Food gifts and baskets

Gift baskets just don’t get enough credibility these days. Even though they have a reputation being as impersonal, modern baskets can include creative items and combinations that would satisfy anyone’s taste. One way to spice up a gift is using gourmet foods. The word gourmet was originally a term applied to a person with discriminating tastes, but it has come to encompass all food/beverage items of impeccable quality–especially fancy meats, cheeses or fruits.
Unless they are pre-made, a gift basket can include exotic items that the recipient wouldn’t normally buy. Although it may sound obvious, the key to a truly unique gift basket is imagination. For example, instead using apples and oranges, try throwing in fruit as diverse as pomegranates and mangoes. Food gifts are hardly associated with romance, but you can defy expectations by incorporating fancy wines and champagne into your gift. By doing a little research, you can also look cultured by pairing wine with appropriate cheeses or chocolates.
Arranging food gifts can be an artful outlet to alleviate stress which is common during the holiday season. Hours spent in a shopping mall, so it’s good to have some down-time to artfully arrange a basket that’s both personal and creative.
There is nothing wrong with giving out corporate gifts. CEOs and co-workers love to feel as appreciated as you do, so why not put in the effort to make their gifts personal? When giving baskets at work, me sure to make them appropriate for the occasion – alcohols such as wine and champagne are usually tasteful additions to a food gift, but they may not be appreciated in the workplace.
It’s also important to think of the recipient’s dietary needs. For example, many people have food allergies, especially nut-allergies. While it’s not forbidden for diabetic people to eat chocolate, it’s not very considerate to give them a gift that’s full of sugary sweets. Also, be mindful when giving gourmet meats or caviar. Unless it’s salted, meat can be hard to preserve, and spoiled meat is a gift that no one wants to receive. Vegetarians usually don’t appreciate getting meat of any kind, no matter how gourmet it is.
Making a gourmet food gift basket is fairly simple. Begin by picking two larger objects; these are the first items that the recipients will see. Sparkling cider or wine bottles work are fantastic for this.
Put tissue or mylar sheets into the holiday gift baskets and then put newsprint over the tissue. Put krinkle or fake grass over the newsprint so that none of it is visible. This will create a seal in case any of the contents begins to leak–an unprotected basket won’t do anything to keep it from dripping all over.
Next, arrange the items in the gourmet food basket from largest to smallest. Put the large items (the bottles) toward the back and begin to counterbalance the basket with various gourmet meats, cheeses, or fruits. Wrap the package up in a clear plastic and tie it up at the top.

 

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