Posted February 26th, 2010

Give a Little Support to an Edible Gift

 

Please stop besmirching the good name of my favorite gift category–food gifts.  Quit sending the boxes filled with processed cheese spreads that are mostly chemicals and the unidentifiable tubes labeled as some sort of sausage.  Quit giving away those fruit baskets that are cushioned with tissue paper in an ugly box that takes up all that space in my recycle bin.  Those of us who live in the north can get apples and pears with real flavor every fall.

Despite my heretical words, above, I love good food gifts.  I enjoy giving them, but I enjoy receiving them even more.  However, when you send me something, please make it the same quality I give those on my gift list.  Oh, and by the way, high quality is not the same as easy to buy from a temporary, seasonal kiosk in the mall.  Food gifts require the same thought as any other gift category.

Instead of that big brand name box of gelatinous cheese spreads from the mall, consider a assortment of genuine artisan cheeses from my home state of Wisconsin or wherever your favorite cheeses originate.  Let’s keep the goats and cows happily employed instead of just putting more chemicals in our food.  I would love even a small gift such as that more than the biggest box of the fake stuff that your mall displays.

A wine giftbasket makes a delightful gift for the right person.  Just be sure that the person to whom you send it appreciates a good wine.  You see, I haven’t had a drink in years, because I’m an alcoholic.  I prefer not to be tempted, especially during the holidays, but my sister would be an ideal recipient.  Whereas I know how to chug and pour again, she actually knows how to slowly savor each sip.

We all have a special friend or a dear relative who has moved away.  Consider a gift of live lobsters or a couple complete lobster dinners.  Granted, this is not a bargain basement priced gift, but sometimes we enjoy splurging on someone especially dear.

I made light of fruit gift baskets a while ago, but, if you take the time, you can find a basket of gourmet fruit–fruit that does not grown in my back yard.  This is a terrific gift for someone who is a fitness fanatic or anyone who appreciates the simple beauty that is fruit.

See?  If you give a little thought to a food gift, stay out of the long lines at the mall kiosks, and hasten the journey of the boxes filled with fake cheese to the garbage bin, which is where they are going to end up if you send them to me.  Join me at home some evening, shopping from the Internet.  Just remember that you’ll have to bring your own wine, but I’ll supply the real cheese.

Birkenstock Sandal Sale