Unique food gift recipes 2006 - what have you got?
I have done most of them over the years- marshmallows, flavored vodkas, pickled garlic, molded chocolates, sundried tomatos, rum balls, biscotti, truffles, spiced nuts, etc.
What is the hot, unique item for 2006- my family expects it of me (in a good way)- but I don't have anything yet- also they need to be shippable
possible- salted caramels.
what are you creative, trendy types doing this year????
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A Hot Chocolate Mix Gift Recipe
Combine 8 C dry milk; 4 3/4 C powdered sugar; 1 3/4 C dry creamer (usually non-dairy but any kind will do); 1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix. Stir well, stir some more. Place the mix in airtight jars. Optionally, place a handful of mini marshmallows in the top of the jar, or attach a lunch baggie full to the jar with a bow; or tie on some small candy canes for stirrers...
Attach this instruction to the jars: 5 T (1/3 C) Hot Chocolate Mix + 1 C hot but not boiling water. Add marshmallows or whipped cream.
This recipe is from livingonadime.com. so there are variations you can make if $$ permit. For grownups, add some good inst. coffee powder. Any kind of dry flavoring. The pudding is to add a bit of mouth feel... Granulated sugar should work fine, the powdered is just a fine grind plus a little cornstarch which wouldn't really thicken. Cinnamon is the flavoring in Mexican chocolate. It makes a difference if you use American cocoa powder or Dutch Process style, it's a taste preference thing, not critical--pick what YOU like. Fairly fine grated chocolate could be added generously to the mix (adjust portion size up a tad)for eye and tongue appeal, both...
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talkoftomatoes
Dec 9, 2006 10:53 PM
Salts and rubs seem to be the rage. Trader Joe's even has wild Hawaiian Red or Black salt and Whole foods is supplying a large variety of salts in bulk (near the olives at my store). Making herb rubs for meats, or herb blends would be lovely. If I give herbs or salts, I find that the non-foodie family types really, really, really love 3-4 recipes to accompany such gifts. Then they actually use them!
Here are gifts I have given in the past: A Sangria Kit, (canned, homemade) Blueberry Chutney & Peppermint Bark. Read recipes here: http://talkoftomatoes.com/category/gi...
And I always consider a yummy entourage of cookies: russian tea cakes, iced cookies, thumbprint cookies, nut-lace cookies, thought I need a new favorite chocolate cookie... and since I just learned canning this year I may have to give a jar or two of my red sauce (very sendable!).
Good luck!
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SanseiDesigns
Dec 1, 2006 06:15 AM
While I follow trends with interest, when it comes to holiday 'gifts', some of my closest friends and my family are becoming accustomed to a tradition I have chosen to carry on in loving memory of a dear family friend - the Christmas cookie tin.
For as long as I can remember from my childhood, and well into adult life, she would bake a bounty of cookies - at least a dozen varieties. Some were decorated for Christmas, others were simply classic cookies. Each one of us had a 'favourite', but all were enjoyed. The Christmas holiday always "officially" started when Mrs. Kraus' cookie tin arrived. So while trends are wonderful for discovery, there are times when tradition is appreciated.
And, yes, a thank you note to her was always one of the first in the mail. The first Christmas after her passing left a bit of a void for us all, and impressed upon me the power that tradition has to memories and moments. While my selection is not as grand, I keep track of everyone's favourites and put a few more of those than the rest in their tin.
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This year, I'll be giving salts:
saffron sea salt
lime sea salt
and either sesame salt or szechuan (sp?) peppercorn sea salt.By the way, does anyone have Kylie Kwong szechuan (sp?) peppercorn smoked salt? I'd love to make it, but can't find the recipe. It was given in one of her tv programs...
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re: pâté chinois
Non Cognomina
Nov 30, 2006 04:47 PM
I'm giving salt this year, too! But only to my friends who I know will appreciate them. I have a few friends who bring their own salt to restaurants in a little salt carrier (okay, I do it, too).
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I just want to know how I can get on y'all's gift list :-)
Those that aren't necessarily foodies...cough, cough, family, cough, cough....I'm more inclined to make the old family favorites. Grandma's recipes, cookies, jellies, coffee cake, peanut brittle, stuff like that. They love them and don't have the time to bake.
Anything a little more detailed I make for those that I know enjoy food and because I like making and trying new things.
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Well, I didn't end up doing it, but last year I came up with all these different combos for brittle. I can't remember all of them right now (the list is at home; I'll try to remember to post it), but they all had a nut and a flavoring.... things like cashew/five-spice, coffee/almond, cinnamon/peanut, etc. It's an idea, anyhoo. Hrm... there's still time for me to get going on that.....
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re: juster
Here's that list of brittle ideas, just in case anybody could use them. I have recipes for some, but was going to improvise/combine with others:
almond/almond oil (croccante)
chocolate/hazelnut
ginger/macadamia
red chile/pinon
fennel/orange
five-spice/cashew
honey/sesame/lemon zest
pistachio/dried cherry/vanilla
maple/walnut
cinnamon/peanut
butterscotch/coconut
espresso/orange zest
apple/popcorn
banana/date/pecan
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Pomegranate vinegar
A few years ago - before the pomegranate craze really took off - I found this fantastic pomegranate vinegar by a company that is currently defunct. My sister and I loved the stuff - it made great vinaigrettes - anyway, we made an attempt to replicate the recipe based on the ingredients on the bottle: Here's what we came up with:2 cups rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup pomegranate concentrateYields 4 cups
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I'm making what I always make--homemade limoncello, my "all-purpose" seasoning (big jars full of it, with the proportions listed on the labels so my friends can make more--though they never do, they just return the empty jars...), and homemade hot chocolate mix (special people get homemade marshmallows, too).
The limoncello takes a couple of weeks to do, but all it takes is vodka, lemon rind, sugar and time.›4 Replies -
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Norwegian black pepper - cardamom cookies (there are a few Google-able recipes out there - I doubled the portion of black pepper and cardamom called for).
Or if you can figure out an interesting way to make a white bundt spongey cake and stripe it with colors and different liqueurs and additions in different sections or layers - that could be great. I was going for an Italian neapolitan cookie effect and just played around. I recall that grenadine and maraschino cherries were involved, as well as some Gran Marnier and some other fruity or nutty thing. Ideally, would find four liqueurs that wouldn't be awful next to each other, and four complementary fillings to add to them, then mix the batters individually and pour in or layer as necessary. Wouldn't want to use things with way too high an alcohol content for safety, though there's always the option of alcohol-soaking after the stuff comes out of the oven.
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One friend gave me a variety of homemade salsas: traditional tomato salsa, peach salsa, mango and pineapple, and salsa verde. It was amazing, but they were all fresh, so I only had a couple days to use them. No problem since I was having a party, but worth considering.
You could definitely do a canned salsa and that would last longer.
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I like the macaroon idea that was suggested, everyone is always impressed when I make them as if I've gone to some big trouble. They are nice given with a good high quality chocolate. What about...
Apple or pear butter (very shipable)
Herbed olive oil
Breads (The Bread Bible has some nice ones)
Spice blends (it seems salts with assorted spices are popular in the stores, why not make your own?) -
I'm in the same place as Katie Nell- None of the ppl. i am making the gifts for are foodies- this year im baking an array of cookies (shortbread, holiday biscotti, ginger spice), homemade pepper jelly (great over cream cheese with crackers), spiced and candies walnuts, fudge, some kind of bark, my famouse banana bread, homemade hot cocoa mix and homemade marshmellows. I hope this can give you some ideas... I know its not fancy but is always appreciated! :)
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Katie Nell
Nov 28, 2006 04:43 PM
You might want to pick up a copy of the Martha Stewart Living holiday special issue entitled "Holiday: Handmade Gifts"... there are some fantastic ideas in it this year and lots of inventive ideas on how to wrap your food gifts once you've made them.
Unfortunately, most of the people I give gifts to aren't really foodies and so don't appreciate the kinds of things I would like to make. I usually just bake lots of cookies or make toffee and everyone loves that. If I *were* going to make presents for foodie friends, I would consider candied citrus peel, unusual jam flavors like blackberry and rosemary or crystallized ginger and peach, homemade spice mixes like jerk or 5-spice, homemade nutella... just some of the ideas I've thought of in the past. Martha (I'm so outing myself as a Martha fan! ;-) also has a gingerbread palmier recipe in the December issue that I am going to make even though I know most people won't go for it! My immediate family will and that's what counts!
Some good ideas from last year too: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/28048...
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re: Katie Nell
danna
Nov 29, 2006 02:01 PM
Ditto. I'm just about sick of going to the trouble of making something homemade and creative for my family (aunts, uncles, cousins). In the past I have made:
Raspberry Vinegar
Boxes of frozen Cheddar/cumin puff pastry straws
Ginger scented pecans
Lemon Verbena Muscadine jelly
Hot Cocoa mix w/ homemade marshmallows
Spice Rub for Beer Can Chicken + a recipe and a holderNobody EVER tells me the stuff was good. Granted, I may not see some of these people again for a couple of months, but you'd think at some point, someone would say "hey, I got those pastry straws out and baked them when we had company last month" or SOMETHING.
Screw 'em. This year they're getting grapefruits. That'll teach 'em.
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re: danna
Katie Nell
Nov 29, 2006 02:11 PM
Grapefruits! Too funny! See, that's another thing I was thinking of making... pink grapefruit marmalade! Maybe we should send each other the presents we make Danna!! ;-) I like the puff pastry straws idea.
(P.S. Haven't your people ever heard of thank you notes?! Perfect opportunity to tell you your stuff was yummy!)
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re: Cinnamon
Katie Nell
Nov 29, 2006 04:57 PM
Perfect!!! I would *so* do that for one person in particular! ;-) (Evil Laugh!)
Back to the subject at hand, I actually thought this triple chocolate bark looked pretty good on the FN Holiday Gifts special: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
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re: Katie Nell
danna
Nov 29, 2006 07:30 PM
The marmalade sounds wonderful. Perhaps we should start a homemade-gifts-support-group. Next year, when I have forgotten my current pledge, I'll send you one of whatever I make!
I thought the candied grapefruit looked nice in that MS homemade gift mag. I have done that before for my own personnal use, and it really is nice, but not nearly as pretty as the mag, of course.
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re: rmarisco
danna
Dec 4, 2006 07:52 PM
I feel I must comment in defense of my relatives.
We all live near enough each other that we exchange gifts under the tree at my grandmother's house in the Norman Rockwell fashion. Thank yous are made in person at the time of gifting, so no notes are required. It just feedback I am in want of, not thanks.
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re: danna
Katie Nell
Dec 4, 2006 07:57 PM
Danna- I hope I didn't offend you; I was just joking all the way! :-) Our family functions are the same as yours and I wouldn't have it any other way!
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re: Katie Nell
danna
Dec 4, 2006 08:18 PM
Oh gosh, no. I am practically un-offend-able. Just after the 4th person commented on the thank you notes I thought I better explain.
My husband says perhaps they ARE being polite by not commenting on how the things tasted ;-)
BTW, PittmanDavis.com has marvelous grapefruits, nicely packaged.
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re: danna
Oh Danna, I'm dying laughing. Maybe one year I'll learn my lesson and give 'em grapefruits.
One year I made raspberry cordial soaking about 15 pints of fresh raspberries in vodka and sugar for about a week and then straining and aging it for months and then packaging up in pretty bottles. It was amazing and now I wish I didn't give it all away.
Let them eat grapefruit!
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re: danna
I guess I am lucky. I make candies (fruit rinds, almond buttercrunch, white chocolate pistachio bark), cookies and caramel corn for friends and family. I used to pack a tin for each family and as the kids got older I would make the tin bigger. When I asked my nephews which cookies they liked best they looked at me blankly. Apparently my brother wasn't sharing. Now everyone get a box of their own.
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re: danna
If your recipients are anything like my mother, the lovely gifts are still in the pantry for a "special" occasion. The normal cookies and candies get eaten during the holiday season, but all that "fancy" stuff gets a place of honor in perpetual storage. Same mindset as never using the good china and silver...
That's why I send apples and cheddar ;-)
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I'm creative, but not always trendy :)
Half pints of my famous Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Applesauce and packets of my homemade chai mix.›4 Replies-
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re: szmn
not really...only my chili recipe is confidential!
I use a blend of different apples, and I peel them (the skin irritates my stomach), chop them up and simmer them in a small amount of high quality apple juice until they are soft.(Martinelli's is the best). You can chanage the amount of liquid or even the type depending on what flavor you want and what consistency you want. Then I mash or blend the apples, and add brown sugar, ground cinnamon, a pat or two of butter and vanilla bean paste to my liking. I like Niellson Massey Vanilla Bean Paste best, because it's easier and cheaper than the bean, but still has those flecks of beans in it that I love so much. And thats it...hope this helps--I don't usually write out recipes that are in my head!
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toodie jane
Nov 28, 2006 03:07 PM
here are some trend spotters' notes:
http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2006/01/fancy-food-show-trends-2006.html
http://restaurants.about.com/od/specialtyitems/tp/FancyFoodTrends.htm
http://www.restaurantgirl.com/restaurantgirl/food_trend_watch/index.html
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JenMarie66
Nov 28, 2006 04:18 AM
What about the Paris-style macaroons a la Pierre Herme that have become all the rage of late? They certainly look lovely and festive...
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This year, it has to be truffles. Many chefs have become rich and famous with this simple recipe, but use a myriad of wierd and non-traditional, non-sweet flavors, like herbs, spices, salt, tropical fruits. Here in SF bay area, there are at least a dozen such truffle boutiques where you can get these things. I personally do not care for these flavors, but I know that Chocolatier magazine recently devoted an entire issue to it. Most of the exact flavor recipes are closely guarded secrets by the company owners, but the basic recipe they use is pretty much the original by Medrich in the book 'Cocolat'.
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re: nissenpa
I have not made these yet.
Caramel with Salted Butter
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (see note)
1 pound superfine sugar (about 2 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup corn syrupBring the half-and-half, butter and fleur de sel to boil in a heavy,
3-quart saucepan. Set aside.Stir together the sugar and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Bring
to a temperature of 293 degrees on a candy thermometer over medium
heat. As the sugar begins to melt, swirl the pan often until all
the sugar is melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the
half-and-half mixture. Set the pan over medium heat and bring the
mixture to 248 degrees, stirring frequently. This will take 10 to
15 minutes. (The mixture will look like a caramel sauce.)Pour into an 8-inch-square nonstick pan and allow to set 2 hours.
After the caramel has completely cooled, set the pan over very low
heat just enough to loosen the caramel, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Invert the pan onto a nonstick surface. Cut the caramel into 36
pieces and wrap individually. Store in a dry place.
Servings: 36 caramels.-
re: cocoagirl
MsMaryMc
Jul 30, 2008 08:48 PM
I tried this recipe last weekend and the results were FABULOUS! thanks for sharing it!
My only problem was with getting the caramels out of the pan. They definitely would have needed longer than two hours to be fully cooled, but that was the limit of our patience. I used a good nonstick Calphalon pan and warmed it as recommended, but they didn't come out readily. We gave up (probably too soon!) and just dug them out with a table knife and devoured them. But eventually, I do want to make them again to give as gifts, so I'd like to be able to get them out intact. Anyone have suggestions? Would it help to butter the pan before pouring in the caramel, or would it just make them sticky? How about lining the pan with parchment paper--would that stick fast to the caramel after it's cooled?
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