Tips for Creating a Homemade Gourmet Gift Basket
A gift basket filled with gourmet food items can be a practical gift as well as delicious. And, if you make it yourself, you can personalize it with gifts of the recipient's favorite foods. Gourmet foods are special foods and a wonderful way to celebrate a holiday or special occasion.
Selecting the Basket:
When selecting an empty basket for your food gifts, choose a size that is appropriate for the number of people for whom you are making the gift. For example, you can make a small gourmet basket for an individual or for a couple, or a larger one for a group of people or for an entire family. If you already have a nearly new basket you would like to use, simply give it a quick refresher by swishing it in hot, soapy water, rinsing it with clear water to remove any fragrance from the soap, and allow the basket to thoroughly air dry.
Preparing the Basket:
The most attractive gift basket looks overflowing. Before arranging the food items in the basket, place plenty of filler materials in the basket so that the gifts show above the basket. If your basket is on the deep side, place a piece of foam in the bottom first. Shredded brown paper or newspaper as well as purchased colorful shred or straw are all attractive fillers. If you have empty spaces after you have placed all the gift items, place small bunches of the shredded materials in these spaces.
Choosing the Contents:
A variety of gourmet meats such as pepperoni, salami, and a small canned ham are regularly used in gourmet food gift baskets. You may also want to include canned seafood products like crabmeat, clams, and sardines. It's a nice touch to add a dry mix for making a dip using the canned seafood. As assortment of cheese wedges, cheese spreads, gourmet crackers, bread sticks along with a small cheese board with a Cheese Knife or spreader are readily available and easy to place in the gift basket. Green and black olives, spicy mustard, pickled onions, roasted peppers, and appetizers in jars are nice accompaniments to the meats and cheeses. Include something sweet for dessert, such as cookies, chocolate covered mints, or anything with chocolate.
Top off your contents with a selection of beverages: a bottle of wine or non-alcoholic sparkling cider as well as gourmet coffee and herbal tea. If you plan to include a bottle of wine or sparkling cider in your gift basket, choose an empty basket with a sturdy handle so you can anchor the bottle by tying the neck of the bottle to the basket handle using twine or cord.
Decorative Touches:
About the Author
Janet Vogel is the owner of Homemade Gift Basket Ideas where you can find more information about Homemade Gourmet Gift Baskets as well as over 50 other gift basket themes.
Anyone had problems with Henckels Twin Gourmet?
About six months ago I bought a Zwilling-Henckels 6 inch chef knife from their Twin Gourmet series, with the new ergonomic streamlined rivet-less handle. I noticed the other day the plastic on the handle was cracking. Fortunately, the store agreed to replace my knife, but when I looked at the new knife at home, it was also cracked. Ultimately, I exchanged it for another knife from the Professional"S" series. Anyone else have problems with the Twin Gourmet series?
By the way, the original knife had never been through the dishwasher and had enjoyed the utmost care.
Oops. It's not the Twin Gourmet Series but rather the Twin Cuisine series.
Never heard of that before but I'll ask friends that use Henckels, maybe there's a recall in order. Check with Consumer Reports
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