Food Lush

Top 5 Food Gifts I'd Like From My Valentine

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Jen L.

This is my final post for Food Lush and it has been a fantastic couple of years! I have loved sharing my foodie love with all of you, participating in this wonderful group of writers (we call ourselves the Lush Family) and reading all your comments. My favorite post from another writer is this Candy Corner post by Erik because 1. it involves Bit O' Honey, and 2.  it is HYSTERICAL.  Choosing my favorite post of my own was like being asked to choose a favorite child, but I narrowed it down, and read and read, then picked this one, a post I got to write in response to a reader's question about hosting a birthday party. The best part of Food Lush has always been the interaction with our readers, so thank you! 

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I love food gifts. Some people scoff at them. Some people automatically throw them out, as though they are tainted.  Other people, like me and people I'm related to, fight over them.  My husband and I get summer sausages in our Christmas stockings every year and my mom always gets me a big bottle of cranberry mustard to go with mine.  My grandpa used to give me my own wheel of Edam cheese every year.

I've never been one for flowers on Valentine's Day--I'd rather have a box of really nice chocolate or even have a nice dinner prepared for me. (My husband sometimes surprises me with cornish game hens!)  Here are five food gifts I'd be tickled to get on Valentine's Day.

1.  Harry and David's Pears.  Have you ever had a Harry and David pear? They are hands-down the greatest pears I have ever had IN MY LIFE. I don't know what it is, but they are always perfectly ripe, tender, sweet and delicious.  And look! They even have a Valentine Gift Box all ready to ship to the one you love, complete with heart-shaped stickers and pink foil wrapping.  Score.

2.  Wisconsin Cheese Mart Cheddar Deck Gift Box.  This trio of cheddar cheeses would be mine, all mine. I would use the mild for a cheddar cheese sauce (Served over pasta with bacon, of course!), the medium for grating over tacos and chili, and the sharp for eating with really good crackers.

3.  A Cookie Bouquet from Cookies by Design.  I had a cookie bouquet for one of my teenage birthdays and I remember it being delicious. I love iced sugar cookies, so that was right up my alley. (This was before I gave in to my all-consuming love for cake.)  This cute Conversation Hearts cookie bouquet would be a very sweet treat.

4.  A Crate O' Gummi Bears.  Haribo are the best gummies in the world--we all agree on this, yes?  How'd you like to get this crate of 72 packs of MINI gummi bears from Candy Warehouse? I thought so. 

5.  A beautiful box of Godiva chocolates.  Specifically, this dark chocolate collection.  Enough said.

What food gifts would you like to receive from your Valentine?  You can paste a link this post to in an email, you know...

 

Image credit  HarryandDavid.com

Last Minute Gifts for your Favorite Foodie

By Nora    

Guys, Christmas is less than a week away (I KNOW), and even thought I feel like i'm pretty much ready for it to be here, I always find myself scrambling on the 23rd looking for last minute gifts for people I may have forgotten about. So, I was thinking yesterday about possible last minute gifts ideas, specifically for people who love food and cooking, just in case I get to that point and need something thoughtful, FAST.  So, if you find yourself in the same position come this weekend, here's some ideas:

1) A gift card/certificate to a restaurant you KNOW they've always wanted to try (and possibly a night of babysitting if it's hard for them to get out to dinner)!  I can't think of a more thoughtful gift than giving a friend a reason to get out and enjoy themselves (without the kids!). It doesn't have to be for a lot of money either---I think just the gesture and the offer of your time so that they can have some time alone is very generous.

2) The promise of a cooked meal delivered to their house (written inside a holiday card). This is in line with the restaurant gift card, but perhaps it's during a time when that person really, really needs to be at home but doesn't have the time or energy to think about dinner. Maybe it's just a dish of baked ziti, some garlic bread, and a bottle of wine.  But I can't TELL you how much this would mean to me!

3) A box of chocolates paired with a chocolate-themed movie (Chocolat!) and a bottle of chocolate-appropriate wine. This will require you going out to buy these items, but you can probably do so fairly easily and it's a creative and fun gift that people will think you put a lot of thought into!

4) A pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. This will go over BIG. I just made 9 pans last night and stuck them in the fridge/freezer specifically for baking this weekend.

{Photo courtesy of ME! At midnight last night!}

I plan to deliver them warm so that people can dive right in, if they want. It took some effort to make them, certainly, but you can do it in a night and then bake them the next morning.

Still need other gift ideas? Don't forget to check out the Food Lush Gift Guide!

I wish you all a stress-free, happy holiday!!

Edible Gifts: California Olive Ranch Olive Oil

by Elissa

So, there is obviously no shortage of food-related gift ideas on this site lately (see, e.g., the exceptional gift guide), but I can't resist throwing another idea out there. The idea of giving nice olive oil (perhaps with some fancy vinegar) is hardly new, but I love the bottle of California Olive Ranch Olive Oil that I picked up at the grocery store the other day.

{photo credit: californiaoliveranch.com}

It comes in a beautiful, substantial dark green bottle that features olive shapes, and I love the illustration on the label. The olive oil tastes fabulous too--it's been great in salad dressings and on roasted vegetables. And the price was not unreasonable given the quality of the product and the packaging.

Lately I've read some disturbing articles about olive oil fraud that suggest that much of the "extra virgin" olive oil coming from Europe is not extra virgin and may not even come from olives. But this olive oil bears the seal of the California Olive Oil Council, which gives me some confidence that this is the real thing. And the company seems to take sustainability seriously, which is nice.

If you're looking for a consumable gift for someone who likes to cook or eat, see if you can find California Olive Ranch Oil at your local store (I found mine at Safeway). Or you can always orde online. Happy shopping and gifting!

Easy, Home-baked Holiday Gift Idea

By Nora

My daughter goes to a Quaker preschool where they don't really make a big deal out of the holidays, especially the commercialism surrounding it. As a result, the teachers request that the kids not give them gifts, but if they want to, make something home/hand-made for them. Since my daugher is only 2 and a half that limits what she can create herself, although lately she's been enthusiastic about helping me cook (which is thrilling me to no end!).  So, this gave me an inspired idea. Remember that No-Knead Bread recipe I wrote about a while back? Well, I figured that my kid could help me mix the dough, and then the morning of preschool we pop them in the oven and after it's baked we can wrap it in a cute dishtowel, like this:

{Photo from sayyestohoboken.com}

I bet you can buy super cheap towels at Marshalls or Kohl's, or you can get a few of these that Katie wrote about back in September, and which I am completely obsessed with. And who doesn't appreciate and LOVE fresh baked bread???

Cuisine at Home Magazine

By Tara C.

If you have seen Caitlin's wonderful gift guide (and if you haven't you should) you may have noticed that Cook's Illustrated topped her list--this year with the cookbook and last year with the magazine subscription. But let's say the food lover on your list already has a subscription. I'd like to throw in another magazine idea--Cuisine at Home.

I was introduced to Cuisine at Home magazine a couple years ago when my aunt Diana, who is a fabulous cook herself, gifted me with a subscription. It quickly turned into my favorite food magazine. Their Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake recipe (adapted here) might be my favorite chocolate cake recipe. And that's saying a lot; it's hard to choose a favorite chocolate cake. They're all so lovable.

Here's what I love about Cuisine at Home:

• The recipes are reliable. Everything I've tried has been good (including this Mac n' Cheese Soup).
• There are tons of photos and step-by-step instructions.
• There's an emphasis on technique.
• There are no ads.

The "no ads" part is probably what differentiates it the most from other food magazines, but the emphasis on technique has been most helpful to me. While I enjoy cooking, I never really learned a lot of the basic techniques. I am much more comfortable with baking than with cooking main dishes. And with a vegetarian mother, this is particularly true when it comes to cooking meat. I just never really learned some of the basics.

I think one of the best things about Cuisine at Home is that it allows less experienced home chefs to create elegant and tasty dishes. So, for something like Seared Beef Tenderloin Filets, they not only provide recipes but also give step-by-step instuctions, with photos, for trimming and searing the filets. This is not to say that it's only for the novice cook. But for those of us who like to have all the steps really spelled out for us, this is a great resource. I have thoroughly enjoyed my subscription--I highly recommend it.

(photo from: Cuisine at Home)

Foodie Gift Idea: Sampler Packs!

By Jennie

This past spring, I was looking for a birthday gift idea for my kind of hard to shop for brother-in-law. I knew he liked Whiskey, but he's a busy father of three and a full handle just seemed like something that would sit on the top of his fridge, collecting dust. I thought up the idea of a mini-bottle Whiskey sampler, and it was a huge hit. I basically bought any mini-bottle at my local liquor store, and told him to enjoy one (or all of them) after a stressful day.

I drew the same brother-in-law for our family's gift exchange this year and thought I'd re-create something similar. A hot sauce sampler!

So far, I have:

Trader Joe's Jalapeno Hot Sauce

Louisiana Hot Sauce

Sriracha

Clancy's Fancy

Any others I'm missing that should be included?

Also, what else would make a good sampler pack as a gift? Mini bottles of champagne? Craft Beer? Olive Oils? Anything I'm missing!

Snowflake Ramekins

By A'Dell

I don't buy a lot of holiday-specific decor or kitchen items, but I DO purchase special things for Christmas. (And before you start to tell me it's too early to be thinking about holiday-themed purchases, IT'S NOT! Things are already selling out! The good stuff goes fast!)

I have a few things I'd like to get this year: coffee mugs, an embroidered tree skirt, and a set of kid-friendly holiday dishes. But, there is always an item or two that surprises me as an OHHH I NEED THAT and these Snowflake Ramekins from Crate and Barrel are, I think, that item for 2012 in my world.

Observe:

Adorable, no? A set of two (one big, one little) is only ten bucks. I can picture these used for a ton of different things: filled with candies, used as a place to put jewelry at the end of the day, a spot to corral the millions of hair clips my girls seem to have, and so on. I LOVE that they are snowflakes and could be used ALL WINTER, straight through February.

They'd also make a cute gift, filled with baked goods, a Target gift card, or some other small item. (I'd love to receive these solo, no further additions necessary in my book!) You can also use them to BAKE, if you're a purist about kitchen items.

Seriously, $10 for two and they're already listed as "quantities are limited." I don't think these will make it to Thanksgiving, folks. I'm getting mine today.

Ramekins: A Kitchen Favorite

by Maura

As I was straightening up the kitchen the other day, I noticed how many ramekins I put in the dishwasher. I use them for absolutely everything. Mise en place, melting butter, taco toppings, snack cups, appetizer holders and ice cream dishes. The ones I have are plain white or clear and I have a few different sizes. I don't remember where I got them, but there are cute ones available at a number of stores.

(image credit: Crate & Barrel)

These ramekins are available at Crate & Barrel in a set of six for $8.95. Holding only 4 oz, they are kind of tiny, but adorable and good for setting out all of your ingredients before putting together dinner.

(image credit: Target)

These ramekins are a little bigger and come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow and blue. They are a fun way to punch up a set of plain white dishes or bring a little cheer to your kitchen. They are $16.99 for a set of six small ones or $14.99 for a set of four larger ones.

(image credit: Target)

I absolutely adore these Rachael Ray ramekins with the little handles and fun colors, but at 10oz, they are a bit large. At a price of $24.99 for four, they are also a little spendy. I think they would be perfect to hold party appetizers. They would make a good housewarming gift or Christmas present for someone who likes to cook.

Do you have favorite kitchen dishes or tools? What do you use most in the kitchen?

Family Album with Photos and Recipes

By Tara C.

When my grandmother came to visit during my pre-teen years, she would arrive full of questions, wanting to know every detail of my life--who my friends were, what I was interested in, how school was going, and so on. We would stay up late, talking and drinking sugary, milky tea. Well, mine was sugary and milky, at least. It made me feel important that someone wanted to learn so much about me and my interests.

In public she ate tiny, dainty portions, but I know she snuck into the kitchen at night for sweets and her travel journals read like food diaries. For years after she passed away, I would compose letters in my head whenever I traveled, compiling all the details I knew she would care about.

After she died, I somehow ended up with one of her recipe notebooks. It's a worn file, full of handwritten recipes and recipes collected from friends or clipped from newspapers and magazines. The recipes tend to be dated by today's standards, but that's how people cooked back then. A disproportionate number of recipes in the "salad" section call for gelatin. There are also some real gems in there, like my great-grandmother's rice pudding recipe with brandy sauce and her baked custard.

Good or bad, I think that family recipes tend to be about more than the recipes themselves. Taste and smell are powerful senses and can easily bring back distant memories. I still make my grandmother's date balls every Christmas, not because I love them, per se, but because they feel like Christmas to me. Sometimes keeping family traditions alive helps us feel a little more connected to each other and to our collective histories.

Several years ago (wow, almost 5), I asked my dad to borrow some old family photos. I scanned them in order to make a combination recipe/photo album for Christmas. Most of the photos I included were of my grandmother as a child and young woman or of her future husband, my grandfather, as a child. My grandmother was a twin, so most of her childhood photos include a matching set of darling little girls. This is the cover page:

Some of the pages include photos and recipes, like this one:

While some pages are just photos:

This page shows my grandfather almost 100 years ago along with a family recipe for rum pecans.

I used Shutterfly, but I think any similar photo book production service would work. Jennie discussed AdoramaPix in this post.

I know that there are still several months before Christmas, but I'm posting this now so that you will have plenty of time to gather up photos and recipes and put them into a book. I made a copy for my dad, his two sisters, and myself. I think this makes a meaningful and heartfelt gift for the recipients, but I gained a lot from the experience too. Working closely with old photos and recipes made me feel a little more connected to the past and to the people I care about.

Adorable Aprons

By A'Dell

I know wearing an apron is super June Cleaver/Betty Draper and can look out of place in today's busy schedules, but I've figured out that aprons are actually super PRACTICAL. I am a messy chef and if there is something to be glopped or slopped out of a bowl, it will end up on my shirt every time. I can't even tell you how many shirts I've ruined by a few random oil spatters or a spoonful of tomato sauce. (BRAND NEW SHIRTS, even!)

I like to wear an apron when doing dishes or any kind of general housework. The water, food, and/or cleaning product stays off my clothes and when I'm finished I feel less like I've done a big chore that I need to change clothes from, and more like, "Woo! Done!" It's so much easier to wash an apron than an entire outfit and they totally make me more likely to tackle little, semi-messy, projects with my pockets of time.

And even though I have five aprons? I want these too.

Tea-and-Crumpets Apron, $32

Oh my hell, I want this apron SO BADLY. It's so cute! See, this is what I'm talking about - this apron would make a cute dress, right? But since it's an APRON you can wear it while doing something not dress-worthy and if you spill on it? THAT'S OKAY! It only $32 and machine washable. (Show me the dress at Anthropologie that does THAT.)

Aprons tend to be a very affordable bit of cute style. (See? I'm telling you, aprons are awesome.)

 And just look at the detail! So cute.

Trousseau Apron, $38

Put some sleeves on this (and, a back I suppose) and isn't this the cutest dress EVER? But for only $38 you can put it on over gym clothes and LOOK HOW FANCY YOU ARE, NOW!

Nautique Vintage-Inspried Apron, $17

EVA-Coated Retro Cherries Apron, $34

I actually bought this one on a recent trip to New Orleans and the bows on mine aren't as big as these. I super love this apron. The material is kind of like oilcloth and I think it's going to be AWESOME for washing dishes and not ruining my clothes. This site (jessiesteele.com) has a LOT of very cute fabrics and styles.

(Photos from: the websites linked above)