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Gifts of Food Gifts of food are easily customized because everyone has a passion for an epicurean delight of one sort or another. Giving a gift of food can be as simple as raiding the refrigerator section of the local grocery store, dropping by the corner deli, or opening a gourmet catalog and picking up the telephone. Find out what her favorite childhood food was and learn to prepare it the way her mom did. Send a basket of regional food specialties. Assemble your own or order from one of many specialty shops. Regional food specialties make great gifts. Whether it's New England maple syrup, Southwest seasonings, pastries or pasta, sauces or sausages, a basket filled with regional favorites is sure to be a hit. We've never met a cookie we didn't like. Come to think of it, we've never met a person who didn't like cookies. (That's not to say everyone does!) Fresh-baked cookies usually make welcome gifts. Present them in a reusable basket or decorative tin. For an elegant presentation, deliver them on a beautiful silver or porcelain platter. A loaf of bread right from the oven is a warm way to welcome a new neighbor or delight a friend. Place the bread on a cutting board, cover with a pretty towel, and tie with a cheerful bow. If you receive rave reviews for your desserts, exclusive membership in your personal dessert-of-the-month club would make an excellent gift to a friend with a passion for sweets. Give a spring-form pan with a cheesecake recipe and all the necessary ingredients. Or give a fondue pot with recipes and ingredients for cheese or chocolate fondue. Or give an ice cream freezer with ice cream recipes and ingredients. To give a fresh-baked, custom-decorated cake contact Cakes Across America, www.cakesacrossamerica.com. A yummy cake will be created and delivered by a baker in the recipient's hometown. Give a basket of low-fat or low-sodium goodies to a friend on a restricted diet. Give a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or arrange to have lunch or dinner delivered to the recipient's house or office.
Check
out the following food sites on the Internet: Mrs. Fields Cookies, Omaha Steaks,
www.nbsmokehouse.com,
www.hhbagles.com,
www.worldsbestcheesecake.com,
www.whitleyspeanut.com,
www.popcornpalace.com,
www.godiva.com,
www.harryanddavid.com,
www.benandjerrys.com,
www.cheesestorebh.com,
www.flyingpizzas.com,
www.threedog.com (yes, this is a bakery for dogs), and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
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