299363 Sat Dec 04 07:45:14 -0800 2004 10 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1658220 the reason why I ask- and I do like making hokmemade candies, cookies, etc as gifts - is that packaged food stuff is everywhere now- from Crate and Barrel, Target, even the drug store- as someone questioned recently in a post- is making white chocolate bark too "Restoration Hardware". That got me to thinking. Target carries those cookie mixes in a jar now all nicely tied up to look homemade. It didn't use to be so readily available. Does this make make giving food gifts ubiquitous? Sat Dec 04 07:45:14 -0800 2004 0 cocoagirl 1 1658222 I think two factors that people who are content with the commerically available "homemade" items overlook are taste and effort. Granted, there are some commerical available items that are just stellar - certain brands of chocolate candy come to mind immediately - but I think there's a great number of homemade items that beat their commercial counterparts hands down. My husband is a teacher and I know the gifts he savors the most are the little plates of homemade cookies, the mini-loaves of quickbreads and so forth. The boxes of commerical candy, even the gift basket ingredients are often passed on to his brothers (who will eat anything remotely edible)or returned to school and passed out to his sixth grade classes (again, creatures who will eat anything remotely edible) or thrown in the garbage if completely gross. In the gross catgeory: 99 cents a box chocolate covered cherries, anything sugar free/Splenda-ized and mixes that call for ingredients like "1 c. non-dairy creamer" to make. In the beloved category: Christmas cookies made with butter as opposed to margarine, homemade candy (fudge, peanut brittle, truffles or fairy food) and quickbreads. He had two girls from one family that always presented their favorite teachers with a loaf of cranberry, walnut, orange bread every Christmas and did he mourn when the youngest girl left the middle school. Sat Dec 04 09:44:23 -0800 2004 1658220 0 MkeLaurie 1 1658224 All I know is that the recipients always feel grateful when I give them a jar of my peach preserves and of my bread and butter pickles. Of course, I always tell that if I don't get the empty jars back from them, they will never get refills in the future. This works exceptionally well. John Sat Dec 04 10:01:21 -0800 2004 1658220 0 RibDog 1 1658229 "Does this make make giving food gifts *ubiquitous*?" Umm...Did you perhaps mean *obsolete*? I give homemade food gifts to nearly all my friends and non-immediate family, and I daresay they are better received than anything else I might give. That may be a reflection on my talents as a baker/confectioner. If I tried giving store-bought food gifts instead, they'd all think a) that I'd stopped loving them and b) that I'd lost my mind. Sat Dec 04 11:39:44 -0800 2004 1658220 0 GG Mora 1 1658231 Just make sure they arent like my Mom. She hated to eat at anybodys house, or something that came from anybody elses house. Anyone else have this phobia? Sat Dec 04 11:53:10 -0800 2004 1658220 0 HungryGal 1 1658238 i give some family members hommade meals, i give my coworkers either homemade baked goods (brownies, cookies...etc) or those jars that are filled with all the dry ingredients for baked goods or soups etc. I put the in nice containers with personalized notes, and everyone seems to appreciate it. I even have people coming to me later asking for my recipes. For me, its convenient because I can just make huge batches, and I have extra in case I forgot someone or I can put them in the break room for everyone to enjoy. People this year are already asking me if I'm going to bring in what I made last year...they look forward to it - they remember it. Since so many people don't cook or bake, and their families maybe dont cook and bake as often as they used to, they love having good homemade goodies around. Sat Dec 04 13:28:42 -0800 2004 1658220 0 monica 1 1658242 No, I don't think so. The thing that distinguishes the food gifts from stores vs. homemade is the interpretation of the recipe for the treat. Homemade treats are usually a reflection of the individual's personal taste, mass produced goodies are just that - mass produced - with very little individuality. IMHO it can be hit or miss. Besides I've seen the reactions of people when they receive homemade and store bought treats, they are so much more enthusiastic about the homemade stuff. Sat Dec 04 15:11:09 -0800 2004 1658220 0 Tracy L. 1 1658278 Just make sure your homemade goodies aren't packaged too professionally and you're there. My sis makes delicious biscotti and wraps them so professionally (holiday celo sacks with ribbon) that it looks mass produced. Homemade "style" does not equal homemade quality. Alot of homemade goods aren't that great in terms of perfect appearance in contrast to commercially produced "homestyle" which is industrially perfect. Where real homemade excels is in karma, freshness, wholesomeness, and ingredients quality. Sun Dec 05 10:37:16 -0800 2004 1658220 0 k. gerstenberger 2 1658301 Exactly. Goods that are mass-produced and prepackaged are rarely as good as something homemade, without preservatives and other ingredients needed to extend shelf life. Candy may be one of the few exceptions, but even then, there's something special about homemade candy. Besides, it's really true that it's the thought that counts. The caring that went into making it is part of the gift. Sun Dec 05 16:34:12 -0800 2004 1658278 0 Ruth Lafler 1 1658309 For my parents and sister I give various homemade soups, frozen. I use cheap Glad plastic food storage containers and make my own labels on the computer. They appreciate these soup gifts very much, because a homemade "heat and eat" meal is a gift of time. Link: http://flyingfur.typepad.com/flyingfur/ Sun Dec 05 17:34:13 -0800 2004 1658220 0 Val Ann C 1 1658564 I make homemade food gifts each year and have had almost every recipient ask for the recipes. I make peppermink bark (VERY easy), several varieties of biscotti, and have my mothers hot cocoa mix recipe. All of these are asked for again and again, so I presume that the store bought varities just don't always compare. Sun Dec 12 18:47:12 -0800 2004 1658220 0 Mary