581483 Fri Dec 19 14:21:17 -0800 2008 54 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4260466 I have my usual slew of local wines / port and variety chocolates to give this year, but also some things like lavender, pomegranate and rose jellies, lobster antipasto, as well, as of today, some deer meat for my Dad (thanks to a fellow generous co-worker ! ). I have spices, dip mixes etc etc. I seem to give a lot of food gifts ! As for stuff i've made, gone and going to coworkers and friends in pretty tins and plastics: -peanut brittle -coffee walnut toffee with white and dark chocolate -white chocolate bark with macadamia nuts and cranberries -chocolate tortoises (basicall peanut butter/butterscotch/nut cluster things) -rum raisin fudge -bittersweet chocolate fudge with ginger How about you !? Fri Dec 19 14:21:17 -0800 2008 153184 im_nomad 1 4260566 What a great idea for a thread! And how ambitious you are! Sounds delicious! Well, we aren't even half as energetic in the kitchen, but we did send out a few things (now, don't laugh!): 1. Harry & David Pears. OK All of our friends and siblings have reached a 'certain age' and can't eat this or that or the other thing, but these pears are just delicious and they all seem to like/eat them. I know some people get several boxes of the pears from different friends/clients/patients, but they can always re-gift, we think! 2. Esther Price Candy. The best buy in good chocolates and made right here in Ohio. And these days we send out the bittersweet/semisweet candies (of course for 'health' reasons!) 3. Now for the homemade~~we had a delightful time baking yeasty 'Christmas wreaths' from a recipe in the Food Processor Bread Book. Everyone loves these (I make them every year), and I don't know why they are always so surprised to find out I made them myself! Oh, well. 4. The last thing we baked (that I'll mention) are our St. Nicholas Spekulaitus cookies from our German Christmas Baking cookbook. These never fail to impress and are easy to make if you have the right equipment (the wooden molds).. Declicious with Oolong Tea, too. I would love to hear what everyone else sends out. Tis the season, and I could use some new ideas! Fri Dec 19 14:53:32 -0800 2008 4260466 249199 dumas 2 4261531 I've sent Harry & David pears/apples/cheddar/nuts this year to my family...they are really great quality. In our office, we've received a multitude of gift baskets from the attorneys we work with but they are ALL trashy carbs--chocolates, cookies, small cakes. Not to sound ungrateful (and they will all receive thank you notes signed by all of us on our estate settlement team) but it is surprising how little fruit seems to be sent. None of us are on restricted diets but we might need to be if this keeps up. Our plan for this coming week is to give lots of it to others in our building who may not have received baskets, which we started to do on Thursday. It's becoming ridiculous. A number of us have volunteered to take unopened items to the local shelter, too, since they are in such need. Sat Dec 20 05:30:24 -0800 2008 4260566 11983 Val 1 4260629 Back to basics this year. Starting now on 5 cookies: baklava, a bar version of Linzer torte, meringue puffs w/ crushed candy canes and chocolate bits, pumpkin spice bread, and oatmeal chocolate chip dried cherry. Also attractively piled whole in shell nuts (walnut, pecan, filbert, almond) into mini ceramic Christmas themed loaf pans. Families report the kids thrilled at seeing them for the first time and getting to whack them open. Fri Dec 19 15:18:44 -0800 2008 4260466 17682 torty 2 4260639 oh, I have a box of phyllo that keeps giving me dirty looks every time i open the freezer.... Fri Dec 19 15:24:16 -0800 2008 4260629 53762 geminigirl 3 4271113 It's amazing how expressive phyllo dough can manage those dirty looks! The venison can manage it too somehow. Wed Dec 24 08:03:00 -0800 2008 4260639 59951 thinks too much 1 4260798 A box from Nueske's for good friends with bacon, canadian bacon, ham, and buffalo steaks. For the owners of my local cheese shop and for all the employees of my beauty salon, trays of baklava and galactoboureko(which I made). Harbor sweets and pistachio nuts from California for friends and relatives. Fri Dec 19 16:38:09 -0800 2008 4260466 13202 emilief 1 4260828 so far... granola: maple walnut cherry almond cinnamon pecan granola bars: cherry chocolate chip apple cinnamon with currants nuts: chili chai walnuts sweet & spicy curried cashews tea-glazed almonds with ginger & sesame Fri Dec 19 16:51:51 -0800 2008 4260466 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4261213 boxes of small loaves of Gramercy Tavern Ginger Bread(made with orval beer instead of Guinness) cream cake (from the 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Book....easy and Soooooo Delish) Nigella Lawsons fudge from Domestic Goddess Chocolate Caramel from The Settlement Cookbook Bridge Mix Brittle Hermit Cake from my MILs famous recipe I rearely get to sample any of these, but I hear they are good. Fri Dec 19 20:16:57 -0800 2008 4260466 16394 jill kibler 2 4265520 ooh bridge mix brittle, what goes in there? Mon Dec 22 06:06:12 -0800 2008 4261213 153184 im_nomad 3 4289008 Standard peanut brittle recipe using a good bridge mix instead of peanuts. (Our work place is a peanut free environment, so this modification was necessary.) I chop the Brazil nuts so they arent too big compared to the rest of the nuts. Thu Jan 01 21:56:29 -0800 2009 4265520 16394 jill kibler 1 4261290 preserved lemons, cheese, bourbon cherries, salmon jerky (variations of all found here although I'm using Bittman mostly with reckless swerves) Fri Dec 19 21:29:56 -0800 2008 4260466 163722 hill food 1 4261463 Granola and homemade nut butter,,,,sometimes mixed together. Sat Dec 20 02:32:38 -0800 2008 4260466 10426 shaebones 1 4261640 Baked at the Swanky home and put into tins for all my fellow teacher buddies (and hubby's boss!): -white chocolate chip cranberry oatmeal cookies - chocolate chip -raspberry and apricot rugalah Year's not over yet, but I might order ourselves the Zingerman's "Midnight Feeding Box" since our baby is due any day now!! :o) Sat Dec 20 07:09:45 -0800 2008 4260466 59004 Sra. Swanky 2 4261833 aww, didn't know a Swanky bambino[a] was on the way...congrats! Sat Dec 20 08:59:54 -0800 2008 4261640 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4261888 Thank you, ghg! :o) Looking forward to our little chowpup! :o) Sat Dec 20 09:23:21 -0800 2008 4261833 59004 Sra. Swanky 2 4269743 So many goodies in the oven! Congrats! Tue Dec 23 14:19:45 -0800 2008 4261640 137755 Sal Vanilla 3 4271027 LOL!! Especially this year! Thanks, Sal! :o) Wed Dec 24 07:26:04 -0800 2008 4269743 59004 Sra. Swanky 1 4261732 I made some delicious Vanilla Bean cookies that taste just like Bryer's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. I'm also going to to make homemade ricotta for a few of my more food obsessed friends. Sat Dec 20 08:03:23 -0800 2008 4260466 67742 HungryRubia 1 4262557 I would be banished from several circles if I failed to make toffee, so I did. About 25 pounds. Only my neighbors to go! I also made green, red, and white marshmallows and Cook's Illustrated (or Cook's Country--Mom has both) hot cocoa mix. Threw in Kahlua for my REALLY GOOD friends. Chai shortbread for Mom. I'm working on a spicy "white trash" for a good friend of mine whose favorite junk food has been discontinued. Sat Dec 20 15:30:53 -0800 2008 4260466 48876 mamaciita 2 4262686 What's in the spicy "white trash", if you don't mind? Sounds good! Sat Dec 20 16:53:57 -0800 2008 4262557 59004 Sra. Swanky 3 4264232 I'm going to expirament with Alton Brown's recipe and make half "regular" and add cinnamon and ground red pepper to the other. I'll let you know how it goes. Sun Dec 21 13:01:27 -0800 2008 4262686 48876 mamaciita 4 4267146 Expirament accomplished. I didn't get exactly what I had anticipated, but boy, is it yummy. Next time I'll grind some black pepper over the top while it's still tacky, and I'm thinking of expiramenting with Chinese Five Spice powder. For the record, I eliminated the Cheerios in the recipe and added a bit more of everything else to make up for it. To the half-batch that I made "spicy," I added 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the white chocolate. For my taste, I think I could have used 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 3/4-1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mon Dec 22 15:13:54 -0800 2008 4264232 48876 mamaciita 1 4263486 I have put together.... - Ingredients to make hummus to go with dip set gift. - Sugar free chocolate covered pretzels for diabetic - Sugar free flavored popcorn - Puppy chow snack mix - Ranch flavored snack mix - Assorted x-mas cookies The fruit is a good idea for the person who has everything! Thanks! Sun Dec 21 06:48:06 -0800 2008 4260466 115150 etoiles 2 4263600 Chile Citrus Peanuts Peppermint Bark Instant Mohitos... Just add lime.. Sun Dec 21 08:08:58 -0800 2008 4263486 54744 rozz01 3 4263933 What goes into an instant mojito? Sounds amazing. Sun Dec 21 10:42:54 -0800 2008 4263600 21620 Dizzied 4 4267701 I made a mint infused simple syrup and addes Bicardi 151 to it. Included two highball glasses w/a lime in each one.... Mon Dec 22 19:19:38 -0800 2008 4263933 54744 rozz01 1 4263621 Could you share your lobster anitpasto? Sun Dec 21 08:18:02 -0800 2008 4260466 29932 MIss G 1 4264353 Giving lemoncello from meyer lemons. The recipe is on the CH site. I got chocolates, some Polish and booze-filled which will get re-gifted. Also got a "client" gift of steaks and pork chops from Omaha Steaks. Seemed like a foolhardy gift with so many people being vegetarian or Kosher, but we will enjoy them. Sun Dec 21 14:07:39 -0800 2008 4260466 24468 chicgail 1 4264580 Rendered Duck Fat so far... I am thinking about some Fleur De Sel Caramels... Sun Dec 21 16:39:35 -0800 2008 4260466 178033 JanPrimus 1 4264723 Well, I made some little spice bundt cakes, pecan toffee (no where near 25 lbs worth - I submerged my candy thermometer and cursed vividly before I gave up), and iced christmas cookies, but the "gift" project this year was lavender...we got a ton at a "U-pick" lavender farm, dried it, so I made lavender sea salt, lavender sugar, and herbs d'provence (thank goodness for bulk herbs!), and am giving a "Trio of Texas Lavender." Sun Dec 21 17:48:59 -0800 2008 4260466 60630 saticoy 2 4265560 The Texas Lavender Trio sounds especially interesting. And now I'm wondering if you are including recipes to complement your mixes? I received Lavender sea salt as a gift and I'm trying to be creative, but can't think of how best to use it... ...but, maybe in those Fleur De Sel Caramels that Jan mentioned just above? Mon Dec 22 06:33:04 -0800 2008 4264723 249199 dumas 3 4267006 You know, I didn't include recipes, but toyed with the idea....Lavender salt caramels sound amazing, and I think this salt is excellent sprinkled on plain grilled, steamed or roasted veggies (esp zucchini) and it is also great with lamb. I use the lavender sugar for scones and icing, herbs for lots of different things...NEXT year I'll do recipes!! Mon Dec 22 14:27:46 -0800 2008 4265560 60630 saticoy 1 4265523 Oh my...everything sounds so good, what lucky recipients ! Mon Dec 22 06:07:33 -0800 2008 4260466 153184 im_nomad 2 4266836 yours too! particularly the coffee toffee, tortoises, and ginger fudge. mmmm.... Mon Dec 22 13:38:08 -0800 2008 4265523 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4267564 Cranberry cheese pie Cranberry walnut pie Niter kibbeh - Ethiopian spiced butter Mon Dec 22 18:30:37 -0800 2008 4260466 14974 BeaN 1 4268064 miniature chewy gooey gingerbread loaves - very well received flavored olive oils flavored vodkas pumpkin butter, persimmon butter, and pear butter Mon Dec 22 22:46:49 -0800 2008 4260466 15572 Emme 2 4269750 Flavored butters - What a good idea! Did you special mold them?? Tue Dec 23 14:22:29 -0800 2008 4268064 137755 Sal Vanilla 3 4270645 no not butter flavored with those... persimmon, pear, and pumpkin as in similar to apple butter... stew the fruit til very soft with spices and a little sugar if desired, then puree and jar... Wed Dec 24 00:31:53 -0800 2008 4269750 15572 Emme 1 4268559 Today I'm giving away a quart of homemade eggnog that I've been aging for the past couple weeks in the back of my fridge and a cardamom-lemon cake decorated in white rose-scented whipped cream with pistachios and candied red rose petals. I gave away a similar cake last week but the saffron frosting didn't quite have the White Christmas look I wanted. Tue Dec 23 07:43:26 -0800 2008 4260466 68363 JungMann 2 4271983 that sounds stunning! i hope that the recipient appreciates your gift. Wed Dec 24 15:43:53 -0800 2008 4268559 14974 BeaN 1 4268630 This past weekend, I baked twenty dozen butter cookies (a la Poilane - used a shot of them as my avatar here) and about 100 plain vanilla meringues. Minus the few that got slightly burnt and were scarfed up at home by my DH and me, I brought them to my office. I'm a receptionist at an ad agency with about 85 people on my floor. I got in early yesterday and arranged them on platters around my desk. They were all gone by the time I left for lunch at 12:30. Tue Dec 23 08:02:36 -0800 2008 4260466 10787 Deenso 1 4269724 I do a lot of food things, but not necessarily what others would think of as gift items always. Gift purchases Apricot Jam from Ilovejam.com which I learned about on this board dried rambutan White fudge covered oreos Chocolate covered Macadamias Sparkling blueberry juice Sparkling pomegranate juice food gifts made buckeyes (w/dark chocolate) cream cheese christmas tree appetizers (w/pesto and red peppers) guacamole Tue Dec 23 14:13:55 -0800 2008 4260466 109905 laliz 2 4269754 What are rambutans and buckeyes? Tue Dec 23 14:23:34 -0800 2008 4269724 137755 Sal Vanilla 3 4269858 Rambutan fruit The rambutan (IPA: [ramˈbu.t̪ɑn], Nephelium lappaceum) is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae, and the fruit of this tree. It is native to Indonesia and Southeast Asia, although its precise natural distribution is unknown. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan and Mamoncillo. It is believed to be native to the Malay Archipelago.[1]. Rambutan in Indonesian or Malay literally means hairy caused by the 'hair' that covers this fruit. In Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, it is known as mamón chino. There is a second species regularly for sale at Malay markets which is known as "wild" rambutan. It is a little smaller than the usual red variety and is colored yellow. Buckeyes are a confection ~~ a peanut butter filling dipped in chocolate I have a BIL from Ohio (the Buckeye State) whose mother used to make buckeyes for him, so I do it for him and his son now that she is gone. I had a BIL (now deceased) who was born in Bangkok. His DS has traveled to Thailand and enjoys all things Thai. He is my Secret Santa giftee this year, so. . . Rambutans Tue Dec 23 15:11:39 -0800 2008 4269754 109905 laliz 1 4269758 All the stuff I'm going to list below I've made. Some of it's gone to friends and co-workers but I'm flying in a few hours with great gobs of it for family. In fact, I've got more goodies packed than clothes :-D - Almond Crunch Candy - which is basically Almond Rocha (10+ lbs. are packed in my suitcase <gg>) - Iced Nuts - a deceptively easy brittle, used mac nuts this year. - Jamoncillo de Frutas y Nueces - from a recipe in the current issue of Saeuver Magazine. This translates (more or less) as milk fudge with (candied) fruit and nuts. The method for making the jamoncillo was rather strange, but easy to follow and oh...my...god... is this stuff ever good. Think rich caramely fudge with a hint of cinnamon, 3 kinds of nuts and good quality candied fruit (not the day-glo stuff that comes in tubs in the grocery store) - Mudslide Cookies with Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Pistachios (Jacques Torres recipe from Dec. Food & Wine mag...phenomenally good, recipes definitely a keeper) - Coconut Pistachio Meringue Cookies (from a Nick Malgeri recipe) - Orange Butter Cookies (NYT recipe) - Choco Mint Thumb Print Cookies filled with Minty White Chocolate - Lime Fire Cookies - basically a Spritz cookie flavored with fresh lime juice, rind and cayenne pepper. I used a new/fresh batch of cayenne this year and they came out a little too spicy, so I dipped the flat side of the cookies in melted chocolate and made them into sandwich cookies and gave them a new name. They're now Mexican Milanos <gg> and still spicy but, thankfully, the chocolate took the edge off. The humidity in SoCal this year made candy making a challenge. Had one batch of toffee crystallize this year, and in 40 years of candy making, that's never happened with this recipe. Happy Solstice, Happy Chanukah, Merry Kwanzaa and Merry Christmas to all... Tue Dec 23 14:24:23 -0800 2008 4260466 10506 DiningDiva 1 4271059 Candied pecans for all my friends. Makes 2 pounds candy, or enough for 5 mason jars 1¼ pounds pecans 3 egg whites ¼ cup water 2 cups sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons allspice 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon nutmeg Whisk egg whites until frothy. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Toss pecans in frothy egg whites. Stir until they are all wet. Add dry ingredients and stir thoroughly. Bake on a jelly roll pan in a 300° oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until dry. Let cool on pan. Wed Dec 24 07:44:19 -0800 2008 4260466 125577 mrsfury 1 4272088 We were gifted with 25 pounds of California walnuts (!) so we gave one and two pound packages to several friends. Also made brandied candied walnuts (walnut.org recipe) and gave some of them. Each year we traditionally send Harry and David Royal Riviera pears and Collin Street Bakery fruitcakes to a few friends... and to us. Merry Christmas, all! Wed Dec 24 17:17:01 -0800 2008 4260466 137881 BerkshireTsarina 1 4272306 Wine - all purchased. Same for the last 30 years. Hunt Wed Dec 24 19:59:37 -0800 2008 4260466 11329 Bill Hunt 1 4272311 I sent my father orange cookies about two weeks before Christmas, using the recipe that his deceased mother always used. She would always make them when we came to visit. When she was alive, I used to make her candied grapefruit peel - her favorite - and send them to her. Wed Dec 24 20:03:06 -0800 2008 4260466 10985 MMRuth 1 4274839 Every year I bake about 6 different cookies and make packages for friends and family. I was escpecially pressed fo time this year because of the huge ice storm we had. We had to go live with friends for a week until we got electricity back. But I did make the cookies! Santa's Whiskers (pecan, dried cherries, coconut) chocolate mint drops gingerbread cookies 2 different types of butter cookies pecan sables danish butter cardamom cookies On Christmas eve I was getting ready to decorate the gingerbread and butter cookies. I had already make the royal icing (though I hadn't colored any of it) and then we had a windstorm and the lights went out till 2 am. So I decorated in the dark. I ended up not finishing till 3 am. But I got it done and had 15 gift bags on Christmas day! Meryl http://inspiredbites.blogspot.com/ Fri Dec 26 17:29:13 -0800 2008 4260466 63311 puppymomma 2 4274883 Those are lovely - I'd love your recipe for the butter cardamom cookies over on the Home Cooking board when you have a chance. Congratulations on getting so much done despite the obstacles! Fri Dec 26 18:02:25 -0800 2008 4274839 10985 MMRuth 3 4274998 The recipe came from Recipezarr. You can find the recipe here with my pictures: http://inspiredbites.blogspot.com/2008/12/almond-cardamom-christmas-cookies.html Meryl Fri Dec 26 19:13:49 -0800 2008 4274883 63311 puppymomma 1 4275184 I made salted caramels. And more salted caramels. And then a few more batches. I can now make caramels in my sleep. A certain significant other was given a (purchased) bottle of lovely Walla Walla cab sauv. Fri Dec 26 21:38:31 -0800 2008 4260466 64882 Vetter 1 4276077 Didn't really get around to make home-made food gifts this year, so I gave away restaurant gift cards instead. However, hubby and I did manage to get ourselves some food-related gifts, including a super duper juicer, SousVideMagic, as well as some delish Jamon Iberico and Spanish cured meat from La Tienda. http://mysteryfoodcritic.typepad.com/mystery_food_critic/2008/12/on-vox-what-gourmet-related-gifts-you-receivedgave-this-christmas.html Sat Dec 27 11:57:10 -0800 2008 4260466 174677 smilyfoodcritic