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food gift baskets - 2005


hazardnc

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Every year, I order food gifts for my family; steaks for my meat-lover sister, an assortment of cheeses and pates for my parents, gourmet groceries for my wannabe-chef brother-in-law, etc. Alas, the only food gifts I get come from Harry and David. Now, there fruit isn't bad, but how I would love to receive a fancy hamper from Fauchon or d'Artagnan.

If you were to receive a gourmet food basket, what would you hope to find?

Edited by hazardnc (log)
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I'm a sucker for food baskets of any kind. I always buy them for other people, then I have to force myself to actually give them as gifts and not keep them for myself. I've got the most beautiful martini gift basket that I should be giving to my brother for Christmas, and a coffee basket for my mom so far. My husband is having to pry them from my sticky fingers so he can ensure they actually get given as gifts.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Hmmm. Most gift baskets I've seen are full of mass produced mediocre packaged goods. The assumption seems to be that the recipient will have nothing useful in their house - that's why a basket with interesting cheeses in it comes with an assortment of crappy crackers, a cutting board, and a flimsy knife. There needs to be a gift basket for serious cooks - who doesn't need a lobe of foie gras, some Cluizel chocolates, an assortment of good cheeses, a few racks of lamb, and a couple of bottles of wine? The basket would cost less than most of the junk Neiman Marcus is offering and most of us would be able to turn it into a great meal to share with family and friends.

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First off, do away with the basket. I have a million of 'em. Put everything in an All-Clad roasting pan.

A collection of paprikas- smoked, sweet, hot, bittersweet, etc.

A huge variety of dried chilis. At least six different kinds, please.

A large jar of Pim's Nam-prik Pao

Packets of herb seeds- such as Shiso, Thai basils, Rau Ram, etc.

Beautiful, enameled chopsticks (maybe with my initials in gold? :raz: )

A make-my-own-mustard kit

A sourdough starter that has been alive for at least 50 years

Top-of-the-line rice from Japan (no broken kernels, please)

Cookbooks from England published during WWII- surely they exist, right?

Hmm..I'm sure I can come up with lots more ideas but I should make dinner. :wink:

Shelley: Would you like some pie?

Gordon: MASSIVE, MASSIVE QUANTITIES AND A GLASS OF WATER, SWEETHEART. MY SOCKS ARE ON FIRE.

Twin Peaks

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Hmmm.  Most gift baskets I've seen are full of mass produced mediocre packaged goods.  The assumption seems to be that the recipient will have nothing useful in their house - that's why a basket with interesting cheeses in it comes with an assortment of crappy crackers, a cutting board, and a flimsy knife.  There needs to be a gift basket for serious cooks - who doesn't need a lobe of foie gras, some Cluizel chocolates, an assortment of good cheeses, a few racks of lamb, and a couple of bottles of wine?  The basket would cost less than most of the junk Neiman Marcus is offering and most of us would be able to turn it into a great meal to share with family and friends.

And you're a grumpy old man. :raz: The martini basket I'm supposed to be giving consists of a bottle of Grey Goose, two Ridel martini glasses, a cocktail shaker, tipsy olives, silver olive picks, coasters, brie, crackers and a camembert, and some roasted red peper jelly. The "basket" is actually a mahogany serving tray.

I think its not half bad!

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Amen Marlene!

While I concur that the gift baskets one can order from Hickory Farms, Harry and David or even a Southern Season are filled with overpriced, mass produced processed foods, there are some great sources for more inspired gifts.

How about the Gourmet Basket from D'Artagnan? Last year, I sent my chef-wannabe brother-in-law the cassoulet kit (he LOVED it).

I would love an artisanal cheese basket, or better yet, a subscription to a cheese of the month!

I would also love for someone to give me the Metropolitan Spice Rack from Dean and Deluca so that I can make myself throw out my outdated spices once and for all.

My husband wants The Sierra Collection from Lobels and the Bacon-of-the-Month Club from Zingermans.

And oh how I would love for someone to ship a box of French Macarons!

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And you're a grumpy old man. :raz:  The martini basket I'm supposed to be giving consists of a bottle of Grey Goose, two Ridel martini glasses, a cocktail shaker,  tipsy olives, silver olive picks, coasters, brie, crackers and a camembert, and some roasted red peper jelly.  The "basket" is actually a mahogany serving tray. 

I think its not half bad!

I didn't say that your gift basket was crap, but you'd be hard pressed to argue that this basket was worth the $975 Neiman Marcus is asking for it. At that price my gift basket could include a personal chef to prepare the meal and some seriously nice wine. I'm not only old and grumpy, I'm also right :raz:.

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I try to send one sister marrons glacees every year. This time I got them from Dean & Deluca. The price was obscene. I sure hope she didn't just do a good job of pretending she loved them the first time. Has anyone tried the marrons from Zingerman's? (p. 7 of the holiday catalog) You used to be able to buy broken pieces more cheaply and I never see those any more. :sad:

When I went to Hawaii more, I used to send out selections of things from Coffee Times. I could still pick up the phone and call them; I just don't think of it. People love the dark chocolate covered macadamias and the coffee. I've also had good reactions by going to Mitsuwa and getting a lot of Japanese snacks and sweets and making baskets with those.

For me? I wouldn't say no to a box of marrons. I'm also very happy to get boxes of Harry & David pears. Or nice petits fours.

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Anything from Fortnum & Mason, whether I could use, could identify, or had even HEARD of the contents. Just the BEING of it would be enough. When we were there a couple of years ago, my traveling companions wandered for a bit, shopped a bit, and then, after I had purchased everything I could think of, I found them in a heap like puppies, over behind some woolen yardgoods, all sleeping away in a corner. (It WAS the afternoon we landed, with jet lag, and all that).

(And I DID repay the wait, somewhat---I held onto countless purses, bags, backpacks and souvenirs whilst the three of them hit the duty-free shops at Heathrow the morning we came home. And I DID taste about twenty scotches at 5:30 a.m., just to help him decide, you know).

I just couldn't stop looking and reading ingredients, and marveling at the colors and the tastes and shapes of the lovely comestibles. I smiled at the charmingly-named Bramble Jelly and Weeping-Fig conserve and Gentleman's Savories. I bought so many jars and boxes the first day, I pitied the poor porters who had to lug my one bag to the bus each morning.

And to put an even shinier finish on the Upper Crust: They send not baskets but HAMPERS. :wub:

Edited by racheld (log)
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