UK festive hampers

[patrick]

As I am currently in the midst of planning the Christmas hampers that I make each year, I thought it would be interesting to hear fellow members ideas on what they think constitutes a fantastic hamper.

Obviously, I have to balance what I would like to present in the hamper to what is feasible to make, store and package efficiently. This year I will be making up 30 hampers from scratch including sourcing the trunk/basket, packaging for all products, recipe and menu cards and the food itself. Having made everything myself in previous years, I have decided to branch out and include some artisan produce from the immediate area.

Apart from the usual suspects, i.e. preserves, oils, vinegars, chocolates, pork and game pies, smoked fish, cheeses, hams, plum pudding, Christmas cake and wine/spirits, what have you all been impressed with in the hampers you have received, and if you were making up a hamper yourself, what would you include?

I have my own ideas, but would be interested to read your comments.

[jackal10]

You've covered most of the basics in your list above.

1. A proper hamper that is useful after the contents have been consumed, ideally fully fitted for a picnic, or a sensible shopping basket, garden trug or the like.

2. This is not food for the poor, but luxuries or things otherwise unobtainable. Thus I would not include fruit, unless very special, nor an Xmas pudding, unless home made, Similarly I would not include a ham, although traditional, since most people can't cope with a whole one, unless its very special like a whole Parma ham with stand.

If you are providing Xmas basics, like pudding or a turkey, its fair to give the recipient some warning so they don't buy another. I can't imagine anything worse than unwrapping another turkey having just wrestled one into the oven.

Well chosen luxuries like truffles, or fine wine, or things hard to obtain are nice.

3. I would think in terms of the meals it might be used for, and include those components, maybe with recipes: for example components for a Christmas eve meal ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9veillon ), including the 13 deserts, or a complete party kit, or mulled wine kit with an insulated jug and hot tea glasses

4. Fewer and better: Whole things are nice: whole ham, side of salmon, whole truckle of cheese, dozen of wine, Poilane loaf etc

5. Things to add you your comprehensive list:

Truffles

Rare teas and coffees

Salt cod (for Bacalao, or jars of truffled Bacalao)

a Norfolk Black Turkey, oven ready

Stollen

Ginger

Gold and silver Dragees

Sauces and pickles (for left over turkey and ham)

Elvas plums

Edited August 2, 2007 by jackal10 (log)

[patrick]

You've covered most of the basics in your list above.

1.  A proper hamper that is useful after the contents have been consumed, ideally fully fitted for a picnic, or a sensible shopping basket, garden trug or the like.

2. This is not food for the poor, but luxuries or things otherwise unobtainable. Thus I would not include fruit, unless very special, nor an Xmas pudding, unless home made, Similarly I would not include a ham, although traditional, since most people can't cope with a whole one, unless its very special like a whole Parma ham with stand.

If you are providing Xmas basics, like pudding or a turkey, its fair to give the recipient some warning so they don't buy another. I can't imagine anything worse than unwrapping another turkey having just wrestled one into the oven.

Well chosen luxuries like truffles, or fine wine, or things hard to obtain are nice.

3. I would think in terms of the meals it might be used for, and include those components, maybe with recipes: for example components for a Christmas eve meal ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9veillon ), including the 13 deserts, or a complete party kit, or mulled wine kit with an insulated jug and hot tea glasses

4. Fewer and better: Whole things are nice: whole ham, side of salmon, whole truckle of cheese, dozen of wine, Poilane loaf etc

5. Things to add you your comprehensive list:

Truffles

Rare teas and coffees

Salt cod (for Bacalao, or jars of truffled Bacalao)

a Norfolk Black Turkey, oven ready

Stollen

Ginger

Gold and silver Dragees

Sauces and pickles (for left over turkey and ham)

Elvas plums

←

Thank you for your comments Jackal.

As you say, luxurious products always go down well. I included some white truffle with fresh pasta last year which went down a treat. This year i have some Parmigiano Reggiano to include and will no doubt include a "truffled" product.

It is also true that the contents of the hamper should have a good shelf life, considering the general food glut around Christmas. I am still using produce from the 2006 hamper so I know it keeps well.

Sourcing the basket itself always presents a challange, as it has to be strong, large enough, able to travel (delivery), and have a worthwhile use. Many people have a couple of wicker and seagrass storage trunks so this year i'm looking at an antique chest.

The rare tea and coffee is a great idea, as well as the mulled wine party kit. In a similar vein, i did a dried fruit breakfast compote with whole spices and spiced tea bags last year. The idea was to soak the fruit, spices and tea in boiling water, thus making a great breakfast/brunch dish.

[erica graham]

Sourcing the basket itself always presents a challange, as it has to be strong, large enough, able to travel (delivery), and have a worthwhile use. Many people have a couple of wicker and seagrass storage trunks so this year i'm looking at an antique chest.

←

We sell "hampers" full of our produce every christmas, and the favourite "basket" has always been a wooden wine case- although its not good for posting as they are heavy!

[lapin d'or]

I am planning to make nougat for friends at Christmas. This can look very festive with lots of good candied fruits and whole nuts and not so easy to buy a good one as perhaps with chocolates.

I need to practice a bit more first mind - it was a bit sticky last time. It keeps well too so I do not have to warn people to eat it up quickly like I do with home made chocolates.

I am also going to make biscotti - the biscuits that you bake in a log and then slice and bake again, because they are easy to make and keep very well too. I have never tried vin santo but if that is what you should dip them in I guess you could add a bottle of that to the hamper to go with them.

Home made spice mixes can be fun - I made up a large batch of ras al hanout a while ago and thought that could be quite good as a gift it smelt so good and looked very rich with flecks of rose petals in it.