods and Holidays
Foods and Places
French
Fruits
Gift Baskets
Healthy Foods
Italian
Lunch
Mexican
Recipes
Restaurants
Treats
Vegetables

Archives:
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006

Have New Articles E-Mailed To You!

Ultimate Gift Baskets
Sunday, November 20, 2005

By Christina VanGinkel

Even though I have been totally at a loss as to what to give several people on my own holiday shopping list, when a friend asked me if I had any ideas for some baskets she could put together for a few people on her list, we ended up coming up with two very unique ones. Each of them is a themed basket that is food oriented and perfect for her needs. I thought I would share them here, as they are such ideal gift suggestions that I hope some of you will find them as useful as she is finding them to be.

Complete Baskets

What is so unique about each of these baskets is that when given, they will provide not one, but two complete meals. One meal is to be cooked, and the second meal is via a gift certificate to a like-minded restaurant.

Pasta Basket for Two

Pasta pot (this is to be used in place of basket)
Strainer
Jar of specialty sauce or your own homemade. If adding a jar of store bought, look for a brand that you know to be both good tasting and with a label that is a bit more decorative than your regular store brand.
Also, give a gift certificate for recipient's favorite store for the meat department and bakery, for the Italian sausage and a loaf of garlic or cheese bread. Be specific on a small note attached to the certificate as to what it is for, so they know that you are supplying the complete ingredients for the meal.
Jar of parmesan cheese
Cloth napkins
Bottle of wine
Wine glasses
Spaghetti server
Pasta themed cookbook
Gift certificate for two, to a classic Italian restaurant

Candy Creator Basket for Two

This basket is both the easiest to personalize, and the easiest to be carried away with!

Make the 'basket' out of an acrylic cutting board, then wrap in colored cellophane to keep it all together. The acrylic cutting board is perfect for pouring free form chocolate suckers on when not using a mold.
Small glass microwave safe bowl
Wooden spoon
A sucker shaped candy mold
Sucker sticks
Melt and pour chocolate
Colored candy sprinkles
Recipe card with instructions for making chocolate suckers or candy and cookie cookbook
Two coffee cups
Several packs of cocoa, flavored coffee, or tea, depending on the recipient, tied together in holiday themed ribbon (use the same ribbon to tie the cellophane together over the completed gift)
A sample pack of homemade candies or chocolates
Gift certificate to a local coffee / candy shop

If you have someone on your holiday shopping list that is difficult to buy a gift for, consider what their likes are, and assemble them a basket, complete with everything needed, to enjoy their passion. Try to go beyond the basics, and include as detailed a supply list as you can come up with. Then make the gift a bit more special by including a gift certificate to even further enjoy that passion. This idea works well for gifts beyond food too. Consider the possibilities of a book themed basket complete with a classic, book light, bookmarks, and a gift certificate to a favored bookstore. Or how about a basket with a tiny treasure found at an antique store, along with an antique lace doily, a small journal with your favorite antique hunting tips written out, and a gift certificate to the local antique mall or store.

9:12 AM Comments:
Post a Comment

<< Home